Americanisms

I’ve noticed a lot of written quizzes now seem to start with”Riddle me this.” It makes no sense. I do remember ‘The Riddler’ in the original Batman series using it, but it now seems to be creeping in to UK use.

lol I don’t hear that often around here except in the context of Batman’s The Riddler. I guess that would be considered an Americanism if it originates from American media, even if it isn’t well-accepted as a social norm in real American culture?

profdanger said:

I guess that would be considered an Americanism if it originates from American media,

Regretfully, I regard any nonsensical phrase as probably American. Like the awful "just sayin'", which makes me shudder.

https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/quotalouettequot-emc

I can’t vouch for the accuracy of this information, but I think it likely that the repetitive nature of the songs would make them popular learning tools for the many children who learned French.

Jolly good leveller61 

Hooray!

I suspect WW1 and WW2 may have a bearing on that, B, with action in France and Belgium and the presence of Québecois soldiers as part of the substantial Canadian forces. They'd have passed the songs on to their comrades who would take them home to their own countries. 

My surname is of Anglicised Norman heritage too ArchaeC  and I am a Canadian dual national, so indeed long live

ArchaeC said:

Children in most European countries used to sing it and also Frère Jacques.

Very interesting as I remember singing both Alouette and Frere Jacques in my infant + junior schools in Hampshire in the late 1960s to early 1970s but had no idea they were so universally sung.

I wonder why 

I believe it is Québécois, although at the time I thought it was French. Children in most European countries used to sing it and also Frère Jacques. 

Pōkarekare Ana is a beautiful song. I was introduced to it through Classic FM and sing only the repeating title when it is played. Hayley Westenra sings it beautifully.

I believe it is Québécois, although at the time I thought it was French. Children in most European countries used to sing it and also Frère Jacques. 

Pōkarekare Ana is a beautiful song. I was introduced to it through Classic FM and sing only the repeating title when it is played. Hayley Westenra sings it beautifully.

https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/quotalouettequot-emc

I can’t vouch for the accuracy of this information, but I think it likely that the repetitive nature of the songs would make them popular learning tools for the many children who learned French.

I suspect WW1 and WW2 may have a bearing on that, B, with action in France and Belgium and the presence of Québecois soldiers as part of the substantial Canadian forces. They'd have passed the songs on to their comrades who would take them home to their own countries. 

ArchaeC said:

Children in most European countries used to sing it and also Frère Jacques.

Very interesting as I remember singing both Alouette and Frere Jacques in my infant + junior schools in Hampshire in the late 1960s to early 1970s but had no idea they were so universally sung.

I wonder why