Americanisms have had their fries

Hey! Talking American? You've probably been watching too much television.

But now a campaign has been launched to urge the British government to regulate TV output to safeguard the English language.

Campaigners fear the influx of USprogrammes, set to increase once the Communications Bill allows foreign ownership of terrestrial TV stations, will herald the further demise of spoken English.

The Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom (CPBF) wants guarantees that TV schedules will retain a significant proportion of home-spun dramas, comedies and entertainment programmes, and a list of English words and phrases to be protected.

Such a step would protect the use of the word "film" against the American "movie", "barman" would replace "bartender", "chips" would be used instead of "fries", and "autumn" instead of "fall".

American terms such as "I guess" would be supplanted with "I suppose" and food "to go" would be a "takeaway".

Granville Williams, spokesman for the CPBF, said the Government should take its cue from the French authorities, who have introduced language regulations to meet those concerns.

"The Communications Bill is essentially opening up UK broadcasting and commerical radio and television to big American firms predominantly driven by imported programmes from America."

The CPBF calls for "chap", "fellow" or "geezer" to be used instead of "guy" – a favourite of Tony Blair. And Alastair Campbell's dismissal of press reports as "garbage" would have to be modified too. It's "rubbish", if you please.