Do you say "fall" or "autumn"?

[ai731]

I've been hired to write some gardening articles. The target audience is American, I'm Canadian, and my client is Australian, so I need to know: Do Americans say "fall" or "autumn" or do they use both? I know in the UK it's "autumn" and here in Canada, people use both.

[MN Gardener]

I use both but tend to use "fall" more often.

[Bonnie L]

I tend to say fall & write autumn. To me it's a fancier word.

[Oggie]

I think that north of a line where the average last frost date falls on or before March 15 (the latitude is approx. 36 degrees, 11 minutes and 9 seconds), the term "autumn" is usually used.

South of that line, it's "fall."

Of course, the intermixing of dialects brought about by modern methods of communication and the ability for people to quickly travel has fuzzied up that line of demarcation a bit.

[EDDIE BUCK]

If some of us down here said autumn,we would never get off daylight savings time. FALL as in fall back. lol Eddie

[Jennifer L.]

Autumn is hoity-toity for Fall. LOL! Seriously, I only use Autumn if somehow or other it isn't clear that when using the word "fall" you mean the season. Doesn't happen very often.

Jennifer

[wwubben]

I would use autumn in written material and fall in conversation.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I say "fall". It's my favorite season here in Michigan.

[Joshie]

Originally Posted by Oggie

I think that north of a line where the average last frost date falls on or before March 15 (the latitude is approx. 36 degrees, 11 minutes and 9 seconds), the term "autumn" is usually used.

South of that line, it's "fall."

OK, I'm north of that line and I say fall. Everyone I know says fall.

[Oggie]

Originally Posted by Joshie

OK, I'm north of that line and I say fall. Everyone I know says fall.

Doggone it!

Now, I'm going to have to make up something else.

Okay, how about all the areas in which the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) sap begins to flow on or before Febuary 5 generally use the term "fall."

The rest tend to use "autumn."

Areas in which the sugar maple does not grow usuually follow the before-mentioned average last-frost rule.

[Ravenlost]

Originally Posted by Jennifer L.

...I only use Autumn if somehow or other it isn't clear that when using the word "fall" you mean the season. Doesn't happen very often.

Jennifer

Me too.

[Michael W. Smith]

Here in PA, I believe most people say Fall. However, Autumn is a much "fancier" way of saying it.

I guess it depends on what your writing is for - if it's mostly for "country folk" like us here, I would use Fall. If it's for the refined Suburbs type, I would use Autumn.

[culpeper]

In Australia, we always say 'Autumn'.

[manygoatsnmore]

It's FALL around here - people look at you funny if you say AAAh-tum!

[Farmerwilly2]

Around here we call it either 'hunting' or 'football'.

[A'sta at Hofstead]

Fall mostly.

[Jackie]

I am up here in Canada and I don't recall EVER using the word autumn. lol! Not written or spoken.

[mistletoad]

I voted Autumn, but I'm English. I've never heard an American say Autumn and I think it would sound pretty pretentious if they did (excluding using it for a name of course - I think it is a very pretty name).

[n2gardening]

Thought about it a lot...Even though I know it's Autumn...I always say fall.

I don't say...I can't wait till Autumn...it's my favorite time of year. Nope. Just The Fall. I can't wait till The Fall because I love the weather! School starts in The Fall. We buy pumpkins...in the Fall. We love to take walks...in the fall. It just is.

[Zipporah]

Originally Posted by Wind in Her Hair

I say "Autumn" and named my only daughter that as well.

Pretty name.I wanted to name a girl Winter Rose,but dh hated it.