Strip 932, panel 6, Julio says...

[sam79]

"...and she spit out a couple of rugrats."

I'd write this sentence "and she spat out a couple of rugrats". I'm assuming that this is a difference in conjugation of the verb to spit between US and UK English? Or perhaps a typo?

I noticed this before I noticed Vampire-Bat-Durkon. Which probably says something about me.

[AstralFire]

"...and she spit out a couple of rugrats."

I'd write this sentence "and she spat out a couple of rugrats". I'm assuming that this is a difference in conjugation of the verb to spit between US and UK English? Or perhaps a typo?

I noticed this before I noticed Vampire-Bat-Durkon. Which probably says something about me.

The OED lists both spit and spat as both past tense and past participle, with no specific indication of British or American English.

[KillianHawkeye]

Spit is perfectly fine as a past tense form, in America at least. Gotta use those context clues!

[Pandoren]

I've noticed that too... I assumed like you that it is US vs UK. I'm British and I've only seen/heard -at used in this context (for various words, including one that rhymes with spit and spat...) and to be honest (again like you, I'm thinking) seeing the -it version used in past tense just doesn't look right!

[Synesthesy]

I'm Italian, and I don't know. Ciao :)

[KillianHawkeye]

I've noticed that too... I assumed like you that it is US vs UK. I'm British and I've only seen/heard -at used in this context (for various words, including one that rhymes with spit and spat...) and to be honest (again like you, I'm thinking) seeing the -it version used in past tense just doesn't look right!

If you're referring to the slang term for a certain bodily function, the -it form works for both present and past tense here in America. I've heard -at used, but not nearly as often.

[Perseus]

This is exactly why I love and hate the English language... You would think the difference would be because of the European-Americas-Australian divide when it comes to the different words used... But really it is the language itself that makes things like this happen.

I must say that spat does sound better, but I'm from the backwoods of Kentucky and I've heard the word spit used all the time.

Actually my neighbor's dog was named "Spit" ...

[Klear]

This is exactly why I love and hate the English language... You would think the difference would be because of the European-Americas-Australian divide when it comes to the different words used... But really it is the language itself that makes things like this happen.

Spit as the past form is common only in the US, while spat is common everywhere.

Seems like it is the US/UK divide in this case, though what I found interesting is that some "americanisms" such as "airplane" originated in the UK, but only caught on overseas.

[Bulldog Psion]

I thought it was a particularly grotesque way of expressing the event, all things considered, but then again, I also figured it's Julio, who probably belongs to the "doesn't give a damn" school of speaking and just says whatever pops into his head, so I shrugged it off.

[Ghost Nappa]

Maybe the answer to this conundrum can be discovered by analyzing the exact contents of the digestive excretion from the individual's mouth.

Or a Thesaurus.

[DeliaP]

Seems like it is the US/UK divide in this case, though what I found interesting is that some "americanisms" such as "airplane" originated in the UK, but only caught on overseas.

Ah, like "soccer"!!

[Perseus]

Seems like it is the US/UK divide in this case, though what I found interesting is that some "americanisms" such as "airplane" originated in the UK, but only caught on overseas.

Nah, the spit/spat isn't a UK/US divide thing. Spat is used in the US, just not as common where I'm originally from.

This is just an English language oddity.

A UK/US divide difference would be like Gray versus Grey or using words differently (slang). But with spit, it can be used for different tense based on the language not based on what country is using it.

*shrug*

[Klear]

Nah, the spit/spat isn't a UK/US divide thing. Spat is used in the US, just not as common where I'm originally from.

This is just an English language oddity.

A UK/US divide difference would be like Gray versus Grey or using words differently (slang). But with spit, it can be used for different tense based on the language not based on what country is using it.

*shrug*

I'm not British or American, English isn't even my language, but I'll rather trust a dictionary rather than a random person on the internet. It could be you live in an area where the UK version is used more, but in general it is divided across the Atlantic. After all, the US are huge, there's bound to be a lot of local differences.

Of course, the dictionary could be wrong (it is a wiki after all), but your anecdotal evidence isn't enough for me.

[FLHerne]

Nah, the spit/spat isn't a UK/US divide thing. Spat is used in the US, just not as common where I'm originally from.

I disagree with you - while 'spat' is apparently used in both countries, the use of 'spit' in the past tense is a UK/US thing because it's only considered valid in the latter. Rather the opposite of -ized vs -ised, where AFAIK only the former is used in the US whereas we accept both.

[Perseus]

I disagree with you - while 'spat' is apparently used in both countries, the use of 'spit' in the past tense is a UK/US thing because it's only considered valid in the latter. Rather the opposite of -ized vs -ised, where AFAIK only the former is used in the US whereas we accept both.

+Sigh+

The mechanics of English is weird and allow for both, the problem stems from this and not from cultural aspects. The cultural aspect is just not using something that is mechanically sound NOT the mechanics itself.

Just because many people don't use horrid doesn't mean it isn't a mechanically sound word, but a cultural aspect of regions.

I stopped being an English major long ago so I'm just going to be done now... Way to troublesome to deal with thia... Or to explain it by typing/writing (always loved the philosophy, theory, and history... not so much the explaining haha).

[Klear]

+Sigh+

The mechanics of English is weird and allow for both, the problem stems from this and not from cultural aspects. The cultural aspect is just not using something that is mechanically sound NOT the mechanics itself.

