[MargaretR]

When you return home from USA with your accquired american twang, you will find that we, being polite and hospitable, will use the words that you understand, and avoid those that you won't. This doesn't mean that our language has changed - just that we are accommodating your lack of knowledge of ours (language).

When I had a penfriend in Montana, I wearied of explaining that a fortnight is 2 weeks, and that holidays are vacations and not just Christmas.