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What spelling, grammar or semantics rules have been lost in your lifetime? (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by Dagobah@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

133 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Language is always changing. At one point 'an apron' was 'a napron' while words like 'literally' are no longer literally literal. What are some language battles that have been lost in living memory and what are some others you predict will soon occur?

Edit: Non-english examples very welcome!

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[–] CurlyWurlies4All@slrpnk.net 20 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (7 children)

Australian English language is now largely Americanised, a process that started in the post-war era is now mostly complete.

Terms such as 'gaol' have been widely replaced by 'jail'.
'Programme' is mostly replaced by 'program'.
A 'car bonnet' is likely to be called a 'hood'.
'Play lunch' is mostly replaced with 'recess'.
'Pusher' is mostly called a 'pram'
'Lacker band' is now mostly just 'rubber band'.
'Boomer' no longer means kangaroo, but instead 'Old person.'

I'm not really bothered by it or anything, but it's been interesting to see it shift even over my lifetime.

[–] sem@piefed.blahaj.zone 11 points 2 weeks ago

I'd say pram is still pretty British ("I have to push the pram-a-lot!") in the US it would be almost definitely stroller.

[–] Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Americans don't use pram though, we say stroller

[–] bandwidthcrisis@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, pram is a British term. Or pushchair.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 weeks ago

Elden Ring is trying to bring the spelling back to "gaol."

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

'Programme' is mostly replaced by 'program'.

We can still pronounce it correctly (with an O like 'pronounce' or 'proclaim') so there's that

[–] tomenzgg@midwest.social 2 points 2 weeks ago

Far as I've ever seen, that's how everyone pronounces it.

[–] CandleTiger@programming.dev 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Y’all still got dual carriageways over there?

[–] CurlyWurlies4All@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Is that an Australian-ism? I don't remember it ever coming up in conversation with my American or British friends.

[–] CandleTiger@programming.dev 2 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah it’s a divided highway. I got directions once that included what I heard as a “jewel carriageway” and had just a very confusing time getting that clarified.

[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago

Bonnet

Australian

Uwotm8

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

Yes, but we got the good aussie slang!

Like, "no worries". Fucking love it.