QUERY: British "Word" v. American "Words"

[Aaron E. Drews]

on 24/5/00 9:58 PM, Lynne Murphy wrote:

> Unfortunately, being a busker doesn't mean that you actually have to know how
> to
> play the instrument you're holding.  There should be signs that read "No
> Tone-Deaf Busking."


*Especially* when the instrument is the bagpipes.  Now that summer and
tourists are here, so are the busking pipers.... and the sound of cats being
skinned alive.

on 24/5/00 9:32 PM, Kathleen Miller wrote:

> Does anyone know of any other examples, either way, where one of us has one
> word to describe something and the other uses many?

My impression is that there are quite a few such instances.  I can't think
of any off the top of my head, except for a few Scots ones, but the next
time one is pointed out to me, I'll be sure to post it.

--Aaron


________________________________________________________________________
Aaron E. Drews                               The University of Edinburgh
http://www.ling.ed.ac.uk/~aaron      Departments of English Language and
aaron at ling.ed.ac.uk                    Theoretical & Applied Linguistics

 "MERE ACCUMULATION OF OBSERVATIONAL EVIDENCE IS NOT PROOF"
     --Death