Why is it ‘across the world’ now? / myLot

United Kingdom

February 21, 2018 2:55pm CST

This is a very minor question but something that’s been puzzling me. Years ago, whenever people were talking about some sort of worldwide phenomenon, they would say (for example) ‘It’s the same all round the world’ or ‘this happens around the world’. Nowadays though they all say ‘across the world’. Why the change? Have the Flat Earthers managed to convince major media organisations that the world is not round after all? All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2018.

13 people like this

13 responses

topffer

@topffer (42155)

• France

21 Feb 18

It is because nothing stays the same in the world/words

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topffer

@topffer (42155)

• France

21 Feb 18

@JudyEv I noticed a rise in popularity of "bigly" last year

. In 2000 our Pdt Chirac used "abracadabrantesque" which is a neologism made with "abracadabra" that had not been used since the 19th C, and it became soon popular

2 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Feb 18

I've noticed in news bulletins someone will use a 'new' phrase and suddenly everyone is using it. Unfortunately I can't think of an example at the moment.

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

22 Feb 18

@topffer Haven't heard that one yet! Or 'bigly' either, thankfully!

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Feb 18

Here is how the world REALLY looks.

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

22 Feb 18

@JudyEv I thought it would be like this!

Vector Map World Relief Winkel Tripel Asia-Australia | One Stop Map

www.onestopmap.com

Printable editable vector map World Relief Winkel Tripel Asia-Australia centered. Try a map for FREE today! Illustrator, EPS, PDF and JPG. Cheap maps.

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

22 Feb 18

Isn't Australia in the middle?

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Feb 18

@Fleura No, it looks slightly below (or above) centre to me!

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Sue21

@lovinangelsinstead21 (36847)

• Pamplona, Spain

21 Feb 18

I still keep saying all over the world or worldwide. We get people who change things too in this language but I learn it and use all of the changes the way I want.

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Alfredo Rossi

@amadeo (111937)

• United States

21 Feb 18

Oh!my not sure I always say around and across.

2 people like this

WorDazza

@WorDazza (15826)

• Manchester, England

22 Feb 18

Funnily enough i would say "all over the world" which actually allows for any shape you could care to imagine.

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

22 Feb 18

Very diplomatic, that should keep everyone happy!

2 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

22 Feb 18

@WorDazza Ha ha yes that's what I thought : )

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WorDazza

@WorDazza (15826)

• Manchester, England

22 Feb 18

@Fleura Diplomacy! Very unusual for me!!!

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Namelesss

@Namelesss (3364)

• United States

21 Feb 18

Perhaps a small point but possibly significant. Didn't we used to say across the globe or around the globe?

3 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

21 Feb 18

People used to say 'to all corners of the Earth' which always seemed a little odd since it doesn't have any corners, being round. 'Around the world' seems most appropriate.

2 people like this

hereandthere

@hereandthere (45628)

• Philippines

22 Feb 18

@Fleura i thought all corners of the earth referred to north, east, west and south, which i also thought was associated to news

1 person likes this

changjiangzhibin89

@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)

• China

22 Feb 18

Perhaps,they think of the earth as square like our ancient people thought.

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

22 Feb 18

There is still a Flat Earth society, strangely enough. Perhaps they are winning people over!

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hereandthere

@hereandthere (45628)

• Philippines

22 Feb 18

i guess just like the phrase 'across the board?' i guess across sort of connotes depth, too. that the effect is not just on the surface? i know 'global' is more in use now, but i'm still used to 'worldwide' and 'international'

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Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61463)

• United States

25 Feb 18

I have no idea why the terminology changed but I prefer around the world.

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

25 Feb 18

Me too!

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Anna

@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

22 Feb 18

Because people do not know the meaning of the words anymore. They use the wrong words all the time.

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Elizabeth

@Poppylicious (11134)

• United Kingdom

22 Feb 18

I haven't noticed this one; I still say around the world. It's probably the American folk, with their Can I get's and other such nonsense. *cheeky grin*

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

22 Feb 18

Maybe, I heard several people say it yesterday in the course of one radio programme so it was very noticeable; perhaps they were all just copying each other.