There&039;s been much debate on these pages in recent days about the spread of Americanisms - outside the US. Here, American lexicographer and broadcaster Grant Barrett offers a riposte. 
#
n British English, he restarted a debate about the changing nature of language which ended in dozens of suggestions from readers of their own loathed Americanisms. 
#
  If people submitting Americanisms had done this, they would have found that in some cases the terms they warned against predated Americans and American influence. In others the history #
       Why do some Americanisms irritate people?    
#
       50 of your noted Americanisms    
#