Hi Fabian,

I only made the comment that we do not speak the King's English, because, well, it is true (we all know it-our 'American' English is terrible to say the least), and you mentioned that you only wanted to use terms that were pure/British English. I was not sure if it truly was or not. That is why I suggested you check a 'British' dictionary and I could not find a link to one online. I'm sorry if I appeared rude in anyway, I certainly did not mean to! Sorry for any misunderstanding!


>Cool down. I've learned more English in Miami (believe it or not) than in London.
>BTW, We all have dictionaries (Oxford or whatever) but we all are busy "fighting code" in front of this neverending screen, therefore digital sources are more convenient.
>
>
>
>>Since we Americans do not speak the "King's English" I suggest you check the Oxford or Cambridge English Dictionaries then. Teetotaler is in the Cambridge dictionary, but I cannot check the Oxford dictionary as I do not have one and the online version is available by subscription only.
>>
>>
>>>Thanks again.
>>>I think I'll use "Teatotaler" since "Wowser" it semms to be an Australian "contribution". I don't have anything against Australians (except that guy called Croc Hunter or something...in Animal Planet) but I prefer pure/british English.
>>>That's why I asked you about "colloquial" thing...
>>>
>>>>I would say no, because it is a well-known term in the English language (across continents) that's in all standard dictionaries. However, I believe that the dictionary carries colloquialisms these days too so maybe... I think something like the below would be an actual colloquialism (local term for a common word used in the language) though:
>>>>
>>>>Wowser (Noun)
>>>>
>>>>Pronunciation: [waw-zê(r)]
>>>>
>>>>Definition 1: Regional colloquialism (Australia and New Zealand). A puritanical fanatic, a prudish teetotaler; a killjoy and party-pooper all rolled into one.
>>>>
>>>>From http://www.geocities.com/thebardiccircle/VB/11_12.html
>>>>
>>>>So just call them a wowser instead! :o)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Thank you Tracy. So... it's a coloquial term right?
>>>>>
>>>>>>It's actually "teetotaler," and its meaning is: "one who abstains from imbibing alcoholic beverages."
>>>>>>
>>>>>>From:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>http://www.word-detective.com/041899.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>>(I don't know how accurate it is)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>There is general agreement that the first use of "teetotal" in reference to abstention from alcohol was in a speech to an English temperance society by a man named Richard Turner in 1833. Whereas some of his contemporaries drew a moral distinction between beer and hard liquor, Turner urged his listeners to abstain totally from all alcohol.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Contrary to popular legend, there is no evidence that Turner recommended "tea" as an alternative to alcohol, or that his listeners were urged to mark the letter "T" for "Total Abstinence" on their pledge cards at the meeting. The "tee" tacked onto the front of "total" was just a common way, at that time, of giving extra emphasis to a word, a process linguists call "reduplication." (And yes, the term "reduplication" has always struck me as weirdly redundant.) The use of "teetotal" to mean "absolutely, totally" is well-documented in other, non-alcoholic writings of the day. For instance, one author, writing in 1885, had occasion to write, "I hope I may be tee-totally ruinated, if I=d take eight hundred dollars for him."
>>>>>>
>>>>>>