Should D&D be more American?

[Morrus]

A little more seriously, does anyone think Americans like fantasy because we never really had our own Middle Ages? Yeah, we had the Indians, but I don't think most Americans are that much in touch with that part of our history.

I'd say not, because RPGs are fairly popular over here. I don't know the percentages, but there certainly seem to be a lot of people here who play D&D.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Bah! Consider it revenge for you having changed half the other words in the language for no apparent reason!

A Balor made us do it.

If we don't use the phrase "French Fries" for "Chips" our entire contient will suffer a negative level. That would suck. My life is bad enough without a -1 to all my saves. Have mercy!

 

[Hardhead]

Aluminium! Colour! Sulphur!

Interesting note:

"Aluminium" is the international standard (though it wasn't standardized until 1990!) and has an interesting history, it not being a word that Mr. Webster changed.

When Sir Humphry Davy, a Brit, first named it, he called it "alumium." Then he changed the name to "aluminum" before finally settling on "aluminium."

In America, the "aluminium" spelling was the standard, right from the get-go, though in Brittish the "aluminum" spelling was more common; the reverse of what it is today!

For the next century or so, aluminum was so rare, the word was rarely used in every day speech. When it became common, Americans kept having a tendency to drop the last i, and whether it's a good trait or a bad trait, Americans are more open to spelling changes than Brits, so the i began being droped in writing too. Yet in Brittan, the scientists had always prefered the "ium" variant, even if it wasn't the more common form. And when it started becoming a common metal, the scientists' pronunciation took hold, and the Brittish spelling changed.

I always found that story amusing.

On a related note, "sulfur" is the international standard as well. So score one for the Brits and one for the Americans there.

Bah! Consider it revenge for you having changed half the other words in the language for no apparent reason!.

Well, just be glad Webster didn't get all the changes he wanted, otherwise we'd be spelling "group" as "groop" and "tounge" as "tung." By comparison the absence or presence of U's is small. Besides, we don't pronounce them anyway.

I'd say not, because RPGs are fairly popular over here. I don't know the percentages, but there certainly seem to be a lot of people here who play D&D.

Yeah, in fact I'd say we love RPG's because we did have a Middle Ages. Not actually here in North America, but the tales of the Middle Ages is just as ingrained into American culture as Brittish. Honestly, I don't think a Londoner is any closer to that age than a New Yorker. Both societies have the same middle-age fairy tale legends, so we both find RPGs attractive. That's just my opinion, of course.

 

[Morrus]

Well, just be glad Webster didn't get all the changes he wanted, otherwise we'd be spelling "group" as "groop" and "tounge" as "tung." By comparison the absence or presence of U's is small. Besides, we don't pronounce them anyway.

And, of course, "philosopher" to "sorcerer"... or was that not Webster?

I half expected the latest Harry Potter film to be called "Harry Potter and the Room of Things Not Known by Many People" for its US release.

 

[Darkness]

While we're on the topic of English language (and weird local variations thereof)...

Here is a rather good essay on how to improve your writing style for posting to discussions on the web.

Moderatorial advisory: Contains biting sarcasm and some un-nice language.

 

[Morrus]

Yeah, in fact I'd say we love RPG's because we did have a Middle Ages. Not actually here in North America, but the tales of the Middle Ages is just as ingrained into American culture as Brittish. Honestly, I don't think a Londoner is any closer to that age than a New Yorker. Both societies have the same middle-age fairy tale legends, so we both find RPGs attractive. That's just my opinion, of course.

Possibly. Of course, there is the difference that we in England can walk around and see evidence of the Middle Ages scattered all over the place, plus we still have a lot of holdovers, sayings and customs which the Americans have pretty much dropped.

For example, some photos of things within 10 minutes walk of my house:

And within half an hour's drive:

Plus, my brother can see Nottingham Castle from his house.

 

[Acmite]

Interesting note:

"Aluminium" is the international standard (though it wasn't standardized until 1990!) and has an interesting history, it not being a word that Mr. Webster changed.

Yep. I'm a Canadian geologist, and although it's always been "Aluminium" in Canada, every teacher and prof I had save an Aussie pronounced it sans "i".

I use British spelling in almost all cases, but I am by far in the minority.

I always found that story amusing.

I had never heard that before. Do you have a reference for that? I'd be cool to see what else would be in a book that included that story. I'm a science history geek.

On a related note, "sulfur" is the international standard as well. So score one for the Brits and one for the Americans there.

Hmmm....that I didn't know. Are you sure? In almost all cases, the internationally adopted terminology defaults to the British spelling.

Don't even get me started on why there are "unnamed" elements on American (and consequently, most North American) Periodic Tables.

 

[tleilaxu]

Yeah, we had the Indians, B]

i think i know a few indians who would take offense at the relegation to the past tense

 

[tleilaxu]

And, of course, "philosopher" to "sorcerer"... or was that not Webster?

I half expected the latest Harry Potter film to be called "Harry Potter and the Room of Things Not Known by Many People" for its US release.

personally, i think that whole change was a case of not giving americans enough credit.

"oh no, not philosophy, that's boring! i guess we WON'T go see the movie after all."

 

[tleilaxu]

in hong kong

Drinking and Driving = drink-driving

Aluminum = ahh loo min e um

parking lots = car-parks

the clerk who gives tickets at parking lots = shroff