Do You Speak British or American English?
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Very funny!
The different uses of the word “trunk” can be understood when you consider how much more American English is based on logic rather than tradition.
Dictionary.com:
Trunk :
- a large, sturdy box or chest for holding or transporting clothes, personal effects, or other articles.
- a large compartment, usually in the rear of an automobile, in which luggage, a spare tire, and other articles may be kept.
Easy to see the direct link between the two!
Dictionary.Cambridge.com
Boot:
1. a type of shoe that covers the whole foot and the lower part of the leg.
2. a covered space at the back of a car, for storing things.
Easy to see a direct link between the two ?
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interesting commentary on the different sounds of our more or less common language —
5 big reasons why US and UK English sound so different ‹ GO Blog | EF United StatesDespite the shared language, the way people speak English in the US and UK is actually really different. Here are five big reasons why.www.ef.edu -
(Can Whence and Thence be rescued from the 19th century archives?)
From the NYT today:
Kids are starting to sound like their grandparentsWe’re experiencing something of a wordy renaissance. Terms that were in common use over a century ago are experiencing a resurgence. “Yapping” is back en vogue; calling someone a “goon” is no longer just a 1920s habit; we’re saying “sheesh” again; and even the president has spoken of skedaddling, which had been more common in the 1860s.
A linguist told my colleague Sam Corbin that old words were most likely “primed for use” from older source material like songs, books or movies. Sam is still holding out hope that “whence,” the bygone combination of “from where,” will come back into common parlance.
