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BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

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Word of Mouth

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them

BBC Radio 4 LW

Word of Mouth: Like, Totally Awesome: The Americanisation of English

28/02/2017

Like, Totally Awesome: The Americanisation of English

BBC Radio 4 - Word of Mouth, Like, Totally Awesome: The Americanisation of English

Michael Rosen on the Americanisation of English, with Lynne Murphy and Matthew Engel.

Cookie or biscuit? Eggplant or aubergine? Color or colour? Michael Rosen on the Americanisation of English, with Lynne Murphy and Matthew Engel.

Michael Rosen is joined by writer Matthew Engel and linguist Dr Lynne Murphy to discuss the Americanisation of English. Is the pace of Americanisation of British English really increasing? Why do Americans say eggplant and sidewalk, rather than aubergine and pavement? Why does your spellchecker insist it's 'color' not 'colour'? Do Americans complain about the 'Britishisms' creeping into use in the States as much as we complain about Americanisms in use in the UK? Does it really matter if British and American English begin to be used interchangeably and could we stem the flow if we tried? 

Producer: Mair Bosworth.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Like, Totally Awesome: The Americanisation of English

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