30 of your Britishisms used by Americans

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Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:10 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19929249

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:08 am

Some of those are also used by lads:

See if we can get any more on the list

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:40 pm

I hate to break it to you, but these words are very, very rarely used in the US.

An American would not call it a loo, or talk about his / her bum. We go on vacation (we have holidays like the 4th of July). Cheers was a TV show.

We use alternates to "bloody" when cursing.

Mate? (go talk to an Aussie for that one)

Austin Powers shags, we f*#@.

Then there are several I have never even heard of. (numpty, innit, kit)

Well, mates. I have to head to the loo and check me bum. Don't think me a bloody numpty if I go on holiday and shag my bird instead of checking back here.

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:22 pm

Call me a bit naive but aren't most of the words the Yanks use British?

I mean: isn't it called the "English" language?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:57 pm

IM_Dumm wrote:

Well, mates. I have to head to the loo and check me bum. Don't think me a bloody numpty if I go on holiday and shag my bird instead of checking back here.

At least we don't pretend to go for a rest in the restroom, or a wash in the washroom.

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:01 pm

Two nations separated by a common language............... Rolling Eyes

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:14 pm

I don't speak English, I speak"

AMERICANESE: american english

English is abusive towards the letter "u" like Canada Speak, right PF?

Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:28 am

^ The picture i have is of protest groups being set up in America,

"SAVE OUR AMERICANESE, FROM THE BRITISH"

Protests, Demo's, March's on the Senate, etc.

By the way we speak the Queen's English, in this little old country of ours. Laughing

Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 12:20 pm

I grew up using "Autumn" and "fall" interchangeably (in Ohio) and always loved the song "Autumn Leaves" (which was originally a French song (Dead Leaves) but an American wrote the English version of it)

"Bum" I picked this up living in Canada and still use it.

"Flat" Moving about the US due to military, I often found the word used vice "apartment". Mostly in the East and mid-west parts of the US

"Kit" Picked this us training at the Canadian Forces Bases

"Roundabout" -- several places where I have lived called those "traffic circles" roundabouts.

"Pop Over". British MIL used this, but I think of a popover as something baked in the oven.

Another thing I picked up in Canada, was using the word "runners" to mean gym shoes. Don't know what the Brits call them. But we were always told to take off your "runners" at the door.

Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 12:41 pm

IM_Dumm is right this article is BS Americans do not use these words unless they are talking in a fake British accent. Or if you are Madonna and spontaneously become British.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

Definitely "cheers" but that is almost universal at this point in English speaking countries. "Twit" is used, but doesn't have a British connotation over here. No "Gap Year", "Numpty" or "Kit" (outside of soccer teams who love to imitate EU mannerisms and sayings). And we would never say (or spell) "queue" when "line" does perfectly well.

Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:10 pm

Quote:

Or if you are Madonna and spontaneously become British

We should really thank them for taking her off our hands.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Badgerbait wrote:

Canada

Foul bastards, the lot of them. (Except for DYA)

Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:40 pm

From the Regina Monologues:

Quote:

Marge: That was very sweet of the Queen, letting you go in exchange for taking Madonna back to America.
Madonna: I'm telling you! I'm English!
Marge: English women don't pump gas naked.
Homer: See ya in Atlanta, jerk.

Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:41 pm

It always makes me snigger when Americans are interviewed on the wireless or television and throw the odd "pissed" into the conversation.

The blushing broadcaster has to inform the interviewee, we haven't quite caught up with them on that one yet.

Come to think of it, Scandinavians love to throw "sh!t" casually into the conversation when given the same opportunity.

We love to phone up Auntie Beeb (The BBC) and complain about swearing more than anything. Laughing

Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:01 pm

That might be right now that you mention it. But i do not think that i swear half as much as Americans or Irish. I might be wrong though.

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:02 pm

Quote:

Demo's, March's

Save us from the aberrant apostrophe!

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:58 pm

Dr Mike wrote:

That might be right now that you mention it. But i do not think that i swear half as much as Americans or Irish. I might be wrong though.

I do. But then again, Danes generally swears a lot. And not only in Danish...

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 3:02 pm

I think pissed in UK is "Drunk/Intoxicated" while most of us americans say "pissed" to me "upset/angry"

Of course I was playing poker with two guys from the UK and one said "I think I am going to go outside and smoke a fag" and the other said "I think I will join you" - now that will have an entirelly different meaning to some than others!

But I know in the eastern US we use "Roundabout" of those damn "traffic circles" that have become popular recently..

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:56 pm

I like the way US female tourists visiting the UK refer to their 'Bum Bags' as 'Fanny Bags or 'Fannies'

A 'fanny' has a slightly different slang meaning over here & it can lead to some 'unintentionally hilarious misunderstandings'.

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