Tax Time

[pickdropper]

I'm certainly the last guy to wave a flag and be all jingo, but the "tax" part of the revolution was based around "taxation without representation". In other words, the colonies paid taxes to the motherland, but didn't have any MPs in Parliament. Had the Crown relented in this area, I think we could have avoided that whole mess, and we'd all be spelling our words like we were the serving wenches to France (colour, etc).  

The one American word I hadn't heard of and was at a loss when it was said to me was faucet... clearly a french word.  In the UK it's called a tap... which is Old English / Germanic in origin (zapfen in German I think)..  ...But yes English spelling is nuts and has a lot to do with those Normans & French scribes, later on Flemish printers, and the influence of Latin and the classics etc...

Thomas Paine, an Englishman, may have done a bit to help encourage that revolution... I'm sure I'd have sought to be an American back then as well (and the enlightenment ideals remain a reason to want to be American, e.g. like Christopher Hitchens I guess)... but the Mel Gibson version of history is nice and simplistic and ppl like it both sides of the Atlantic

I think at times the english used in America has kept older elements lost in modern British english - like the use of 'gotten'... so it's not always a case of American english being 'wrong', as the British often like to think  ... faucet is still a rubbish word compared to tap though  

At least we all agree on using tap when it comes to beer. 

[culturejam]

I think at times the english used in America has kept older elements lost in modern British english - like the use of 'gotten'...

American English has done a good job of retaining "strong verbs". Those are the ones that change their root spelling to indicate tense. "Weak verbs" add -ed and keep the same root spelling.

The joke examples of overuse of strong verbs that one of my linguistics professors used to tell is this: "Yesterday I cranked my car, but it wouldn't stay crunk." 

[madbean]

Well, whatever English you speak I'm just glad my friggin' taxes got done and sent in time. Another one right under the wire.

[timbo_93631]

One $60k income, 3 kids, one spouse in school = big refund and no headaches.

You guys that are running independent businesses have it rough, and I am proud of your bravery.

[jvg13]

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