Some pesky Americanisms
THE YANKS ARE COMING...
Here is a tiny selection of Americanisms which have crossed the Atlantic.
"Anyway" - recorded 1935, overtaking the previously more common "anyhow"
"Awesome" - (post 1990)
"Bogus" - In general British use by the 1880s.
"Chill," and "chill out" - (post 1990)
"Crook" - meaning criminal, had reached the Westminster Gazette in 1896.
"Engineer" - as a verb, came to Britain in Victorian times.
"Face the music" - first recorded British use 1897.
"Hash," as in the hash key - post 1990, and almost unknown in Britain before smartphones and Twitter.
"Immigrant" - The Times started to use the word in the 1840s.
"I'm good" - (post 1990) Engel writes: "The pet hate of many members of the National Union of Pedants and Fogies. As one of them likes to say in response: 'You can tell me if you're well. I'll tell you if you're any good.'"
"Landslide" - gradually pushed aside the old British term landslip in the Victorian era.
"Wallet" - another import during Victorian times, replacing the word pocketbook.
