When Giving Directions...

[Zurvan]

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Zurvan,

Common usage FTW.

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It is common usage. Just because Webster started removing u's from the language 150 years ago, doesn't give you American's the right to remove whatever letters you choose. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Our House]

Centre, theatre, litre, metre, WTFtre.

[Our House]

Colour, flavour.

[antidan444]

Seriously, if someone told me "Turn left at the lights" I'd be like, "Wait, more than one? Which ones? What are you talking about?"

Language often does not equal communication.

(Oooh, that's good, I need to write that down.)

[soah]

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OK,

Why is it in California, when giving directions people say:

Take the 405 south to the Aliso exit

where everywhere else in the US, people say:

Take 405 south to the Aliso exit...

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when I was in LA I noticed everyone referred to them as freeways, as in "the 5 freeway" whereas I would just call it I-5, which is a highway.

[DustinG]

some roads in California are 'toll-roads'- you have to pay. Since you don't on the interstate, its free- I think.

[antidan444]

Most people around my area just say "81" (for Interstate 81) or "70" (for I-70) for the two interstates. "Take 81 South to 70 East to ..."

[Our House]

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Most people around my area just say "81" (for Interstate 81) or "70" (for I-70) for the two interstates. "Take 81 South to 70 East to ..."

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This is very standard.

[antidan444]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most people around my area just say "81" (for Interstate 81) or "70" (for I-70) for the two interstates. "Take 81 South to 70 East to ..."

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This is very standard.

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I thought so, too. But I thought "Turn at the light" was universal, too.

[DustinG]

apparently truckers say mile instead of miles

i.e. 'its 20 mile down the road'

also- truckers refer to all streets that aren't the highway as 'surface streets'. Have people heard that term before?