So there really are differences between British and American English

[Dennis R. Preston]

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