Learned learnt / burned burnt etc

Pawnless Endgame · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:03

I've checked the first 10 pages of GD and I can't find that recent English/grammar thread, thus posting a new one.

The house burnt down.
The house burned down.

I know that they're past tense, but how do you use each of them? Are they situational? Same with learned and learnt.

Cheers :-)

FabienO · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:13

Learned is American, learnt is English.

RomanNose · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:15

Burned is American as well, burnt is English.

Moothead2 · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:16

The worst thing I've heard that's similar to this is when somebody said quitted. I've never heard a word that is actually a viable alternative to another word sound so wrong

.

Pawnless Endgame · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:26

Thanks guys, never realised it was US vs UK English! It's the Americanisation of the internet that spreads their vocab and we pick it up unawares e.g. program vs programme.

And yeah, you don't say quitted, same as bet vs betted.

neodude · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:27

"The house burnt for a week" doesn't sound right though.

neodude · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:28

Monserrat said:
Thanks guys, never realised it was US vs UK English! It's the Americanisation of the internet that spreads their vocab and we pick it up unawares e.g. program vs programme.

And yeah, you don't say quitted, same as bet vs betted.

Program = Computer software

Programme = On the telly

Srengam · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:28

Tomata / Potota

G-MAN2004 · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:29

Another one is whilst/while. I have always used 'whilst' but I see that most people on here use the other.

Srengam · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:31

G-MAN2004 said:
Another one is whilst/while. I have always used 'whilst' but I see that most people on here use the other.

"I'm running late, I may be a whilst" ?

Moothead2 · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:33

Srengam said:
"I'm running late, I may be a whilst" ?

Hold on whilst I get that Pen vs. Hold on while I get that pen.

Srengam · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:38

I think whilst refers to a secondary event, something happening aswell.

Where as while is a length of time.

Could be wrong though.

G-MAN2004 · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:38

Moothead2 said:
Hold on whilst I get that Pen vs. Hold on while I get that pen.

This.

Ripper · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:39

Both fine really but burnt is an adjective I think whilst burned is a verb:

She had a burnt pizza
She burned the pizza

Glaucus · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:41

Monserrat said:
Thanks guys, never realised it was US vs UK English! It's the Americanisation of the internet that spreads their vocab and we pick it up unawares e.g. program vs programme.

And yeah, you don't say quitted, same as bet vs betted.

It's not just Internet, news, film, tv, music.

Sooner we move to an international English the better. It would almost certainly be based on American English.

Alternatively do what the English language always does. Just incorporate Americanism into our language as an acceptable alternative for such words.

lcg · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:44

Spelt and spelled.

G-MAN2004 · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:45

lcg said:
Spelt and spelled.

Spelled sounds so wrong.

LordSplodge · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:47

Bloody Americans are always ruining everything including the proper Queen's English.

Stiff upper lip. What what.

Redz · 17 Apr 2012 at 18:57

burnt is the past participle and burned is the past tense. Or it could be the other way round.

Soundood · 17 Apr 2012 at 19:00

this one always annoyed me,

'what color is that stuff on your pants'