Why do I draw blank faces so often from a Canadian workmate when speaking “British English”. Tyre/Tire (spelling)and footpath/sidewalk (meaning)are two recent examples. I’ve personally never had a problem understanding American English, probably due to Aussie tv being flooded with US sitcoms since I was a knacker, but when roles are reversed I get dead wood. He crossed out ‘tyre’ in one of my private’s textbooks the other day calling it a mistake. He asked me how do you spell it, I told him t-y-r-e but I know you guys go the other way.
Is this just a one off guy, or do most/all Yanks and Canadians understand both styles. Even if I say ‘rubbish bin’ it looks like he going to scratch the skin off his head as he tries to find it’s American alternative.
A common problem… I’ve experienced this with British & Aussie friends here before–and to think that I once considered myself to be wise to UK English after being an ‘East Enders’ junkie for a couple years in high school!
Well, all I can say to the B.E. users out there is this, don’t be so bloody surprised or put off if you understand us and we don’t have the foggiest as to what your saying. American cultural imperialism runs even deeper and further than the British Empire ever did. And we really have very little exposure to British English, in either written or broadcast forms, in the US/Canada. Canadian English does, however, use many British spellings… but spoken… eh, I dunno.
Well, cheerio!
Hey… shouldn’t that be “pavement”, btw? I mean “footpath”? Sounds like a trail through the woods or something.
There’s no debate. English is a world language.
Full stop. Period. Whatever…
If some Americans have not been exposed to Brit speak, that’s clearly due to limited exposure ala US media, as you’ve both pointed out.
How do you think the puritanical American film rating system let the title “The Spy who Shagged Me” slip by?
Duh!
You also have to realise that the majority of fresh-off-the-boat Yanks are relatively naive and teaching English in Taiwan has been their one great foray into the real world.
They’re not as cultured as you Aussies and Brits who drink piss out of aluminium tins.
As I approached puberty (1970s), public TV used to run “Monty Python” and “Bennie Hill”. I turned on all my friends to those shows much to the dismay of our parents. That was an education in more ways than one! When we got digital cable recently, I was filled with anticipation as I turned it to the BBC channel. Alas, I find they run shows I’ve already seen elsewhere and the commercials are all American! What a let down.
Lots of Americans are notoriously bad spellers anyway, not to mention being geographically illiterate. My favorite BE spelling is for jail (gaol). That threw me for a loop when I first saw it and I thought it was a variation of the spelling of my first name.
For a while when I was in middle school, I got into trouble because I insisted on spelling some words in BE (favour…). Then I discovered the loves of my life, the Bay City Rollers , , converted my wardrobe to plaid and started talking like them (I dinna ken…).
How weird is that?
Well, I guess as a non-native English speaking person I am a kind of neutral not to say confused. Trunk or boot? Hood or bonet? I know what it means but alwasy forget which is BE and AE.
I do prefer the spelling of center, theater etc., seems to be more logical than centre or theatre respectively. Again I can’t recall which is AE or BE.
quote:Originally posted by amos:
Is this just a one off guy, or do most/all Yanks and Canadians understand both styles. Even if I say 'rubbish bin' it looks like he going to scratch the skin off his head as he tries to find it's American alternative.
Most N. Americans aren’t exposed to B.E. The more educated and affluent ones are gravitating toward it and some even affect the accent. Nothing wrong with that. It’s like an easy way to learn a “foreign language”.
p.s there is a type of country dancing call “shagging”, so when these Irish lads I knew saw posters for “shagging lessons”, they were thrilled…well, until they found out.
Didn’t you describe Costco as “septic” in a recent post. Isn’t this a derogatory Australian term for Americans coming from a rhyme septic tank Yank.
Now this thread. Do you dislike Americans?
If so, you are not the first Australian that I have come across that hates Americans. What is it about Aussies that they overgeneralize and are prejudice towards Americans?
You know, I personally have never come across any Americans that dislike Australians. Furthermore, with my American English vocabulary I couldn’t think of one derogatory word for Australians. But you seem to be familar with the ones for Americans.
Er… that would have been me. But don’t get your knickers in a twist – I can think of lots of derogatory expressions for Americans, but alas, septic tank isn’t one of them, any more than “china plate” is derogatory for “mate,” “titfer” is derogaatory for “hat” or “Hank Marvin” is derogatory for “starvin’” – if anything, its an affectionate term.
Sorry, however, if it offended you. It was unintended (anyway, if you’ll recall that thread, I got described in return as a “pasty-faced limey poof.” I pretended to shrug it off, but let me tell you, I cried myself to sleep that night).
quote[quote] Didn’t you describe Costco as “septic” in a recent post. [/quote]
NO I DIDN’T, Hobart. I didn’t call Americans anything of the sort. Don’t tarnish my name like that. If you learnt to use the quotes button you wouldn’t make offensive mistakes like this. I’ve never said anything untoward about the Yanks. Looking forward to an apology
ps, Sandman, thanks for your honesty, you posted a good five seconds before I hit ‘post’
quote:Originally posted by Urbanjet:
p.s there is a type of country dancing call "shagging", so when these Irish lads I knew saw posters for "shagging lessons", they were thrilled...well, until they found out.
What’s this? What’s this? Just what in the hell are you implying here? That Irish men are somehow less able to perform in the sack than other men?
