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From: ehrlich@sable.ox.ac.uk (Charles Ehrlich)
Subject: Re: Differences between American + British english
Message-ID: <1995Apr18.002621.24713@inca.comlab.ox.ac.uk>
Organization: Oxford University, England
References: <795681149snz@duntone.demon.co.uk> <797633329snz@psyche.demon.co.uk> <1995Apr13.181319.24740@inca.comlab.ox.ac.uk> <3mn3nk$2im@fido.asd.sgi.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 95 00:26:21 BST
Lines: 37

In article <3mn3nk$2im@fido.asd.sgi.com>,
Jon Livesey <livesey@solntze.engr.sgi.com> wrote:
>
>I have to say that if you think Mr Brooks' argument is "very British"
>you must be an astonishingly ignorant person.   The portrayal of the
>issuing and detection of subtle insults is an integral part of the 
>literature of most major cultures.

1. Does this make insults "necessary?"  I think not.

2. More generally: since my point was that it is a very British argument
to insist that since something has always been done one way it need always
be done that way, then Mr. Brooks' justification is indeed a very British
argument.  Take sink faucets, as one oft-used example.  Why do the British
insist on having one hot tap and one cold one, thus scalding one hand
while freezing the other, instead of a single tap the temperature of
which can be regulated?  Even in new houses with brand new fixtures, the
British usually retain two taps where most people now put in one.  I've
yet to hear any of my British friends defend this practice with an argument
other than "it's always been this way..."

Anyway, none of this has anything to do with the original point of this
thread, which was differences between British and American English.  
Someone who signed his post "Geronimo" (I'm sorry I don't have a name for
him, as his original posting has yet to show up on my newsreader) insisted
that Americans learn their grammar from illiterates in the streets while
British actually make a point of studying proper grammar.  I disagreed
completely - I think "Geronimo" has it backwards.  This aside to discuss
insults is merely avoiding the issue. :^(

Charles Ehrlich
Wolfson College (Oxford)





