Fine-Tuning--Taking Requests

The difference between American English and the real stuff (!)sometimes causes problems.
For instance, "presently" does not mean the same in both places, and neither does "momentarily"

e.g. Pilot to passengers: "We will be touching down momentarily" in GB would suggest that the plane is going to bounce straight back up into the air again.

McTag, I like your idea, but I would need help from you and other speakers of the "real stuff."

Presently: Americans would mean right now.

Momentarily: Americans would mean in a moment. Namely, not right now.

Roberta,

If you want to do a comparison between the used English and the British one I'll pitch in. I speak global English but used to teach it from British books. I can toss in a few grammar differences and such.

New Haven, you think? I'd use presently as "will be happening fairly soon." Well, I guess it depends on use. "Where are you working presently?" would mean "Where do you work right now?" But "it will be happening presently" would mean "it will be happening fairly soon."

New Haven, Doesn't "presently" mean soon? Or has the meaning changed to mean at present?

Craven, Thanks. I'm gonna need all the help I can get.

Presently: Britons would mean soon, in a while, by-and-by, not right now.
For your "presently" we would say currently, at present, at the present time, or some other such phrase.

Momentarily: Britons would mean fleetingly, for an instant. Not, "at this moment" which usage seems to be becoming ever more prevalent especially from TV people.

See? Different.
I'm not sure how far to take this, but there are many instances, and I find them charming. And although Brits joke about the "real stuff", it is frequently the American usage which is the older- for example, in the use of the word "gotten".

Has anyone noticed the two opposite meanings of the word "quite"?

As in: Have you quite finished? (meaning, completely) and
I quite like that. (meaning, not completely)

Listening...to all of you.

Listening to all of you.

Ok, I tried that with three dots, and now without three dots, and the last seems more unfriendly. But, there it lies.

Osso, you are too much.

I'll do the American English/Real Stuff thread either Thursday or Friday. So please start keeping lists of expressions you would like to include.

In the meantime, I'm hoping for more requests. Somebody must have a question. Somebody must not be sure of something.

Somebody must not be sure of something, me, almost every post. Back with some hesitation, on a new topic, nag me if I don't.

Osso, More than happy to oblige. I'm really good at nagging. It's rare that I get requests to display my talents in the area.

How about "different from/different than" as a new thead? My take on it is that "different than" is never right, but a couple of these fine-tuning threads have surprised me, so maybe there's something I can learn about this subject.

Sounds good, I don't know the answer to that one.

Okey dokey. Different from and different than will be added to my list. Bree, you're in for another surprise.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Osso, I'm nagging you. Where are your suggestions? Huh? Where are they?

Uh oh....

You done the subjunctive and the attendant verb changes yet, Boss?

Setanta, Not a boss. Barely a worker bee. Nope, I haven't done the subjunctive and its attendant word changes. I'll add this idea to my list. Then I'll have to figure out if I know the subject well enough to sound like I know about the subject. Thanks for not siccing anything or anyone on me today.