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Recent Publications by New English Review Authors
Not With a Bang But a Whimper: The Politics and Culture of Decline
by Theodore Dalrymple
In Praise of Prejudice: The Necessity of Preconceived Ideas
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by Ibn Warraq
Nations, Language and Citizenship:
by Norman Berdichevsky
Romancing Opiates
by Theodore Dalrymple
Which Koran?
by Ibn Warraq
Our Culture, What's Left of It
by Theodore Dalrymple
What The Koran Really Says
by Ibn Warraq
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by Theodore Dalrymple
The Origins of the Koran
by Ibn Warraq
Why I Am Not Muslim
by Ibn Warraq
Spanish Vignettes: An Offbeat Look Into Spain's Culture, Society & History
by Norman Berdichevsky
Leaving Islam
Edited by Ibn Warraq
Monday, 11 August 2008
Annoying possible Americanisms/Australianism of the minute

Americanism or not, "staycation" is here to stay. I've come across it about ten times over the last couple of days. Perhaps Americans passed it on to us without suffering it themselves, like Typhoid Mary.

"Can I get a coffee?" is another. Take it back. Proper English is going "out the" window, as we never used to say, but do now.

Another annoying turn of phrase, perhaps a distant cousin of "I'm, like, duh?" is illustrated below:

And you know this how?

And this matters why?

And I should care because?

This could be Australian, in which language every sentence uttered by anyone under thirty is a question. It may even be British, in which case, try not to catch it.

Do Americans and Australians say "Bob's your uncle"? If not, they should.

For avoidance of doubt, annoying Americanisms generally annoy Americans too, so it's our fault for taking the worst of your language.

Posted on 9:29 AM by Mary Jackson
Comments
11 Aug 2008
Send an emailreactionry
Bob With Knobs On
 
"Bob's your uncle" - "What's up with that?"*
 
Islam is a Religion of Peace and "I am Marie of Roumania" and the Amuraths were avuncular.
 
I already knew that "Christopher Newman" was an annoying American and Wiki suggests that "Homer Atkins" was one as well.
 
*A catch phrase which caught with an erstwhile NER writer who needs no introduction and which he later claimed to find annoying -either in print or on one of his broadcasts, if my poor memory serveth.


11 Aug 2008
Send an emailMary Jackson

And you're telling me that why?

God that's annoying. I'm annoying myself now.



11 Aug 2008
Send an emailricpic

As someone who lives in darkest America, I can honestly say that I've never heard anyone use the phrase, "Can I get a coffee?" when requesting that drink. 

Scout's honor.



Announcing the First Annual
 New English Review Symposium
 Roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
& Strategies for the Future
May 29th & 30th
Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel
Nashville, TN.
 
Speakers Include:
Richard L. Rubenstein
Ibn Warraq
Hugh Fitzgerald
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Andrew Bostom
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Bill Warner
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