This is just sheer … sheer … baiting, if not downright racism! I’m not Irish, but I’m 7’ 8", can bench 652.56 lbs and if that’s not enough, I have a brother-in-law who’s a 430 lb Samoan wrestler who’ll make sure you never again
besmirch the good name of the lads of the Emerald Isle!
quote: He crossed out 'tyre' in one of my private's textbooks the other day calling it a mistake. He asked me how do you spell it, I told him t-y-r-e but I know you guys go the other way
dopey bollix doesn’t know his arse from his elbow.
I’ve had Taiwanese telling me I’m spelling and saying things wrong, that’s after I toned down my accent about a million fold.
Stoopid people abound…
When I lived in Australia I had some classics. Like the time I asked what time did the only bus go in and out of this country town in the morning
Me: What time does the bus come every day.
Clerk: He comes in around 8 or 9 and leaves around 6.
Me: So your saying he only comes in once and leaves once every day, there’s no other buses. Is there a definite time he comes and leaves
Clerk: ‘Puzzled look’ Nope just once in and out. Maybe he’ll be here at 9 or so. He never tells anyobdy the exact time.
Me: Huh, so where is the bus now?
Clerk: Maybe he’s at home now
Me: What about weekends?
Clerk: The bus doesn’t come saturdays or sundays, well sometimes saturdays…
Me: Wow that’s not a lot
Clerk: I suppose so
ME: Ok, so there’s definitely no other buses
Clerk: no, you want to talk to him now
Me: Well I just want to know what time the bus’s schedule ( Quickly pay for my stuff and leave thinking this town is mighty strange)
Clerk: Ok see ya
See if you figure out what our virtual conversation was about- I only figured it out later that day!!!
Here is another one in a bar in the same town, talk about hicksville meets hicksville
ME: I’d like a pitcher of VB please
Barman: Sorry don’t have any pitchers here
ME: What about a pitcher of Carlton Draught
Barman: I don’t think we have any but I’ll look around
Me: But I saw somebody else with a pitcher
Barman: Yeah??, proceeds to go thru all the cupboards and around the bar looking furiously, asks me ‘Any pitcher will do right?’
Me: I suppose so
Barman: Sees beermats on the bar-offers me a big pile. I’ll see if I can find a pitcher now.
Me: Alright (standing there now with a pile of beermats I never asked for)
Barman: Goes upstairs to ask the bar manager does she have any?— Returns and proceeds to ask all the customers one by one-- Barney do you have a pitcher of beer, Tomo etc etc.
Me: (5 mins later) Ok ok just give me a pint of whatever you got-- I suddenly point after seeing a pitcher on the bar—look there’s one!!
Barman: Pitcher–I got weird requests before but nobody wanted a picture before.
ANGERED BY SNUBBING, LIBYA, CHINA, SYRIA FORM AXIS OF JUST AS EVIL
Cuba, Sudan, Serbia Form Axis of Somewhat Evil; Other Nations Start Own Clubs
[snip]
With the criteria suddenly expanded and all the desirable clubs filling up, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, and Rwanda applied to be called the Axis of Countries That Aren’t the Worst But Certainly Won’t Be Asked to Host the Olympics; Canada, Mexico and Australia formed the Axis of Nations That Are Actually Quite Nice But Secretly Have Nasty Thoughts About America; while Spain, Scotland, and New Zealand established the Axis of Countries That Be Allowed to Ask Sheep to Wear Lipstick.
[snip]
My first thought after reading this joke was “I guess the nasty thoughts about America aren’t all that secret”.
I think it is a push to say all Australians hate all Americans but I would agree that there is a little tension. I think it is natural to have some resistance to
quote[quote]American Cultural Imperialism.[/quote]
quote[quote]you are not the first Australian that I have come across that hates Americans. [/quote]
The only person I’ve ever met that hated Americans was an Iraqi neighbour I had in Melbourne, he had terrible breath and I hated talking to him.
quote:Originally posted by Student at NTNU:
...while Spain, Scotland, and New Zealand established the Axis of Countries That Be Allowed to Ask Sheep to Wear Lipstick.
Well that’s just total bullshit! Sheep have been wearing lipstick in Scotland at least since I was a nipper. Stockings and suspenders too, if you can hold 'em down for long enough.
quote:Originally posted by Urbanjet:
p.s there is a type of country dancing call "shagging", so when these Irish lads I knew saw posters for "shagging lessons", they were thrilled...well, until they found out.
The Shag originated in Myrtle Beach, SC and is the official dance of South Carolina. I listened to shag/beach music all through high school in the 1960s…and I detest it. (BTW, it has NOTHING to do with any kind of country music or dancing.)
quote:Originally posted by sandman:
What's this? What's this? Just what in the hell are you implying here? That Irish men are somehow less able to perform in the sack than other men?
This is just sheer ... sheer ... [b]baiting[/b], if not downright racismlads of the Emerald Isle!
Not at all. The lads were load of fun even when sober…(well, that was rare on the weekends). They had no problem getting laid…'though quality may vary depending on how drunk they were that night.
Oh, I’ve never seen the dance. They told me it was at some country bar, so my mistake. It was in Greenville, South Carolina. The boys ended up going to some place called “Landing Strip”…you can imagine what type of place…
BTW, one of the founders is from S.C. She might know how to shag real well.