The money fairy sprinkled dust upon me

[Thor Damar]

It seems to be my task today to translate Britishisms for you, CorporalClegg.

Fairy lights are tiny little lights - like those found on a Christmas tree, but of course some people use them in other ways.

Wait a minute, we need to be translated now? Gorden Bennett!

 

[JustKate]

Sure. As do we former colonials. Two countries separated by a single language...

(And yes, I did have to look "Gordon Bennett" up. It's one of those things I've heard before and always meant to look up, so finally I did.)

 

[Thor Damar]

Sure. As do we former colonials. Two countries separated by a single language...

(And yes, I did have to look "Gordon Bennett" up. It's one of those things I've heard before and always meant to look up, so finally I did.)

And united by sheer bloody mindedness!

 

[JustKate]

You got it, my brother!

 

[trampledamage]

It seems to be my task today to translate Britishisms for you, CorporalClegg.

Fairy lights are tiny little lights - like those found on a Christmas tree, but of course some people use them in other ways.

What to Americans call them then? Just Christmas lights?

 

[JustKate]

^ Yeah, pretty much - or just "strings of lights." Those are the terms that I'd use, anyway.

Which is why I kind of like "fairy lights."

 

[CorporalClegg]

It seems to be my task today to translate Britishisms for you, CorporalClegg.

Someone has to. I just wish you were around while I was watching certain movies.

Sure. As do we former colonials. Two countries separated by a single language...

(And yes, I did have to look "Gordon Bennett" up. It's one of those things I've heard before and always meant to look up, so finally I did.)

And united by sheer bloody mindedness!

See, the way I see it. Americans just perfected the language and the Brits are just too stubborn to assimilate and catch up. I mean, why does anyone need to put a "u" in color these days?

It seems to be my task today to translate Britishisms for you, CorporalClegg.

Fairy lights are tiny little lights - like those found on a Christmas tree, but of course some people use them in other ways.

What to Americans call them then? Just Christmas lights?

Precisely. Why confuse the issue?

 

[Thor Damar]

My dear American friend, I think that you will find that the 'u' is the most important part of the word. Without the u colour is just color which is too close to colon for my liking and Labour that lacks for a u is work that is only half done.

As for 'perfection', there is never going to be such a thing in our glorious mongrel tongue, for which I thank any and all supernatural beings.

 

[trampledamage]

It seems to be my task today to translate Britishisms for you, CorporalClegg.

Fairy lights are tiny little lights - like those found on a Christmas tree, but of course some people use them in other ways.

What to Americans call them then? Just Christmas lights?

Precisely. Why confuse the issue?

Because "fairy lights" sound pretty

I've noticed before actually, that American as a language is very pragmatic - if there's a word for something, then that's the word and you stick to it. Whereas English as a language seems to delight in making up new words for anything.

 

[JustKate]

It seems to be my task today to translate Britishisms for you, CorporalClegg.

Someone has to. I just wish you were around while I was watching certain movies.

I have to translate for my husband, like, all the time. "'Pavement'? That means 'sidewalk', dear" and, most recently (from a Eurythmics lyric), "'Double-comb your hair' means 'tease your hair,' sweetums." (Not that I ever call him "sweetums," but you get the general idea.)

I only wish I were as fluent in, say, Spanish as I am BrE. Then I could be tri-lingual, which would be really cool.

What to Americans call them then? Just Christmas lights?

Precisely. Why confuse the issue?

Because it sounds funny to say in, for example, June, "I put up Christmas lights over the weekend - my sister is having her wedding reception in my backyard." Fairy lights is a more...generally useful term.

My dear American friend, I think that you will find that the 'u' is the most important part of the word. Without the u colour is just color which is too close to colon for my liking and Labour that lacks for a u is work that is only half done.

As for 'perfection', there is never going to be such a thing in our glorious mongrel tongue, for which I thank any and all supernatural beings.

That's for sure. In all seriousness, I think all the varieties of English enrich each other. It's a beautiful thing.

But I must say, I never use those U's either. What looks fine and appropriate when someone from the U.K. does it often looks pretentious as anything when an American does it. An American shopping mall that insists that it's a "shopping centre," for example, just ticks me off. Do you increase the price by 10 percent to pay for that -re?

On the other hand, I think it would be great if American grammar geeks could get away with putting commas and other punctuation outside the quotation marks - like this: "Finally a new sentence", exclaimed Damar.

Right now, we can't, if we care about being correct (and you know I do, Thor), but dang it, in this case, the BrE way is more logical. Ah well. Maybe some day...

