Need some help from the Brits

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Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 1:43 pm

So I just started watching the original British version of The Office. Great show, both the American and the British. Some of the vernacular is a bit lost on me. For one, he keeps saying �Innit?�. Does that just mean �Isn�t it�? I turned on the subtitles to see what that actually was and it was spelled innit.

Also, on the American version, the boss has a saying �That�s what she said�. This always comes after anyone says anything remotely off colour. The equivalent saying on the British version seems to be �As the actress says to the Bishop�. I know it is some kind of entendre, but WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN??!?!?!

Any other Office fans here, British or American version? I think they are both great. The American version, IMO, does a better job establishing the other characters. They don�t have too much of a role in the British one. Nevertheless, I have spent hours upon hours laughing at that show.

Baiting Guru Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 11856 Location: UK

jojobean wrote:

Does that just mean “Isn’t it”?

Yes, that's right, JoJo, "innit" is just the same as saying "ain't it" which is the same as "Isn't it".

jojobean wrote:

As the actress says to the Bishop”

That's like a sexual inuendo type remark, like if you said to a garage mechanic holding a large wrench, hey, that's a big tool you've got there, "as the actress said to the bishop", that sort of thing.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:01 pm

Having worked in a very similar office in Slough (the location of the UK version) I can tell you it's absolutely spot on. I've watched both series and have to say that being a Brit the UK version is better, if only because it makes me cringe more. David Brent is the colleague/wanker I had to suffer for 3 years. Ditto Gareth and Keith The Accountant.

Ricky Jervais is a genius.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

Quote:

I turned on the subtitles to see what that actually was and it was spelled innit.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:08 pm

I think that 'Innit' would translate roughly as 'you know what I'm sayin' in American slang. Just insert it at random points into a conversation.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:16 pm

It is a great show. I hated it the first couple times I saw it. Everyone kept telling me how funny it is. I watched a bit here and there and could not stand it. But then my sister bought me the first season. So I decided to watch it. I got hooked. Went out the next day and bought season 2. Then I bought the British version. It is a bit darker and more crass than the American version. Tim is almost a little depressing at times.

Actually TS, the first couple episodes I watched I had to turn on the subtitles. A couple of them were really hard to understand to me. But, after one or two shows my ears adjusted. I am from the South so people speak slowly here. Hehe. I go to Ireland to visit friends there and it usually takes a day or two to adjust, then I am speaking just like them.

Jojo- I wasn't having a dig at you that you had to turn on the subtitles. I was just amused by the literal approach that the subtitler took. Wink

TS

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:18 pm

The actor who played accountant Keith in the UK version used to contribute a column to our monthly employee magazine at PwC. I don't work there anymore and I NEVER eat Scotch eggs. Shocked

The Office is what I call 'car crash TV'. You really don't like to look but can't help slowing down to check out the carnage.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

I understand Lesley Charteris' The Saint books used the actress and bishop line quite often.

It's very useful for pulling a totally innocent conversation into the sewer, ideally a remark will be made in all innocence and the joker replies "as the actress said the the bishop" (or vice-versa as appropriate,) prompting mild embarrassment and salacious tittering all round.

"Give me about six inches." ... as the actress said the the bishop.
"Any time is fine; I've got nothing on." ... as the actress said the the bishop.
"It's a bit rusty, but it should still work OK." ... as the bishop said to the actress.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:20 pm

Most of the characters in the UK Office have PERFECT Slough/Reading accents. It's a very small area about 40miles west of London but it's one of the amazingly specific things about British accents. It's a small country but if you are 'tuned in' you can pick where someone comes from to within a few miles sometimes.

After to you have watched both UK series get hold of the Christmas Special extended episode. It's a great finale (not saying anything else).

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:27 pm

Jojo, If you like David Brent you should check out Alan Partridge

Ricky Gervais gets really hacked off when Americans insist on pronouncing his last name "Jer-vei". Laughing

Check out Extras by him too.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:28 pm

How many seasons are there? I just have one and two. Is the Christmas episode on a separate set?

