So here I was in the USA and I had a major problem being understood. I had no problem understand american English because we all watch american movies and TV shows, but the basic american does not watch British TV programmes and apart from Harry Potter not a lot of British films. In a effort to elaborate about barriers to communication I wanter to find a list of basic basic language.
So I thought a quiz would be appropriate I will write below a list of words and see how many you can get right/translate into American English.
My DH is British (born in Liverpool - a Scouser!! - and raised in Southampton) and after living in Saudi Arabia for three years while he was ironically working for the Americans (and being around him and other Brits most of the time) I picked up quite a bit of the accent and the inflection. I also sing and play the piano by ear, which probably doesn't help.
I still say "no" with a bit of a draw on the O that you can't explain by living in the South, and I've gotten quite a bit of the expressions. I get teased at work a lot about it - but being back in the military (I'm active duty Air Force now) makes it a bit easier!
(Recently I've noticed I say "bit" a lot - which is something Americans don't say as much as I do!)
When I was waiting for my Saudi resident visa, I "lived" in the UK for five months in Camberley, about thirty miles or so from London. I sounded like a local. I'd get on the phone and my mother would be going, "huh?". Hilarious. If we go over there for any length of time (usually takes about a week) I pick it right back up and I sound like an American who's lived there a while. It's not intentional, either - it sort of happens!
My DH said "jelly" is actually what we know as "jello", and that's what I've always heard it as. Our jelly is jam to him. (I don't even call it jelly anymore - just noticed that as well!)
Specializes in Cardiology (ITU), Acute Renal/Dialysis.
have got to laugh out loud! I wrote a three letter word beginning with "f", middle letter "a" and last letter "g" and it's been ***! it means cigarette in the UK! I know what it means in USA, I was just highlighting a difference.
carolinapooh, BSN, RN
3,577 Posts
My DH is British (born in Liverpool - a Scouser!! - and raised in Southampton) and after living in Saudi Arabia for three years while he was ironically working for the Americans (and being around him and other Brits most of the time) I picked up quite a bit of the accent and the inflection. I also sing and play the piano by ear, which probably doesn't help.
I still say "no" with a bit of a draw on the O that you can't explain by living in the South, and I've gotten quite a bit of the expressions. I get teased at work a lot about it - but being back in the military (I'm active duty Air Force now) makes it a bit easier!
(Recently I've noticed I say "bit" a lot - which is something Americans don't say as much as I do!)
When I was waiting for my Saudi resident visa, I "lived" in the UK for five months in Camberley, about thirty miles or so from London. I sounded like a local. I'd get on the phone and my mother would be going, "huh?". Hilarious. If we go over there for any length of time (usually takes about a week) I pick it right back up and I sound like an American who's lived there a while. It's not intentional, either - it sort of happens!
My DH said "jelly" is actually what we know as "jello", and that's what I've always heard it as. Our jelly is jam to him. (I don't even call it jelly anymore - just noticed that as well!)
You've really gotten me thinking about all this!