Americanisms

[Liquid]

When buying things from the store shop:

Pack or packet?

e.g. cigarettes, condoms, Skittles and so on.

I get the impression pack is very American. I use packet way more often.

 

[Jimlaad43]

To me, Pack indicates something bigger - eg Backpack - or with more items in it - Pack of cards.
Packet is for smaller or fewer items, such as a packet of sweets, cigarettes etc

 

[TheCracker]

To me, Pack indicates something bigger - eg Backpack - or with more items in it - Pack of cards.
Packet is for smaller or fewer items, such as a packet of sweets, cigarettes etc

Does a pack of cards contain more or less items then a packet of dried pasta?

 

[TB]

For me - pack of cigarettes, packet of sugar.

 

[TexRex]

Packets generally have press-sealed ends that can be torn open and can never be closed again. Packs are typically designed to be closed after opening, even if not very well sealed.

Pack of gum. Packet of ketchup. Just...keep them separate.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Ketchup comes in bottles, sachets or small tubs. Never a packet.

 

[TexRex]

Ketchup comes in bottles, sachets or small tubs. Never a packet.

 

[Liquid]

Pack of cards.

Interesting. I probably do say pack of cards but I'm also highly likely to ask for, or talk about, a deck of cards.

 

[Swagger897]

Interesting. I probably do say pack of cards but I'm also highly likely to ask for, or talk about, a deck of cards.

I think it's a matter of how often do you purchase a new pack no? Maybe 1-2 in my lifetime but once purchasing a pack they are then always to be referred to as a deck.

 

[Jimlaad43]

View attachment 901265

That is a sachet

 

[TexRex]

That is a sachet

 

[Jimlaad43]

View attachment 901275

They're wrong, that's a sachet

 

[Tired Tyres]

They're wrong, that's a sachet

Yes but why introduce a Frenchism to a thread about Americanism?

 

[MatskiMonk]

If a Packet is a smaller version of a Pack, is a Sachet s smaller version of Sach?

 

[TexRex]

Yes but why introduce a Frenchism to a thread about Americanism?

To this point, I recommend moving away from the French-sounding pronunciation of garage (I have the urge to hold up a pinky when I say it) that is so common here and to instead adopt the British "garridge" pronunciation.

 

[UnkaD]

The only British pronunciation that bugs me is mēthane. I watch a lot of science and space shows and can't help bit cringe everytime I hear that one word. Ēthane doesn't even make me flinch, it's just mēthane.

 

[Tired Tyres]

The only British pronunciation that bugs me is mēthane. I watch a lot of science and space shows and can't help bit cringe everytime I hear that one word. Ēthane doesn't even make me flinch, it's just mēthane.

why? me-thane. What's wrong with it? Is it on the same scale of how you lot pronounce Aluminum which is truly atrocious beyond any form of redemption.

 

[Moby45]

"Jag-Wars"(Jaguars) is probably the most annoying sound I hear in the American English language.

 

[TexRex]

"Jag-Wars"(Jaguars) is probably the most annoying sound I hear in the American English language.

Should it be "jag-you-are"?

 

[ImaRobot]

why? me-thane. What's wrong with it? Is it on the same scale of how you lot pronounce Aluminum which is truly atrocious beyond any form of redemption.

What's wrong with pronouncing Aluminum as Aluminum? Do you mean how we don't pronounce Aluminium?

 

[TexRex]

What's wrong with pronouncing Aluminum as Aluminum? Do you mean how we don't pronounce Aluminium?

More unnecessary letters. It'd presumably inappropriate having an extra u like in "colour" and "flavour", so they used an i instead.

When talking about Aston Martins with someone, the subject of their weight despite them being made of aluminium came up. I quipped that it must be because of the extra i.

 

[UnkaD]

why? me-thane. What's wrong with it? Is it on the same scale of how you lot pronounce Aluminum which is truly atrocious beyond any form of redemption.

Not sure why. I don't mind anything else really. Just that one single word has a bad ring to it, like the first and second syllables are fighting each other.

Should it be "jag-you-are"?

♫"He always ate in the Steak Bar
He loved to drive in his Jag-u-ar"

 

[FPV MIC]

Should it be "jag-you-are"?

Jag-u-ar? Whats with all the extra letters?

What's wrong with pronouncing Aluminum as Aloominum? Do you mean how we don't pronounce Aluminium?

ftfy

------

I'd always found the pronunciation of Arkansas as Arkansaw an interesting one, and even more interesting when I finally decided to find out the answer.

https://www.baxterbulletin.com/story/news/local/2015/05/17/arkansaw-ar-kansas/27489055/

Name variations a long the way:

• Native American Indians: Arkansas pronounced Oo-Ka-na-sa

• Explorers Marquette and Joliet: Akansea

• Explorer LaSalle: Acansa

• Explorer La Harpe: Arkansas; Native American Indians, Les Akansas

• Explorer Zebulon Pike: Arkansaw

• State Senators: After statehood in 1836, agreed on name of Arkansas but differed on pronunciation between Ar-Kan-saw and Ar-Kansas

• State Law: A resolution was passed in 1881 with the spelling being Arkansas and the pronunciation Arkansaw

 

[ImaRobot]

ftfy

Didn't really think it warranted emphasis, we all know what it meant

 

[TexRex]

♫"He always ate in the Steak Bar
He loved to drive in his Jag-u-ar"

Aaaaand now it's stuck in my head.

Still, I posit that since the animal originated on this side of the globe, we ought to dictate how its name is pronounced. And that pronunciation has only two syllables, despite protestations of some stuffy Brits.



Edit: "Al, you minium." Nonsense.

 

[Famine]

Let me just mix some lithum with some cadmum and see what happens. Oh wait, that's the gallum.

Has anyone seen my helum balloon?

 

[TenEightyOne]

Still, I posit that since the animal originated on this side of the globe, we ought to dictate how its name is pronounced. And that pronunciation has only two syllables, despite protestations of some stuffy Brits.

It didn't come with its name though, that's from Europe. We win

 

[TexRex]

Okay, @Famne.

 

[Crash]

Let me just mix some lithum with some cadmum and see what happens. Oh wait, that's the gallum.

Has anyone seen my helum balloon?

Eh, English is a pretty lawless language anyways.

I'd always found the pronunciation of Arkansas as Arkansaw an interesting one, and even more interesting when I finally decided to find out the answer.

https://www.baxterbulletin.com/story/news/local/2015/05/17/arkansaw-ar-kansas/27489055/

Name variations a long the way:

• Native American Indians: Arkansas pronounced Oo-Ka-na-sa

• Explorers Marquette and Joliet: Akansea

• Explorer LaSalle: Acansa

• Explorer La Harpe: Arkansas; Native American Indians, Les Akansas

• Explorer Zebulon Pike: Arkansaw

• State Senators: After statehood in 1836, agreed on name of Arkansas but differed on pronunciation between Ar-Kan-saw and Ar-Kansas

• State Law: A resolution was passed in 1881 with the spelling being Arkansas and the pronunciation Arkansaw

I wonder how much of the pronounciation was because of La Harpe and other French explorers. In French, you would drop the ending s and not pronounce it. I could see that morphing into Arkan"saw" even though we would pronounce the s in English.

 

[W3H5]

I'm lazy enough in spoken English to use "pack" for pretty much everything, even if it is small and should probably be a packet. However, there seems to be few instances that I'd use pack or packet over another term; cigarettes and cards - deck, skittles - bag, sugar - bag,...

Beers do come in a pack though.