The actress/bishop comment is very similar then to the "That's what she said" thing then.

"How was your day?"

"It was long and hard"

"That's what she said"

Same concept then.

The setting for the American version seems to be quite similar. I have family there and I spent a lot of time, great location for the show.

Do you guys have problems understanding the American accents on our TV shows?

Not quite a Newb Joined: 31 Oct 2006 Posts: 63

gervais was great in the office, packed full of cringey moments & looks, alot of it was very subtle.
having watched both seasons of the american version i actually like it more, carroll is hilarious, any line Creed has is gold Laughing

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:36 pm

The actress/bishop line is very old British music-hall innuendo comedy. Think Monty Python 'nudge-nudge wink-wink' and you wont be far off.

We get a lot of U.S. television here (mainly the best) so we don't have much of a problem. It's quite funny watching something like 'Friends' using British in-jokes but having to explain the meaning to their own audience.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 4:25 pm

And talking of 'friends', the UK equivalent 'Coupling' is one of my favourites, and if you like weird UK humour, then Black Books is good too

419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

jojobean wrote:

How many seasons are there? I just have one and two. Is the Christmas episode on a separate set?

There are two seasons of The Office. The Christmas Special is a separate DVD.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 4:39 pm

benjaminbunny wrote:

And talking of 'friends', the UK equivalent 'Coupling' is one of my favourites, and if you like weird UK humour, then Black Books is good too

I was going to ask about Coupling... there is an advert on my Office DVD about that show. I figured it was a Friends type show, which I quite enjoy. My wife and I spent months watching all of the Friends episodes after I got her the complete set for her birthday. Great show. I might have to check out Coupling if I can find it here.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 3549

The last time I was in London, a travel guide told me there is a 5% difference in the words used in the UK and the US. But when I watched The Full Monty, I was convinced it was more than 5%. I could understand about 90% of Absolutely Fabulous. Very Happy

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

jojobean wrote:

"How was your day?"

"It was long and hard"

"That's what she said"

Yea im sure thats what the actress said to the bishop.

Usage: person 1 says something with 2 meanings EG. "it was really long and hard"
person 2 "said the actress to the bishop"

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 5:19 pm

If you like The Office, check this out. I still can't decide if it's real or fake, but it's utterly brilliant!!

http://imdb.com/title/tt0775350/

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 5:30 pm

I have yet to see a full episode of The Office, always keep forgetting when it is on. Confused

The part that say on Youtube that makes me want to watch it is when they had the office "team building exercises" playing Call of Duty! Razz

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:46 pm

The office is brilliant, but i`ve never seen the American version,
I think the point with Tim being depressing is the fact that he hates his job and the people he has to work with, but he needs the money and also because of his crush on Dawn, the secretary so he sticks with it,
Gareth is brilliant, "I`m in the T.A. i know 50 different ways to kill a man"!! and he`s skinnier than me! his chat up lines are brilliant "When you`re finished with Tim I`ll be here for you, but make sure to clean up down there, i`m not into sloppy seconds"

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:47 pm

Oh yeah, the TA!!! What is that? Like a volunteer army?

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:50 pm

@Wayne, The Armstrongs is real and yes, it is very funny.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:51 pm

Exactly, Territorial Army, much the same as the National Guard,

I just found this, http://www.wernhamhogg.co.uk/

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:59 pm

Speaking of the accents, as we were somewhere above.... Years ago I (currently a Texas resident, like Jojobean from the deep south) spent a week working at the Compaq factory in Glasgow. Some of the folks there took me to a play called "Sex, Chips, and Ouzo". I couldn't understand a word that the actors said until my ears adjusted well into the second act.... after the play, the locals that had taken me told me that the actors were speaking some old form of the language, and they hadn't understood all the dialog either.... what chance did I have??

</threadjack>

Yeah, The Office is pretty damn funny. I've never seen the British version, though. We're currently on a Scrubs kick at Casa Krona, another very funny show.

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