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British Invasion

June 21st, 2007 · 4 Comments

Did I miss the memo specifying that the Britishism whinge would be supplanting the more familiar whine this year? I feel like I’m suddenly seeing this once-obscure variant everywhere. Is that extra “g” adding some special nuance?

Tags: Language and Literature


       

 

4 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Ricky // Jun 21, 2007 at 1:36 pm

    There’s a pretty good discussion over here on the subject.

  • 2 Anthony C // Jun 21, 2007 at 3:46 pm

    We Brits have absorbed plenty of your words. Stop whingeing about it working both ways!

    Doesn’t libertarian philosophy have something to say on the issue?

    Funnily enough, a couple of weeks ago I was having an email discussion with one of my American friends regarding the sudden prominence of the word “wanker” in American discourse – at least on the internet. A wholly positive development, in my view.

  • 3 Timon // Jun 21, 2007 at 5:04 pm

    Might this be attributable to the British version of The Office? Ricky Gervais uses it repeatedly and I think the DVD’s included an item on it in their glossaries. I know I use it occasionally ever since watching that show, although at 3 or 4 separate viewings of each episode I may be a fringe case.

  • 4 Eric the .5b // Jun 25, 2007 at 7:11 pm

    Because “whinge” sounds even…whinier.