Job Discussion Forums

[YanquiQuilme�o]

In British English, do you take decisions instead of make them?

[Perpetual Traveller]

I've always used make but it is possible that this changes from region to region.

PT

[dmb]

I try to avoid making any.

[Mark Loyd]

America makes/takes our decisions for us.

[Jyulee]

Take a decision sounds OK, but with an imperative...

"Make a decision!"

It would have to be with make. Well, so I say anyway.

(from London)

[Perpetual Traveller]

Thinking about it some more, is taking a decision something that a group of people might do...such as 'The committee took the decision to...' That just strikes me as something I may have heard.

PT

[Aramas]

Upon making a decision, occasionally someone might advise one to take said decision and insert in rectally.

Oh, and what's 'British English', exactly? Are you referring to the hundreds of English dialects spoken in dozens of English-speaking countries other than the US? Mostly we refer to that as English 'British English' is a tautology, sorry. Somewhat like 'Portuguese Portuguese', 'French French', or 'Spanish Spanish'.

English -> A language

<insert geographical location> English -> An English dialect. 'British' includes too many very different dialects to be a meaningful prefix. Try listening to a Cornishman, a Geordie and a Liverpudlian trying to communicate. It's difficult to believe that it's the same language, let alone that they're from the same country. Throw in the Scots, Welsh, Manx and Northern Irish (including their own regional variations), and another dozen or so English regional dialects and you might call it 'British regional English dialects' rather than 'British English'. Or not 'BBC English' is probably what most people mean when they say 'British English', since it's about as close as they come to a standardised dialect.

[Perpetual Traveller]

I think you're nitpicking unnessessarily here. I think the OP was simply asking about the common usage of the words in Britain, hence the use of 'British English' as opposed to 'English used anywhere outside of the United States. Although there are many regional differences in Britain for the most part they are spoken only.

As for not referring to 'French, French', I have often heard this done to differentiate between the French spoken in France and that spoken in Canada or French Polynesia, I'm sure it likely happens with other languages too.

PT

[Fatcat]

"I think you're nitpicking unnessessarily here. "

I agree with PT here. The OP's just looking for a general answer, not writing a thesis. But if you want to list the hundreds of English dialects and whether they use make or take, knock yourself out.

[Cdaniels]

Actually the term "British English" is a standard reference term (in America, anyways) to differentiate "standard" American word usage from that in the United Kingdom. The top two google results from British English: http://www.effingpot.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_English Many North American dictionaries also employ the term.
I suspect Aramas might know this already. I've heard Latin Americans use the term "Castelleno" when their Spanish is definitely not Castillian dialect .

[YanquiQuilme�o]

[Aramas]

[YanquiQuilme�o]

[Cdaniels]

but its also an opportunity to start a flame war!
There is an "English English!"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language/British_English
Its an alternative to the term Anglo-English.
I'll also propose that the Commonwealth more or less uses individual words the same way, they just use very different vocabulary, pronunciation and idiomatic phrases. It is specifically the US that uses the same words as the "British" in entirely different ways with different spellings. I would guess "pissed" would be an example of this. (wow, that got through the filter?) Anyone want to challenge me!

[Aramas]