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> 4. US English really needs to re-acquaint (no pun intend) itself with the word "acquaintance" as an alternative to "friend". The almost universal use of "frie
by dr_dshiv 3y ago
> 4. US English really needs to re-acquaint (no pun intend) itself with the word "acquaintance" as an alternative to "friend". The almost universal use of "friend" to describe anyone you know (even from the most singular and minor of interactions) really robs verbal behavior about the social environment here of so much subtlety
Well, we just call them brothers or sisters if they are that close. Actually…
- PaulDavisThe1st 3y agoYou can see the same thing with "neighbor". In the UK that refers to someone who lives in one of the houses adjacent to yours. In the USA it can refer to anyone who lives anywhere in some loosely-defined neighborhood. "My neighbor" can be someone who lives a mile or two away, which by UK standards is absurd.
- stvltvs 3y agoThe King James Version of the Bible used "neighbor" in this same vague way when Jesus said to love our neighbor. Nothing new in that usage.
- Lio 3y agoI'm not sure what it means about me that I can't tell if you're joking or not. As a Brit I have one friend I've known since childhood I'd call "brother" unironically. Even then I'd probably have to have been drinking.