I'm a new on Fogarty and you can think of me as your friendly guide to the English language.

We talk about writing, history, rules, and cool stuff.

Today we'll talk about words used out of place, how to use ellipses, and street signs with

unusual punctuation.

This first segment is written by Ben Yegoda, so when I say I, that's him, not me.

The English writer David Mitchell's latest novel Utopia Avenue is about a fictional late

60s British rock band, who at various points encounter real life rock and roll figures.

One scene takes place on the roof of the Chelsea Hotel in New York, where Janice Joplin

gives an impromptu performance.

Everyone's song takes her leave because she says, I have a session tomorrow.

I found that piece of dialogue surprising, but at the same time not surprising.

Surprising because Joplin, a native of Texas, would actually have said, I've got a session,

or maybe I have a session.

The I of a session construction is a Britishism.

But not surprising because I'd already encountered a half a dozen examples in the novel of American

characters using British words or phrases, and I'd come upon at least eight more in the

remainder of the book.

For example, Jean Clark, on quitting the birds, now it's gone, I want it back.

In American English, you'd be more likely to say, now that it's gone.

Paul Cantner of Jefferson Airplane saying, chalk and cheese.

That's a very British expression, indicating two things very different in quality or value.

In Frank Zappa saying, accidents are often art's best bits.

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