tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post9111933136035771218..comments2024-03-28T16:11:36.465+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: 2020 UK-to-US Word of the Year: jablynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-80607313755961309762021-06-25T20:22:48.596+01:002021-06-25T20:22:48.596+01:00Possibly the "arms" bit is included to l...Possibly the "arms" bit is included to lessen the misconception that the injection would be in the - as my little gran would have said - in the "sit-upon", which would likely deter some people from getting vaccinated. Just a thought.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03944608610817800587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-29557675364738261072021-03-20T02:51:59.972+00:002021-03-20T02:51:59.972+00:00"Jab"? Not seeing it. If there was a sli..."Jab"? Not seeing it. If there was a slight spike after the NYT used it, it has subsided by now. Boris Johnson can (and does) use "jab", but I can't imagine Biden, or Dr. Fauci, saying it.<br />In the US, what you hear is variations of "getting shots into arms". Always has to include the "arms" part. It's one of those expressions, like "boots on the ground", that just seems so American.<br />Peter Morkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11121433839641287863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-84411183202692996722021-02-09T00:33:17.159+00:002021-02-09T00:33:17.159+00:00Although it's used a lot in the UK and Austral...Although it's used a lot in the UK and Australia, and also in the House Of Commons, saying "I reckon" is still a slightly informal or slangy way of talking. You wouldn't use it in a courtroom for example.Andy JShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15819413906544791899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-61951781244475739112021-02-09T00:30:48.770+00:002021-02-09T00:30:48.770+00:00Although jab is used a lot in the UK to mean a jab...Although jab is used a lot in the UK to mean a jab in the arm, it's still an informal usage. Dose or injection would be more formal. But in this case the informal word is used more than the formal one.Andy JShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15819413906544791899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-36800869777047830572021-02-09T00:28:42.015+00:002021-02-09T00:28:42.015+00:00The boxing meaning of the word is also used here i...The boxing meaning of the word is also used here in the UK.Andy JShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15819413906544791899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-2787036561292237372021-01-31T14:25:23.145+00:002021-01-31T14:25:23.145+00:00So Partick Thistle, aka The Jags, isn't just t...So Partick Thistle, aka The Jags, isn't just the [AmE]butt monkey of Glasgow sport, but aspirational? enitharmonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17829757748223670291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-6163836513322330712021-01-23T11:30:35.634+00:002021-01-23T11:30:35.634+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01628722112979043156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-51701730595666823932021-01-07T02:21:42.408+00:002021-01-07T02:21:42.408+00:00Like 8vamando and David H say, living in the Ameri...Like 8vamando and David H say, living in the American South, my grandparents used "I reckon" to mean "I think". I was taught that this usage is incorrect, like "ain't" for example. It's a word most often associated with rural people. However, certain usages are still considered correct, such as in the phrase "by my reckoning" to mean "by my rough calculations".<br />I've never heard jab in the American South outside boxing or teasing "taking a jab at someone". These are just my observations.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-42437890649080412422021-01-06T00:33:58.578+00:002021-01-06T00:33:58.578+00:00"Jab" of course is normal to me, but &qu..."Jab" of course is normal to me, but "A jab in the arm"? Absolutely not. That phrase could of course occur with literal meaning, but it is not an idiom. <br />Mind you, the first time I encountered "a shot in the arm" I took it to mean a serious injury. Colin Finehttp://fine.me.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-80542886604868598732021-01-01T03:23:50.761+00:002021-01-01T03:23:50.761+00:00Reckon is a word that’s associated with the Americ...Reckon is a word that’s associated with the American south or Midwest sometimes. The only time I really hear ‘reckon’ around my area (SE Penn.) is when somebody is taking a “jab” at someone or imitating an accent. Now for ‘jab’ it’s not a word used other than in boxing terminology or if someone is making fun (taking a jab) at someone else. The only reason we hear it now is in reference to the British.David Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15591476574893300174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-3190805649576079072020-12-31T18:10:17.750+00:002020-12-31T18:10:17.750+00:00On your comments on 'reckon', as a BrEngli...On your comments on 'reckon', as a BrEnglish speaker, I'd regard using 'figure' that way as an American marker. A British person who used the phrase 'go figure' would have to be someone who was trying too hard to sound cool. Druhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04695126646028596371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-60106689707881277442020-12-31T16:51:41.549+00:002020-12-31T16:51:41.549+00:00I grew up in Texas and have always used “reckon”. ...I grew up in Texas and have always used “reckon”. After leaving Texas my friends would tease me about it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I travelled to Australia to find it in common use there. “Jab” in the US has long been a short sharp blow used by boxers. It has an aggressive connotation that is ill-suited to establishing confidence in the immunization program. I would be surprised if it catches on in the US.8vamandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17674582951096455787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-17402201366422393772020-12-30T15:39:22.469+00:002020-12-30T15:39:22.469+00:00The "reckon" usage I’ve heard most this ...The "reckon" usage I’ve heard most this year in the US has been that of "a racial reckoning," or "reckon with our situation."Maria W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15364329075820405381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-20668814063003453972020-12-30T14:15:14.622+00:002020-12-30T14:15:14.622+00:00Thanks, I thought I'd changed that...Thanks, I thought I'd changed that...lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-4765443689986270202020-12-30T02:23:48.793+00:002020-12-30T02:23:48.793+00:00Every time I’ve heard “jab” in the US news it has ...Every time I’ve heard “jab” in the US news it has been right after “as the Brits would call it ha-ha” Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08653736403606306616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-21677386395176138442020-12-29T20:56:20.211+00:002020-12-29T20:56:20.211+00:00I enjoy your column--thanks!
In your discussion ...I enjoy your column--thanks! <br />In your discussion of "reckon," I think you have a typo: "In this case it's particular use" (You are welcome to delete this comment.)Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11916187234293845661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-68969962209084690902020-12-29T20:15:16.615+00:002020-12-29T20:15:16.615+00:00I live close enough to Arkansas that some of my fr...I live close enough to Arkansas that some of my friends still use "reckon". And I've seen a lot of "whilst" this year, but I think that was in the running for last year. I have seen more of jab recently though, so I think it's a good call.Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09102051869402318820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-24842055200781260842020-12-29T18:59:34.447+00:002020-12-29T18:59:34.447+00:00It isn't jab that you will hear in Scotland..b...It isn't jab that you will hear in Scotland..but jag...like jagged I supposegzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08034777779347889773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-25962882198285007322020-12-29T18:32:45.210+00:002020-12-29T18:32:45.210+00:00Interesting suggestion. I can't say I've s...Interesting suggestion. I can't say I've seen or heard 'jab' much in the US thus far, except for the sort of 'aren't the Brits funny' stories that run from time to time. I doubt it will catch on, since we already have the short word 'shot' for the same thing.David Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08158936621650054246noreply@blogger.com