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Why do Americans misuse the English language?

---They have misused "propaganda" (the distribution of the truth) to the point it has taken on the meaning of telling lies and mis-truths.

---They use the word "bathroom" when referring to the toilet or lavatory and there is no bath (or shower) in that room.

---They use the word "vagina" when actually meaning genitals or pubic area. (the vagina is a specific internal canal for sex, menstruation and birth and is only one part of the genitals).

---They have changed the spelling of "Paediatrics" and "Paediatrician" (meaning the medical treatment of children) and left out the "a", making it PEDIATRICS and PEDIATRICIAN not realising that they are talking about the medical treatment of the foot and leg the same as podiatrist (PED means "leg" or "foot" as in pedestrian, biped, quadruped, tripod etc).

--- They use other words and spellings that alter the meaning of a word without looking at the origins of the word.

14 Answers

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  • ?
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago
    Favourite answer

    I think it goes much deeper than just an innate intellectual or conceptual disability. Not only can't they appreciate the logic of language, they arrogantly expect the rest of the English speaking world to accept that they're "evolving" the language.

    It must be something in their water or soda pop - the same brain-eroding substance which causes so many of them to think that schoolkids should be taught 'intelligent design'.

    American English - it's not evolutional, it's creational.

  • 5 years ago

    I m surprised that I even stumbled upon this... who knew someone could hate Americans so much as to criticize their language use. First off, every culture and country has its own quirky tweaks and weird sayings. Americans weren t the first to use slang words, nor are they the only ones that still do. You fail to realize that Americans think calling the bathroom "the toilet" is just as wrong: bathrooms also contain sinks, not just toilets. Secondly, believe it or not, Americans can use correct language. I can correctly apply their, there, and they re to sentences. I know the difference between using your and you re. Trust me, we (AMERICANS) get just as annoyed when someone uses those in the wrong way. So before you get on your high horse and sound like a bigot, realize that out of over the 317 million Americans, some are bound to be idiots.

  • Jeanne
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    I think teachers have let the kids get by w/murder and that is a big part of it....I have heard speakers on TV say excape.....lots of people say it, and my pharmacist actually says perscription, I don't know, but it is sickening. Then there is pervent instead of prevent.

    Also when you see on this machine we use everyday.....misuse of your instead of you're, and there instead of their....they don't seem to know the difference or care. They also don't know the i before 3 rule...and it is so simple, but they just don't know it. Have you heard anyone say they let their dog outside to use the bathroom?? There is no bathroom out there. I am afraid they just don't care. How else could you explain such ignorance?

    I think the only way to straighten it out is start w/the teachers....but then when the kids go home and speak correctly, possible they have a problem w/a parent who tells them they are wrong.....because the parent never learned it in the first place.

    I think it's called going to hell in a hand basket.

    AND.....we actually have spellcheck on here. Can you believe they are too lazy to even use that? Have been watching a TV program about people who make their living catching aligators.....you would not believe how they talk....of course it is Cajun.....French and god knows what else...they have to use subtitles or we would never know what they were saying. There are actually several parts of the US where it is almost impossible to understand what the people are talking about. Look at Boston.....car= cah.....they see nothing wrong w/it.

    I've been wondering where you were.

  • Anonymous
    6 years ago

    we English Call it American I wish the Americans would do the Same Thing then they can Bastardize it as Much as they Like and we English would Not Care

  • 4 years ago

    It is mainly due to overgeneralisation of what a word means, or what a person meams when using it. This generalization comes about with popular use.

    Consider that many curse words are only considered curse words because they are often used as derogatory metaphores, such as ass, *****, ****, dick, ****, twat, ******.

    Non of which are popularly known.or used for their literal meaning because they are more popularly used as metaphores, this metaphorical use then is overgeneralized, eventually replacing the original definition which gave the metaphore it's interperetation, with the characteristic or trait that such a metaphore would imply.

    This happens with just about any word that is associated with something other than it's literal meaning.

    In short, it's because of a lack in research and the basing of one's language off of those around them rather than the actual meaning of words.

  • 5 years ago

    britain only can study !!

    because britain economy became collapse!!

    yes!

  • 1 decade ago

    They think of it as their language, hence they can do as they like with it. In fact, I prefer US spelling in many cases and would like to see it adopted worldwide. You might be interested to know that at one point Australia was going to adopt US spelling wholesale, which is why the Australian Labor Party is spelled without a 'U'.

  • 1 decade ago

    Because we Americans are lazy to the point where we remove parts of word to make them easier to say, such as today's slang

  • 1 decade ago

    Normally I would say it is because they are ignorant, but this time I'll give them the benfit of the doubt and call it the evolution of language.

  • Dave M
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    Think some don't know any better and some choose to.

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