Just because many people don't use horrid doesn't mean it isn't a mechanically sound word, but a cultural aspect of regions.

I stopped being an English major long ago so I'm just going to be done now... Way to troublesome to deal with thia... Or to explain it by typing/writing (always loved the philosophy, theory, and history... not so much the explaining haha).

You know, I can't even parse that first sentence...

[137beth]

Quick! Somebody cast Comprehend Language!

[Sir_Leorik]

The mechanics of English is weird and allow for both, the problem stems from this and not from cultural aspects. The cultural aspect is just not using something that is mechanically sound NOT the mechanics itself.

Just because many people don't use horrid doesn't mean it isn't a mechanically sound word, but a cultural aspect of regions.

I stopped being an English major long ago so I'm just going to be done now... Way to troublesome to deal with thia... Or to explain it by typing/writing (always loved the philosophy, theory, and history... not so much the explaining haha).

The trouble with the English language is that it is an Abomination Unto Nuggan, derived as it is from two dissimilar language groups, Upper Germanic and the Romance languages (themselves Abominations Unto Nuggan, but that's a separate issue). The differences between the dialects of English spoken in North America and the dialects of English spoken in the U.K., boil down to one uncontestable fact: North American English has incorporated many words and phrases from Yiddish, a language Blessed by Om.

EDIT: On a more serious note, the verbs "spit" and "spat" can be used interchangeably when referring to ejecting something, in this case as an idiom for having several children. ("Spit out/Spat out some rugrats.") It's not worth getting worked up over. I should note that spitting, in terms of expectorating saliva, is an Abomination Unto Nuggan.

[Gorbad Ironclaw]

Yiddish? Seems like a weird source for phrases. What phrases used in North American English come from Yiddish?

[Sir_Leorik]

Yiddish? Seems like a weird source for phrases. What phrases used in North American English come from Yiddish?

You ask which phrases come from Yiddish? Which ones don't come from Yiddish!

[jere7my]

Yiddish? Seems like a weird source for phrases. What phrases used in North American English come from Yiddish?

Oy vey, you can't think of even one? Well, mazel tov to you anyway.

[Klear]

Yiddish? Seems like a weird source for phrases. What phrases used in North American English come from Yiddish?

"You want I should..." is a nice example.

North American English has incorporated many words and phrases from Yiddish, a language Blessed by Om.

Then of course, Yiddish is Robin Hood among languages. Takes from the rich and gives to the poor.

[KillianHawkeye]

I find it's best to think of American English and British English to be actually two separate languages with roughly a 75% crossover rate. I mean, they've been diverging for around 400 years now, at least.

[Amphiox]

I find it's best to think of American English and British English to be actually two separate languages with roughly a 75% crossover rate. I mean, they've been diverging for around 400 years now, at least.

Not really. There's been continuous cross-fertilization for the whole period, after all.

[Sir_Leorik]

Not really. There's been continuous cross-fertilization for the whole period, after all.

Yup. Where do you think we Yanks picked up the term "Soccer" in the first place? From immigrants from the U.K., who started a Football "Association" in New Jersey or Massachusetts (not sure which) and didn't bother to mention that "Soccer" was only the Cockney term for the sport.

I'm sure that there are examples of North American English words creeping into the U.K. English vocabulary, but it's late and I can't think of any off the top of my head.

[KillianHawkeye]

Not really. There's been continuous cross-fertilization for the whole period, after all.

Well, yes, that's why the crossover rate is so high. It's still true to say that they've been diverging, though.

[Sir_Leorik]

Well, yes, that's why the crossover rate is so high. It's still true to say that they've been diverging, though.

That divergence is occurring for a variety of reasons. One of the primary one is that the United States and Canada have large immigrant populations who provide loan words to North American English. While the U.K. has a large immigrant population, I'm not sure whether or not loan words from Hindi, Urdu, or any other non-English language are making inroads in U.K. English. North American English has received loan words from German, Italian, Polish, Yiddish, Spanish, French, Creole, and Mandarin, to name just a few. There are also regional dialects, ethnic dialects, and shared words that diverge in meaning.

That being said, everyone understood the "rugrats" pun in panel 6, right?

[colanderman]

Yiddish? Seems like a weird source for phrases. What phrases used in North American English come from Yiddish?

Off the top of my head: schlemiel, schlep, schmear, schmuck… and I'm neither Jewish nor from NYC!

More from Wikipedia that I know the meanings of:

bagel, bupkis (though often pronounced "butt-kiss"), chutzpah, kibitz, klutz, kvetch, maven, nosh, putz, schlock, schlong, schlub, schmaltz, schmo, schmooze, schnoz, spiel, spritz, tchotchke, tukhus/tush, verklempt

I suppose it's possible I learned all these from Judd Hirsch's character in Independence Day…

(Also, I've now convinced myself that every word starting with "sch" in the English language comes from Yiddish…)

[jere7my]

Off the top of my head: schlemiel, schlep, schmear, schmuck… and I'm neither Jewish nor from NYC!

I daresay those are words, not phrases.

[Klear]

(Also, I've now convinced myself that every word starting with "sch" in the English language comes from Yiddish…)

You're probably right.

I daresay those are words, not phrases.

Phrases-shmrases! I gave you an example of a phrase which came from Yiddish earlier.