16 replies to this topic

[susieice]

As Americans get ready to travel to London for the Olympics, they're being reminded to mind their P's and Q's. Especially their U's.
http://news.yahoo.co...-232249067.html

Edited by susieice, 08 April 2012 - 05:43 PM.

[Still Waters]

This article is quite funny    When I'm talking to my American friend we often find I'll say something that he hasn't heard before and vice versa. Like 'chuffed' for instance, meaning pleased/happy, he hadn't heard that word before and now he uses it himself lol. I think it's interesting to hear and see different words being used for the same things. Jumper = Sweater was another one, there's more but I can't think of them right now.

This bit in the article is wrong -

"If you are served a biscuit, it will be a scone, not a cookie"

I think everyone knows a biscuit = cookie, but a scone isn't either of those. So they've made a boo-boo with that one  

[Colonel Rhuairidh]

I see that reporter still thinks that everyone lives in the 1940s and eats scones with tea while enjoying a bit of nooky. Although I wonder if he is getting slightly confused with Australia at times?

Quote

If someone is cooking bangers on the "barbie" it is not a sacrificial use of the doll. It's another way of saying barbecue.

[Eldorado]

Cousins!

If visiting any part of the UK.  Ignore the kind but stupid advice of whoever it was from Yahoo that lives in 40's Britain, and speak as you normally do.  You'll be better understood than anyone speaking the Queen's English.  Seriously.

Innit

Edited by Eldorado, 08 April 2012 - 08:39 PM.

[susieice]

Still Waters, on 08 April 2012 - 07:44 PM, said:

This article is quite funny    When I'm talking to my American friend we often find I'll say something that he hasn't heard before and vice versa. Like 'chuffed' for instance, meaning pleased/happy, he hadn't heard that word before and now he uses it himself lol. I think it's interesting to hear and see different words being used for the same things. Jumper = Sweater was another one, there's more but I can't think of them right now.

This bit in the article is wrong -

"If you are served a biscuit, it will be a scone, not a cookie"

I think everyone knows a biscuit = cookie, but a scone isn't either of those. So they've made a boo-boo with that one  

I also thought that a biscuit was what we would call a cookie. Shortbread if I remember right. Chuffed is a new one on me too. Love it. Here, a jumper can be a one piece overhaul type of clothing or a type of dress girls used to wear with blouses underneath. I also kind of agree with Eldorado. The Olympics will be held in London where people are probably more accustomed to their American cousins and their way of speech.

[hetrodoxly]

Speak in your normal tongue, it will be understood.

[Still Waters]

susieice, on 08 April 2012 - 08:49 PM, said:

I also thought that a biscuit was what we would call a cookie. Shortbread if I remember right. Chuffed is a new one on me too. Love it. Here, a jumper can be a one piece overhaul type of clothing or a type of dress girls used to wear with blouses underneath. I also kind of agree with Eldorado. The Olympics will be held in London where people are probably more accustomed to their American cousins and their way of speech.

Shortbread is a type of biscuit, and biscuits we sometimes call bikkies.

I agree with everyone else, it's silly to suggest there'll be any kind of language problem.

[Englishgent]

Just remember though. If you are eating a biccy with a cup of tea, (or in an americans case, coffee), it is considered customary to dunk the bikky in the drink prior to eating.  
This practice is best when applied to normal digestive bisuits, or if you feel like getting a tad more messy,  McVities Plain Chocolate bisuits  

[Simbi Laveau]

I love British slang .I use quite a bit of it,and people do not get it.Ive never heard chuffed either.Is it common,or more regional to a specific area ?
The fact we allegedly speak the queens English,and need a dictionary seems silly,but if people from the UK,were to try to understand people in the inner cities of the USA,I'd get it,as we dont even always understand it all.

[susieice]

Aside from a few differences in terms, I think I'd know the dialect enough to figure most things out on my own. And a lot of us dunk things into our coffee. I do like tea. I'll have mine with sugar and and a slice of lemon please. Cream is fine also. I would probably make sure I took public transportation to the different venues though. The hardest thing to adjust to after all my years would be driving on the left side of the road. I imagine it would be the same if the roles were reversed.

Edited by susieice, 09 April 2012 - 03:42 AM.

[Englishgent]

susieice, on 09 April 2012 - 03:31 AM, said:

Aside from a few differences in terms, I think I'd know the dialect enough to figure most things out on my own. And a lot of us dunk things into our coffee. I do like tea. I'll have mine with sugar and and a slice of lemon please. Cream is fine also. I would probably make sure I took public transportation to the different venues though. The hardest thing to adjust to after all my years would be driving on the left side of the road. I imagine it would be the same if the roles were reversed.

Right. There are not many countries where they drive on the correct side of the road.  By the way, the correct side is the left side. It goes way back in history to when people fought on horseback. Most people are right handed, therefore the horses would be steered towards the left of the other horse in order that the right hand, with the sword, is in the best position for fighting.
It would appear that some countries disagree lol

[Colonel Rhuairidh]

Englishgent, on 09 April 2012 - 05:06 AM, said:

Right. There are not many countries where they drive on the correct side of the road.

Most of the Commonwealth countries (except Canada, which for treasonous reasons presumably decided to standardise with their big neighbour): India (well, some of the time), South Africa, Australia, and Japan; that seems a fair percentage of the World's population that does (at least, in theory) ...

Edited by 747400, 09 April 2012 - 06:42 AM.

[Simbi Laveau]

Englishgent, on 09 April 2012 - 05:06 AM, said:

Right. There are not many countries where they drive on the correct side of the road.  By the way, the correct side is the left side. It goes way back in history to when people fought on horseback. Most people are right handed, therefore the horses would be steered towards the left of the other horse in order that the right hand, with the sword, is in the best position for fighting.
It would appear that some countries disagree lol

I thought the USA was the only place that had it wrong.
Europe,Asia,Ausralia,all drive left side.
Only us yanks are facacked .

[hetrodoxly]

Simbi Laveau, on 09 April 2012 - 08:35 AM, said:

I thought the USA was the only place that had it wrong.
Europe,Asia,Ausralia,all drive left side.
Only us yanks are facacked .

Most of Europe drive on the right, as Englishgent said we drive on the left to defend ourselves ie right arm facing the middle of the road so the question that has to be asked is, were cowboys left handed? i've seen bare back mountain
and there must be a reason for the way John Wayne walks.

[Still Waters]

Englishgent, on 09 April 2012 - 02:57 AM, said:

Just remember though. If you are eating a biccy with a cup of tea, (or in an americans case, coffee), it is considered customary to dunk the bikky in the drink prior to eating.  
This practice is best when applied to normal digestive bisuits, or if you feel like getting a tad more messy,  McVities Plain Chocolate bisuits  

I always dunk mine but only the plain biscuits like rich tea and digestives, and I always drink tea. I'm not a lover of coffee. I usually have a teaspoon handy too for when the biscuit snaps off and I have to fish it out of the mug!

Simbi Laveau, on 09 April 2012 - 03:30 AM, said:

I love British slang .I use quite a bit of it,and people do not get it.Ive never heard chuffed either.Is it common,or more regional to a specific area ?

As far as I know chuffed isn't specific to any area but I could be wrong.

susieice, on 09 April 2012 - 03:31 AM, said:

The hardest thing to adjust to after all my years would be driving on the left side of the road. I imagine it would be the same if the roles were reversed.

I think the hardest part would be some of our roundabouts, even the locals get confused with them at times.