Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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anglophile-plugin

Anglophile Browser Plug-In
  (+6, -2)
(+6, -2)
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against]

For the American who wants that high-quality, BBC feel to everything he reads on the web, I propose a simple Anglophile browser plug in that makes simple American/English word substitions. For example, 'program' becomes 'programme', 'behavior' is replaced by 'behaviour', 'while' is changed to 'whilst', and 'pants' go to 'trousers'. Once this simple dictionary substitution works, more advanced versions can do metric and currency conversions. For the full effect, dates can be re-arranged to 'day Month Year', and times can be switched to GMT.

The test should be that the user can't distinguish between an article from the NY Post and another from The Economist on the same subject. The user should also suspect Matt Drudge to be Canadian.

ninehigh, Jun 21 2005

Wikipedia: Whilst http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whilst
"Indeed, while (but not whilst) in dialects of Northern England and Scotland usually takes the meaning of until, as in: 'I shall wait while you are ready.'" [calum, Jun 22 2005]

Would this work? ICML
It's not a plug-in though. [angel, Jun 22 2005]

[link]






       Sounds a bit dodgy.
crater, Jun 22 2005
  

       I really like the idea of something that could convert english to metric and vice versa automatically. Of course then there is always the risk of ending up with irritating numbers like 2.452436543262.
Psudomorph, Feb 27 2007
  

       What's half a bakery in imperial units?
MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 27 2007
  

       My dog trousers whilst practicing his behaviour programme.
Noexit, Feb 27 2007
  

       There was a dramatic autumn in the stock market today.
imaginality, Feb 27 2007
  

       //What's half a bakery in imperial units?//   

       Half a bun, of course.
nuclear hobo, Feb 28 2007
  

       In general, I like the idea. However, I feel that context is crucial. Else, "As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams" becomes "As Trousers the Hart for Cooling Streams?"
  

       and: Elephant's "boot"? (trunk)
Nixon's "draughts" speech? (Checkers)
"Wing" guitars? (Fender)
etc.
csea, Feb 28 2007
  

       //English is metric.// Oh yes. Bugger. I forgot. Can we distinguish two types of English, for use in different circumstances?   

       We can have "Archer's English" for use at home and when shopping ("A pound and half of fathoms, please, Mr. Shopkeeper, and a couple of yards of your finest Perch"); and "Technical English" for use at work and to confuse Americans and Mars spacecraft ("Set the quantum altimeter to seven metres, Edwin, then adjust the colour to twelve degrees centigrade.")
MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 28 2007
  

       Love it. Would it also get rid of all those fucking zeds (zees to you USians) everywhere? They drive me to distraction.
squeak, Feb 28 2007
  

       I remember an afternoon back when I was new to the Web, trying to figure out why the webpage I was coding wouldn't display correctly. After a frustrating hour or so: "Ohh... I've spelled 'centre' 'centre' instead of 'center'. Grr! #%$&&!*@ American English!"
imaginality, Feb 28 2007
  

       [squeak] I have a horrible feeling that many of the Americanisms we hate (including Z's) are actually hangovers from old English (as it was in the 1700s). If I remember the gist of Bill Bryson's book correctly, it's the British who've changed their English as much as the Americans.   

       Just don't mention this to any Americans. The last thing we need is for them to come over all smug at having preserved the language.
MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 28 2007
  

       [MaxwellB], we Americans hate hangovers from Olde English as well. Those 40 oz. (1.2L) bottles are killer!
lankybits, Feb 28 2007
  

       I have a sneaking suspicion that th appenduncular "e" in "Olde" is an Americanism. On th other and, it may just b an old English advertising quaintness.
MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 28 2007
  

       In Olde English, the extra e's were just bandied about at will - remembere this is before ye invention of dictionaries or spellinge. The character similar looking to the lettere Y was used to denote the "th" sound, hence "Ye Olde Shoppe" would, rather disappointingly, be pronounced "The Old Shop".
zen_tom, Mar 01 2007
  

       Quite. And not to be confused with "ye" as in "you" (thee, thou, ye and you).   

       Incidentally, this is a topic about which I know almost nothing worthwhile, so it is quite possible I am offending true linguists by talking complete bollocks. I just thought I should make this clear, in case I ever decide to talk about something I do know something about, which is unlikely.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 01 2007
  

       //it is quite possible I am offending true linguists by talking complete bollocks.//   

       Can I borrow your disclaimer?
zen_tom, Mar 01 2007
  

       Certainly. Use it wisely and broadly.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 01 2007
  

       They didn't preserve the old language but changed different things so some old words and phrases remain. Also, over here they call their version of imperial measures 'English' ones, becasue they use the same names (pint, gallon etc.). This sucks really hard as the actual measures are different. My theory is that someone on the mayflower had recently been ripped off over a poorly printed measuring jug.
stilgar, Mar 05 2007
  

       How about one for anglophobes?
nuclear hobo, Mar 05 2007
  
      
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