So there really are differences between British and American English

[Laurence Horn]

At 12:20 PM -0400 10/27/03, Dennis R. Preston wrote:
>>Gerald,
>
>Surely you jest. One line from one US speaker and imagined Brit
>avoidences from you and there "must exist" such a differences? Ima
>need a lil more than that.
>
>dInIs
>
>PS: Seems to be some age stuff going on. My quick survey of 6 US
>English-speaking colleagues finds all the older ones (50+) firmly in
>grasp of the penile meaning of "tool"; the younger ones were
>mystified.


Well, as one of the Older Ones (seems more mythic when I capitalize),
while I am indeed firmly in grasp of the penile "tool", as it were, I
don't think I have the requisite metonymy (if that's the right trope)
to allow me to interpret "You're a tool" as "You're a prick" (on
either meaning).  For me, "tool" applied to men (as opposed to their
equipment), as in "He's a real tool", evokes 'nerd'--archaic slang,
probably--but nothing more eyebrow-raising.  The example below does
seem a bit sniggery, probably because *having* a tool does allow the
penile reading, although *being* a tool doesn't, and "You're the best
tool we have" involves both.

larry

>
>
>
>>Dennis (+ ads-l),
>>The fact remains: The American  gushing socialite told Prince Andrew
>>"You're the best tool we have," completely oblivious of the meaning
>>this would have for the Prince (astonishment) and his body-guards
>>(snickers).  My guess is she was mortified when she learned how her
>>remark was perceived, and I can't imagine a British socialite making
>>that gaffe. At least some trans-Atlantic difference in speech habits
>>must exist to account for the American socialite's faux pas.
>>
>>Gerald
>>
>>       -----Original Message-----
>>       From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Dennis R. Preston
>>       Sent: Mon 10/27/2003 8:28 AM
>>       To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>       Subject: Re: So there really are differences between British
>>and American English
>>
>>
>>
>>       Gerald,
>>
>>       Anatomical tool (as you so coyly refer to it) is very well-known on
>>       this side of the Atlantic; perhaps we travel ( or have traveled) in
>>       different circles. I would have to be convinced that Brit
>>       tool-talkers have the edge.
>>
>>       I suspect that the difficulty in your citation is with the bareness
>>       of the "tool" (if i may). "You're a tool of the (place your
>>       unfavorite group here)" is, I bet, nonsnickerable on either side of
>>       the pond. "You're a tool" would get as big a chuckle on either I
>>       wager.
>>
>>       dInIs
>>
>>       >Dennis (+ ads-l),
>>       >   Meaning #2.  It's difficult to imagine a gushing British socialite
>>       >telling Prince Andrew that he's a tool.  So if anantomical "tool"
>>       >does exist in U.S. speech (and I don't remember ever hearing it), it
>>       >is spoken and understood much less on this side of the pond than
>>       >among our British friends.
>>       >
>>       >Gerald
>>       >
>>       >       -----Original Message-----
>>       >       From: Dennis R. Preston
>>       >       Sent: Mon 10/27/2003 6:56 AM
>>       >       To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>       >       Subject: Re: So there really are differences between British
>>       >and American English
>>       >
>>       >
>>       >
>>       >       Gerald,
>>       >
>>       >       I don't get it. What do the British have for "tool"
>>that we don't? I
>>       >       have it (as a noun) as:
>>       >
>>       >       1) implement (screwdriver, wrench,...)
>>       >       2) penis
>>       >       3) a silly, stupid, ineffective person (pretty
>>clearly derived from 2).
>>       >
>>       >       If there's an (n.) tool I don't know about among the
>>Brits, I need to
>>       >       know. Some of my best .........
>>       >
>>       >       dInIs
>>       >
>>
>>       --
>>       Dennis R. Preston
>>       University Distinguished Professor
>>       Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic,
>>             Asian & African Languages
>>       Michigan State University
>>       East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
>>       e-mail: preston at msu.edu
>>       phone: (517) 432-3099
>>
>
>--
>Dennis R. Preston
>University Distinguished Professor
>Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic,
>      Asian & African Languages
>Michigan State University
>East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
>e-mail: preston at msu.edu
>phone: (517) 432-3099