If it ain't broke don't fix it
I'd just like to start this post by saying that I am *not* sensitive about my age - okay?
I know that Australia is on the bottom of the world according to US readers (it's actually on the top of the world from our point of view - and Ferry Boat Fred's) but it's really not a third world country. Some years ago a friend went to the US to do more theological study and came back saying that in the US local news is what's happening in their state and world news is what's happening in Washington. That probably explains why many North Americans were amazed at him telling them that we actually had not only electricity but we even had microwaves and dishwashers. Imagine their shock nowdays to discover we even have the internet!
In Australia we get used to US spelling. The boys do Boys Brigade and their motto is "Sure and Stedfast" but this is because of the US origin. We'd spell it "steadfast" here. At the presentation night at the end of last year I was a bit amused at the Anchor Boys. They were asked the question, "What is the Boys Brigade motto?" One response, "Be prepared." Er, wrong organisation. Last night I was a little amused at one Anchor Boy's prayer at the conclusion, "Lord, please make us safe to go home." After some time running around like mad things I guess that was appropriate. But I digress.
It's not just the spelling that is different. We may speak the same language but the way we say things is just not the same. When a friend from Canada stayed with us she asked if she could help "fix supper". I remember asking whether she thought the "dinner" was broken so that it had to be "fixed".
I was surprised (and pleased) last night to find that my mother's new email is set up so that the date is in Aussie format. i.e. 16/5/2008 not the usual format we seem to have here 5/16/2008 which often trips us up.
I got caught out with this when Anika helped me set up my profile for this blog. I'm not sensitive about my age (okay?) so I was happy to insert my birthday 4/6/1965. Of course I meant June 4, 1965. I was happy with the profile showing I was 42 until April 6th this year when suddenly I was 43 two months ahead of my birthday. Now that's not fair (especially when I didn't get given any chocolate)!
Thankfully now it's fixed (and yes it was broke).
I know that Australia is on the bottom of the world according to US readers (it's actually on the top of the world from our point of view - and Ferry Boat Fred's) but it's really not a third world country. Some years ago a friend went to the US to do more theological study and came back saying that in the US local news is what's happening in their state and world news is what's happening in Washington. That probably explains why many North Americans were amazed at him telling them that we actually had not only electricity but we even had microwaves and dishwashers. Imagine their shock nowdays to discover we even have the internet!
In Australia we get used to US spelling. The boys do Boys Brigade and their motto is "Sure and Stedfast" but this is because of the US origin. We'd spell it "steadfast" here. At the presentation night at the end of last year I was a bit amused at the Anchor Boys. They were asked the question, "What is the Boys Brigade motto?" One response, "Be prepared." Er, wrong organisation. Last night I was a little amused at one Anchor Boy's prayer at the conclusion, "Lord, please make us safe to go home." After some time running around like mad things I guess that was appropriate. But I digress.
It's not just the spelling that is different. We may speak the same language but the way we say things is just not the same. When a friend from Canada stayed with us she asked if she could help "fix supper". I remember asking whether she thought the "dinner" was broken so that it had to be "fixed".
I was surprised (and pleased) last night to find that my mother's new email is set up so that the date is in Aussie format. i.e. 16/5/2008 not the usual format we seem to have here 5/16/2008 which often trips us up.
I got caught out with this when Anika helped me set up my profile for this blog. I'm not sensitive about my age (okay?) so I was happy to insert my birthday 4/6/1965. Of course I meant June 4, 1965. I was happy with the profile showing I was 42 until April 6th this year when suddenly I was 43 two months ahead of my birthday. Now that's not fair (especially when I didn't get given any chocolate)!
Thankfully now it's fixed (and yes it was broke).
posted by Mrs Q @ 5:36 PM
3 Comments:
At May 17, 2008 at 2:00 PM ,
Unknown said...
Hmm... they write the date the same way in Mexico.
At May 17, 2008 at 3:47 PM ,
Mrs Q said...
I have to take something back. Lloyd (who is supposed to know all this stuff) tells me that Boys Brigade was actually started in Glascow and the spelling of "stedfast" is because that's the way the King James Version of the Bible spelled it. Apologies to US readers. I'm getting old (that's my excuse).
At May 17, 2008 at 6:48 PM ,
Unknown said...
*giggles* It didn't look like an American spelling, but I never know...
That is absolutely disgusting about the pot. UGH!
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