I prefer some americanisms though- for example 'fall'. So descriptive and yet simple.
Watergate was incredible
Now we have:
Bertiegate
Drunkgate
AIBgate
Badhairgate if Catherine Zeta Jones is photographed on a windy day
Lazy journalism from hacks who think they are the next Woodward and Bernstein
"Do the math" is another one
It's Maths or Mathematics, it is not Math
I quite like many of the the American neologisms and prefer them to many old fashioned military or biblical allusions such as..
Line Management
Open a new front.
Top Brass
sacraficial lamb etc.
I think new words and phrases are great and think that we Irish should keep the tradition going by inventing new ones!
But PLAYDATE?????? WTF?
Just say 'he's going over to a friend's house'. or 'one of his pals in school asked him over'.
I don't say I'm going for a 'chatdate' or a 'cupofcoffeedate'.
Sorry liaconn,
"Playdate" is embedded in my 11-year old's lexicon as "playday" and is used interchangeably amongst the Mums.
"Playdate"
"Playday"
Dare I say it - "who knew"?
and going out to the 'backyard'.
and going out to the 'backyard'.
I don't mind playdate - we don't have a short alternative ourselves - just the long-winded versions you mention. Much easier ('tis the season for new kids at school to make new friends) to say 'we'll arrange a playdate' than 'we'll arrange for your son to come to our house or my son to go to your house' or 'we'll arrange for them to play together in one of their houses next week'. Playdate is succinct - it is a bit of a weird word but there isn't really an alternative.But PLAYDATE?????? WTF?
Just say 'he's going over to a friend's house'. or 'one of his pals in school asked him over'.
I don't say I'm going for a 'chatdate' or a 'cupofcoffeedate'.
Where else would you be going? Hello?
Marion
A real culchisim is to use the word "haggard" to refer to a backyard - which I agree is not an Americanism.
Playdate
Anyone else find this expression really, really annoying? And what other Americanisms grate on you?