 

[CorporalClegg]

I have to translate for my husband, like, all the time. "'Pavement'? That means 'sidewalk', dear" and, most recently (from a Eurythmics lyric), "'Double-comb your hair' means 'tease your hair,' sweetums." (Not that I ever call him "sweetums," but you get the general idea.)

Maybe you need to make him some flash cards?

And, there's nothing wrong with "sweetums" as long as you don't say it in public.

Because it sounds funny to say in, for example, June, "I put up Christmas lights over the weekend - my sister is having her wedding reception in my backyard." Fairy lights is a more...generally useful term.

Yeah, but, I think people who put Christmas lights up in June are .

That's for sure. In all seriousness, I think all the varieties of English enrich each other. It's a beautiful thing.

Except for Minnesota-speak. There's no justification for that at all.

But I must say, I never use those U's either. What looks fine and appropriate when someone from the U.K. does it often looks pretentious as anything when an American does it. An American shopping mall that insists that it's a "shopping centre," for example, just ticks me off. Do you increase the price by 10 percent to pay for that -re?

Maybe the guy who put the first sign was dyslexic? But then, it's no worse than "Favre."

On the other hand, I think it would be great if American grammar geeks could get away with putting commas and other punctuation outside the quotation marks - like this: "Finally a new sentence", exclaimed Damar.

Right now, we can't, if we care about being correct (and you know I do, Thor), but dang it, in this case, the BrE way is more logical. Ah well. Maybe some day...

Meh. I think it looks neater. To hell with logic. Also, there's nice symmetry to it. For example:

"JustKate, you're awesome!" I said.
"Awesome, JustKate," I said.

See? All nice and neat.

 

[JustKate]

^ I do like your examples!

I agree that the AmE way does look tidier. But - and this is because I'm a NUT - it bothers me to include anything in quote marks that isn't part of the quote. A comma isn't a problem - I mean, there's no oral version of a comma so who can say whether it's part of the quote or not - but putting a period where the sentence - spoken or written - didn't actually end...I just don't like it. I do it because that's the way it's done, but I feel a little funny about it. Because I'm a NUT.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

[Dear God - you know me so well! Was Wodehouse just a guess? Because I adore him! The English language's greatest comic writer of the 20th century.

And thanks for your hospitality, K'ehleyr!

I plumped for him because he is the ultimate in 'English-ness' (I see you wince at the word ) We are huge Jeeves and Wooster fans ~ man has the whole collection in a locked book case, I am occasionally allowed to select one. They cheer one up no end *chortle*

Used to hide money in books all the time. I still, on occasion, open up an old reference I forgot about or some old 'Trek novel and 5 or 10 bucks will fall out. The most was nearly 200 bucks I had stuffed into an old encyclopedia.

That is a fantastic idea. The most I found like that was £10 in a winter coat.

Yeah, but, I think people who put Christmas lights up in June are .

I disagree ~ it means you have twinkle in your life all year round


So anyway I went and ate my chips this morning *yuck*, seized my vouchers and toddled off to Cargo. After roaming round I asked the guy at the counter where the fairy lights were.
'They're all in the colour co-ordinated areas'
So he took me to a bay and pointed out a curl of fairy lights stuffed unceremoniously in a vase.
'See' he said, with raised eyebrows. As he did this the hackles on the back of my neck raised simultaneously.
'You had some delicate little lights...?'
'Yes, in the colour co-ordinated area'
So I pottered around looking for the 'clear area'
Couldn't find them and didn't want to return to desk so left ~ twinkle less still

I did, however, find battery tea lights JustKate, so they do exist

 

[An Officer]

^ Sorry! Not very handy when you simply want to see them all displayed, choose one and go! I guess they don't expect very many people to come in specifically for fairy lights this time of year! My branch had them all in one section, they were all up, on, and hanging - looked lovely! Especially the larger Chrystal shaped ones, they seem to be much better in person than in the photo though:

http://www.cargohomeshop.com/Novelty_Crystal_Multi_20_LED/default.aspx?var=1

 

[K'Ehleyr]

^ I blame you entirely An Officer Looked at my 'fairy vouchers' and they don't cover Cargo anyway ~ the search goes on. The summer stuff will be on sale soon and the Christmas stuff in

 

[JustKate]

I did, however, find battery tea lights JustKate, so they do exist

Cool! I might have seen them advertised for things like luminarias at weddings, now that I think about it. But the ones I've had artificial flames that were yellow - like a candle flame - so I hope I can find plain white ones.