Andy Soltis just wrote a column is Chess Life about the rise of American English useage in chess over recent years; supplanting British English, and German during Steinitz and Lasker's time.
But I think it positively wierd how many IMs and GMs, when interviewed, manage to get in the words "Well OK,..." You name the originating country, and you'll hear it. I even heard British GM Michael Adams say it a few weeks ago. Was he trying to imitate the Russians?! They're the main proponents (like Kramnick), but you'll hear it in spades from Carlsen, Topolov, Aronian. The only guys resisting are Anand and Svidler, who are both so fluent in the American idiom that they are beyond it. In fact, Svidler sounds as American as a Ph.D candidate from the U.S.. Impressive. Anand speaks very fast English, while also speaking fluent Spanish.
In the US we use the word "cheapo" to describe a move where one wins suddenly or gets a substantial advantage purely because your opponent misses an easy one move tactical shot that they would not normally miss. I used it more than once on the site without thinking of the international flavor until a new friend on the site from Romania asked me what I meant by it!
Originally posted by joesheppe Right. They want to know those words, though. Just like we love to say zugzwang or zwishenzug, hold-out words from when German dominated the idiom.
First you call the Americans idioms, then the Germans. You trying to piss off the whole site one country at a time? ðŸ˜
Originally posted by joesheppe Icecold, you threw me off with the frown face (like you're serious). The winking eye would be more expected there, buddy.
If I let on it was a joke from the onset, it blows the whole Ice is stoopid thing. 😕
The only time I am serious is when I quote somebody else. 😀
Originally posted by joesheppe Right. They want to know those words, though. Just like we love to say zugzwang or zwishenzug, hold-out words from when German dominated the idiom.
Not forgetting how we, without thinking about it, use words like tempo, intermezzo, gambit, fianchetto, like we're fluently in Italian.
Originally posted by FabianFnas Not forgetting how we, without thinking about it, use words like tempo, intermezzo, gambit, fianchetto, like we're fluently in Italian.
What more languages are used in chess vocabulary?
French, en passant enprise. uh huh huh huh 😕
Not to forget the FIDE which when said with an American accent sounds stoopid.
Fed-er-a-she-un Inter-nash-un-el Dee UH shess
Request more input here from european, asian, and south-american, and african players!
This is kind of exciting. There might a lot of words in languages other than English that are just as descriptive or memorable for a chessic situation or name.
Originally posted by JonathanB of London Swedish for good move is "bra drag" isn't it?
We should use that more.
I'd be censored if I said what a 'good end' in Swedish would sound like.
The last time I was in Italy, my chess playing friend said something like 'eating a piece'. Well, in this context I found out what is was. He also thought me the expression 'eating wood'. Well there is a jargon in every language.
Another (not so oftenly used) jargon expression of delivering 'bra drag' is 'ge ett pulver' meaning 'give a pill', or 'give a powder'.
American English idiom
03 Jan '10 01:05
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