The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #124681 Message #3376433
Posted By: MGM·Lion
15-Jul-12 - 07:05 AM
Thread Name: BS: American English usages taking over Brit
Subject: RE: BS: American English usages taking over Brit
Reviving an old thread with a new example ~~ The Times the other day mentioned a game called "women's field hockey".
We don't have 'field hockey' in this country: we have hockey or ice-hockey. It is American usage to give priority of meaning to the latter and therefore to have to add the [to our ears] otiose modifier "field" to the real game. A Noel Coward character remarks to an American visitor who mentions "horse riding" ~ "We just say 'riding'. The horse is taken for granted." Similarly, hockey-wise, here in UK the field should be taken for granted.
~M~