Hello Khoff and CJ
I'm sorry for it if you are hurt by the message that "on top the ~" is an American usage. I just translated what was written in dictionary. After I read your postings, I surveyed by google the use frequency of "on top the ~" and found it is used very rarely, as Pieanne pointed already. For example, "on top the hill" hit only 986 pages while "on top of the hill" and "on the top of the hill" did 78,700 and 52,800 pages respectively. I don't know on what ground my dictionary is saying that "on top the ~" is exclusively of American usage. Among the 986 pages, 31 pages belong to UK domains. Though the ratio of 31 to 986 is a bit lower than 15 % that is the percentage UK domain contributes to all google's English sites, the ratio seems not enough small to support the assertion that "on top the ~" is exclusively of American usage. However, the vulgar use of "on top the ~" itself seems to have a rather long history, as it was used in a document named "a Civil War Letter" which is published online by
Virginia University.
"Summerville Ford, Orange County, VA
September 29, 1863
Miss Josephine
Miss Josephine I seat myself to write you a few lines as I have not written you a letter for some time We are still camped on the Rapidan river at Summerville Ford We guard the ford and picket along the river The river is the line between Orange and Culpepper us and the enemy The Yankees have advanced their picket lines the distance between us is about five hundred yards at places They have also reinforced their picket The picket dont fire on each other now They hollow at each other sometimes and sometimes exchange news papers It is against orders but they will do it Our brigade and Hokes guard Summerville Ford Hays brigade guards Raccoon Ford a mile below here Gordons Brigade (Gen. John B. Gordon) is about a mile above here Our Camp is about a half mile from the river behind a big hill if we want to see blue bellies all we have to do is to walk
on top the hill and we have a fair view of the Yankee picket lines Camps wagon trains we have a good position along the river here we have the heights We have ditches and rifle pits thrown up here I dont think they will attack us here as we have a good position We got orders last night to keep two days rations cooked a head which is a pretty good sign for a move of some kind soon It was a cavalry fight, on the 22nd near Madison Court house our cavalry repulsed them drove then, back across Robinson river with little loss on our side Stewart fought them it was reported that the Yankees got him which is false."
Regards.
paco