Everyday thoughts, but not every day

Merkanese

US English: Why do Brits hate it so? The British sometimes have a few bugbears when it comes to US spellings, but is it justified? BBC
According to the image, the American spelling of travelled is traveld. I thought only an l was dropped, not an e as well. So, thanks to Auntie Beeb, I can consider myself moar edumakayted!

Someone at the BBC thought it would be a good idea to ask whether British hatred of the American bastardisation of the English language is justified. Brave ol' Auntie beeb, I don't think I'd have the stomach for that fight.

Actually, it's more of a bait 'n' switch. Susie Dent—a woman with the grating voice of a mildly haughty department store floorwalker—teaches Brits a thing or two about their shared linguistic heritage. Although disciplines or schools might be more apposite.

She didn't explain why Americans call the toilet a bathroom though. Nor did she go so far as to address the original, more provocative, question. So, I will: hatred is never justified, but an intense dislike is quite understandable. (pipe)


US English: Why do Brits hate it so? The British sometimes have a few bugbears when it comes to US spellings, but is it justified? BBC
The answer is hidden by moving the instructor's hand slightly, so participants can't cheat.

As 2024 draws to a close, it's time for fluffy old auntie Beeb to dust off some of her highlights of the year and regurgitate them. And perhaps, even unwittingly, obfuscate some of those edumakayshunal titbits.

In this case, while the spelling may be unchanged, the model's hand has moved to cover the key learning point. Perhaps this is part of an end-of-year quiz.

  • How do merkans spell travelled?
  • T-R-A-V-E-L-D proud