12 September 2010

Comment - Grammar, no, don't turn off!

These are Americanisms British people seem to have taken on board not only in speech but in writing, these expressions are wrong, and I'm sure there's more, so here are their explanations, please don't copy them!

"I will write you" Meaning: "I will write to you". This Americanism feels like someone is going to use you as a pen or use you as a writing pad.

"Up comming" Meaning: "Comming". Something, such as an event or a season which might be almost upon us, is not 'up' just as well as it is not 'down'. It is ahead of us, therefore if you must augment 'comming' with another word, how about "fourth (comming)"?

"January through August" Meaning: "...From January to August/into August". January does not travel, wind, or mix into August, there are 8 months between them (or less considering what your start and end dates are). What you should say is: "I will be working on the project from January to August", or "Beginning in January ending in August". Even if you write/say: "In January through to August" the phrase still sounds alien, purely because 'through' is not precise: do you mean until the last day in August, or mid-August?
What you can say is: "I will be working through the night", but "I will be working on the project all through August" still sounds befuddled. You should just simply put: "I will be working on the project in August", or "From January to August". 'Through' is surpurfluous.

Not really an Americanism, but wrong speech nonetheless -
"Our / Hour / Are" When saying 'our' do not pronunce it like 'are'!!!!!! Pronounce it like 'hour'. You do not say "6 ares", you say "6 hours"; likewise there is no such thing as "Are bikes", there is only "Our bikes".
The Primary offender is UK TV presenter Kate Humble.

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