Question for British list members/school years

[sistermagpie]

> Carol responds:
> 
> Yes, I saw that. And Merriam-Webster Online gives 1552 as the first
> use. Either way, it's not an Americanism!
> 
> Carol, whose computer has no sound today for some reason!

Magpie:
Does "Americanism" have to mean "started in America?" I would think a 
lot of Americanisms were British at some time, but now are Americanisms 
because they're what's used in America and not in GB. So freshman is an 
Americanism because we mostly use freshman, sophomore, junior and 
senior to refer to certain grades and people in the UK do not use those 
terms to refer to people in that year. Like the many American quirks of 
language that are now completely American to British ears even though 
they were once standard British usage.

-m