My internet and phone keep breaking down

Big Unc said:
....

And if our use of the word "pumps" confuses them, well, it is our language which they have only borrowed and then mistreated. And they deserve to be confused after sending us Snowstorm Nemo.

Actually, I am being a bit unkind accusing the US of mistreating the language. The language in the US simply developed slightly differently with the two populations being relatively isolated for many years. I do note that in general our US cousins take a lot more care over their contributions with attention to grammar and punctuation - all highly critical to me as I feel sloppiness in these areas is an insult to those with whom I am trying to communicate.
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From my recollection of language studies, admittedly many years ago, I think US English started from about 1620 when the Mayflower set sail and the colonisation started. Some of our words such as 'colour' had the 'u' added in the 17th century because it looked more fanciful and hinted at a French style of spelling, and that was seen as a good thing. Regrettably all the academic books I had for this have gone as have all the university notes so I am relying on memory, but the two languages have developed differently over the last 400 years.

An example of the language changing over time would be the Authorised Version of the Bible which dates back to 1611 and there are some words which are not in common parlance these days - also seen in the Book of common Prayer which although dated 1662 contains a lot from 1552. The phrase 'the quick and the dead' meaning the 'alive and the dead' - I do not think quick is often used in this manner these days although the term 'quicksilver' retains the idea of a moving metal (old term for mercury) but I guess even that is not much in evidence these days.
 
**** your thread has moved from IT problems, through footwear for gym and similar to an erudite discussion on language and now throwing in religion!

As Big U states we are truly LOTSW in our ramblings!
 
barmpot said:
**** your thread has moved from IT problems, through footwear for gym and similar to an erudite discussion on language and now throwing in religion!

As Big U states we are truly LOTSW in our ramblings!
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Yes, I noticed that too, but didn´t say anything because I also found it amusing :D.
 
barmpot said:
From my recollection of language studies, admittedly many years ago, I think US English started from about 1620 when the Mayflower set sail and the colonisation started. Some of our words such as 'colour' had the 'u' added in the 17th century because it looked more fanciful and hinted at a French style of spelling, and that was seen as a good thing. Regrettably all the academic books I had for this have gone as have all the university notes so I am relying on memory, but the two languages have developed differently over the last 400 years.
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It is a very good point. The language was not changed solely across the pond. It was developing here also and the two inevitably diverged. The French influence here was marked - like the 'u' being incorporated and our use of 're' at the end of words whereas in US it is 'er'.
 
Speaking of breaking down... :-[

Sadly, we had to say goodnight to my faithful 2004 IBM Thinkpad. :( Desperate numerous attempts were made to save it, but it couldn't power up. Goodnight, faithful one - Been with me since 23 June 2010.

RIP Mr R51 Thinkpad (23 June 2010 - 15 February 2013)

Gone, But Not Forgotten. :-X

645px-IBM_Thinkpad_R51.jpg
 
Aww! And I´m sorry to come back to the topic again, lol, but tonight it happened again, internet and phone went down, the phone still is. My parents and I are using the same unit or whatever you call it, so my father called them with his mobile, was on hold for 10 minutes, was then told that the probem was still there (ha ha, who would have thought ::)?) and that they would put him through to someone who is responsible. My father said he had had a long call last week already with someone responsible, he doesn´t want to be put through to anybody, it´s expensive enough to call them from a mobile (and being kept on hold as well) and would they please sort this out immediately! I doubt they will. Hey ho, you call a hotline and pay your money for it, just for them to say "Oh, yes, the problem hasn´t been solved yet". Congratulations, we had realised this...!
 
Ahhh, we still have no telephone, since last Friday :eek: :eek: :eek:! Thank god the internet is working, but the phones are all dead and the company´s hotline is useless, my father called them umpteen times (by mobile, so it is expensive) and nobody is responsible, they keep saying they will forward the issue and that´s that. We sent them another email tonight and I said, I´ll put more pressure on them now, and if they don´t give us a useful reply tomorrow, I will call them as well and ask them to send a technician, in case the problem is in our house, even though they claim it´s not, but they don´t do anything about it either. It is outrageous! I better stop, I´m getting hot under the collar again!
 
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