American uses of English that get on my nerves

[BennyCake]

chips and fries.

Confused the f**k out of me as a greenhorn in NYC back in the 90's before our TV's were totally awash with US "culture"..

That one does my head in. It's f**king chips! I'd be swinging for anyone saying fries. God, I wouldn't be letting them on the bus if they said fries!! They can get a taxi.

Problem in the US is that what we call "crisps" are called "chips" there.

If you want to be understood, you have to go along with it.

I dont plan going there, so that won't be an issue. What is an issue is, when feckin' American language makes its way over here!

[Jell 0 Biafra]

But there's only one of each. When was the last time you heard someone say "The Belfast City Council" or "The Belfast International Airport?"

An Taoiseach, An Dail. The singer out of  the Rolling Stones. Are these wrong too?

[armaghniac]

But there's only one of each. When was the last time you heard someone say "The Belfast City Council" or "The Belfast International Airport?"

An Taoiseach, An Dail. The singer out of  the Rolling Stones. Are these wrong too?

I thought this thread was about the American use of English, their use of Irish is even worse!
More than one member of the Rolling Stones may sing.

[Jell 0 Biafra]

Only one is the singer though.

[Eamonnca1]

But there's only one of each. When was the last time you heard someone say "The Belfast City Council" or "The Belfast International Airport?"

An Taoiseach, An Dail. The singer out of  the Rolling Stones. Are these wrong too?

We're talking about English, not Irish.

A noun like "singer" does not refer to an airport or a legislature.

[armaghniac]

Only one is the singer though.

Several of them sing
https://youtu.be/SGyOaCXr8Lw?t=140

[Jell 0 Biafra]

But there's only one of each. When was the last time you heard someone say "The Belfast City Council" or "The Belfast International Airport?"

An Taoiseach, An Dail. The singer out of  the Rolling Stones. Are these wrong too?

We're talking about English, not Irish.

A noun like "singer" does not refer to an airport or a legislature.

OK, I thought your issue was using 'the' to refer to an entity of which there is only one.  I'm not sure now what you're objecting to now.  Is it the use of 'The' to refer to some sort of entity referred to by a proper noun?
If that's the issue, do you have the same problem with talk of The Dail? 

In any event,  the 'the' in 'The US Congress'  attaches to 'US', not to 'Congress'.  No-one calls it The Congress, and it would sound strange in most contexts to call it US Congress (without the 'the' prefix). 

[Eamonnca1]

But there's only one of each. When was the last time you heard someone say "The Belfast City Council" or "The Belfast International Airport?"

An Taoiseach, An Dail. The singer out of  the Rolling Stones. Are these wrong too?

We're talking about English, not Irish.

A noun like "singer" does not refer to an airport or a legislature.

OK, I thought your issue was using 'the' to refer to an entity of which there is only one.  I'm not sure now what you're objecting to now.  Is it the use of 'The' to refer to some sort of entity referred to by a proper noun?
If that's the issue, do you have the same problem with talk of The Dail? 

In any event,  the 'the' in 'The US Congress'  attaches to 'US', not to 'Congress'.  No-one calls it The Congress, and it would sound strange in most contexts to call it US Congress (without the 'the' prefix).

Sorry, but I've heard it referred to as "the Congress." It's a thing. That's what I'm objecting to.

As for airports, when was the last time you heard someone say "I'm flying out of the Dublin airport?"

[LeoMc]

But there's only one of each. When was the last time you heard someone say "The Belfast City Council" or "The Belfast International Airport?"

An Taoiseach, An Dail. The singer out of  the Rolling Stones. Are these wrong too?

We're talking about English, not Irish.

A noun like "singer" does not refer to an airport or a legislature.

OK, I thought your issue was using 'the' to refer to an entity of which there is only one.  I'm not sure now what you're objecting to now.  Is it the use of 'The' to refer to some sort of entity referred to by a proper noun?
If that's the issue, do you have the same problem with talk of The Dail? 

In any event,  the 'the' in 'The US Congress'  attaches to 'US', not to 'Congress'.  No-one calls it The Congress, and it would sound strange in most contexts to call it US Congress (without the 'the' prefix).

What about The Moy and The Ukraine?

[Gmac]

Fanny pack

fanny = arse

[Capt Pat]

More in relation to debating on discussion boards or forums. The use of "could of" instead of "could have". It happens here on gaa board but Its use by Americans is rampant. The correct one is "could have" or "could 've" never "could of".

[GiveItToTheShooters]

Does saying the month before the date count? "June 24th" ... aye catch yourself on

[Eamonnca1]

But there's only one of each. When was the last time you heard someone say "The Belfast City Council" or "The Belfast International Airport?"

An Taoiseach, An Dail. The singer out of  the Rolling Stones. Are these wrong too?

We're talking about English, not Irish.

A noun like "singer" does not refer to an airport or a legislature.

OK, I thought your issue was using 'the' to refer to an entity of which there is only one.  I'm not sure now what you're objecting to now.  Is it the use of 'The' to refer to some sort of entity referred to by a proper noun?
If that's the issue, do you have the same problem with talk of The Dail? 

In any event,  the 'the' in 'The US Congress'  attaches to 'US', not to 'Congress'.  No-one calls it The Congress, and it would sound strange in most contexts to call it US Congress (without the 'the' prefix).

What about The Moy and The Ukraine?

Dunno about the Moy but "The Ukraine" is offensive to Ukrainians because it implies that their country is part of Russia, like a "British Isles" type of thing. It was "The Ukraine" when it was part of the USSR. Trump still talks about "The" Ukraine but it's hard to know if that's to suck up to Putin or if it's because he's just plain stupid.

Quoth Wikipedia:

Ukraine is one of a few English country names traditionally used with the definite article.[1] Use of the article was standard before Ukrainian independence, but decreased since the 1990s.[2][3][26] For example, the Associated Press dropped the article "the" on 3 December 1991.[3] Use of the definite article was seen as suggesting a non-sovereign territory, much like "the Lebanon" referred to the region before its independence, or as one might refer to "the Midwest".[27] [28][29]

In 1993 the Ukrainian government explicitly requested that the article be dropped,[30] and use of "Ukraine" without the definite article has since become commonplace in journalism and diplomacy (other examples are the style guides of The Guardian[31] and The Times[32]).

[armaghniac]

But there's only one of each. When was the last time you heard someone say "The Belfast City Council" or "The Belfast International Airport?"

An Taoiseach, An Dail. The singer out of  the Rolling Stones. Are these wrong too?

We're talking about English, not Irish.

A noun like "singer" does not refer to an airport or a legislature.

OK, I thought your issue was using 'the' to refer to an entity of which there is only one.  I'm not sure now what you're objecting to now.  Is it the use of 'The' to refer to some sort of entity referred to by a proper noun?
If that's the issue, do you have the same problem with talk of The Dail? 

In any event,  the 'the' in 'The US Congress'  attaches to 'US', not to 'Congress'.  No-one calls it The Congress, and it would sound strange in most contexts to call it US Congress (without the 'the' prefix).

What about The Moy and The Ukraine?

These are translations from other languages, but most people only say Ukraine nowadays.

[Eamonnca1]

"Resiliency." What's wrong with resilience?

"Historical." What's wrong with historic?