Friday, June 30, 2006

egg and spoonerisms

Last week we were chatting with Green Ronin developer Rob Schwalb about undead creatures and how we should be presenting them.

"Yeah" said Rob, "We really need to individuate them"
"What?" we replied, "That's not a word! That's some strange American term that you've just made up- like Weaponize"

Googling then ensued.

Turns out 'individuate' is not only a proper word, it's also English and from the 17th Century.

Just one more example of how US English is divergent from UK English. Whilst it is quite happy to coin phrases and terms left right and centre, sometimes its based on old UK usage that we've just stopped using.

'Pants' (meaning trousers) is a great example- it's based on 'Pantaloons' In England, it's meaning changed to refer to undergarments, whilst the US it kept its original meaning- that of leg coverings. Which makes for some comedy moments (we have fond memories of seeing a sign in Las Vegas that said 'Spring Pants Event $25') Misunderstandings also arise from the modern slang, in which 'Pants' means 'something that's slightly rubbish'. For example 'Roller Cola is pants' (apologies to Peter Kay)

Why is this worth blogging? Well, it just goes to prove, when it comes to messing with English; we are just as guilty as the US. The language might have been ours to start with, but its out there now for lots of nations to use and abuse as they see fit. It's gone global, and we've got to learn to share.

Not that we'll drop the 'u' from Armour and Colour in WFRP...

...there is a limit after all.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You've already dropped the 'u' from Colour :P (check the Character Sheet)

6:24 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice try!

8:37 pm  

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