Fear not, Yanks!

Sometimes I read posts and wonder…well, what the hell are those Brits, Aussies, Kiwis,(fill in colony here) talking about?!? Well my American English speaking bretheren, I give you this: http://www.english2american.com/
Enjoy!

LMAO! I like that. I used to have a “Dictionary for Yankees” that was given to me by a friend in Roanoke that was good too.

Good stuff, jets.

I must say, however, after years of being exposed to alotta British “stuff” (researching the RAF, watching BBC America, LOTSA Hitler History Channel, PBS (British Comedies can sometimes be rather humourous - notice the spelling), and listening to MK & the Straits) I’ve become accustomed to how the originators of the language speak.

Although, sometimes, one or two throw me off. If I run into a guy who talks like Handy Andy from ‘Changing Rooms’, I’m done.

Fade to Black…

He (Handy Andy) falls back into cokney occasionaly and I even think his own countrymen have a problem understanding him.

Helk guys I have problems trying to understand half my relatives that live in rural North Carolina. I will never understand my wife …anyone have a translator from wife logic to english?

Mike

Mike,

I think that they are still looking for that translator on the lost pieces of the Rosetta Stone.

Great site, jets! I must say, it really through me for a curve when I actually dated a Brit, and she said that she’d “Knock me up around 7:30 or so.” Silly me…

In school one time a brit friend asked me if he could borrow a rubber. It was disconcerting to say the least.

Fawlty Towers is one of the best tv shows there ever was.

madda

if you have time to read, try a couple of Bill Bryson books, ‘Made in America’ & ‘Mother Tongue’. The first explains how American English diverged from the way it was spoked in England. And why the USA is full of weird place names. The second explains how English developed in the first place, out of Gaelic,German,French,Dutch,etc etc etc.
Both books are written in a humourous, easy to read style and are full of stuff you never knew. In fact any of his books are well worth a look.
If British TV comedy is your thing, try ‘The Fast Show’ ,even funnier than Basil & Company.

Hi folks. If you think Handy Andy is hard to understand ever hear one of the beetles speak? or anyone from Birmingham (the one in the UK not the States) and what about Autrailians? no disrespect but those guys don’t talk they sing and if you ain’t got the music your sunk!..Gregers [;)]

Mike, in computer terms your query resolves to

you != right
her <> wrong

[:D]

LOL, I’m British and even I havn’t heard of some of these words!
I’m sure that every Brit remembers the first time they used a word such as ‘loo’ (toilet) in a conversation with an American, only to be greeted with choruses of
“huh?”
“y’wot?”
“loo?”

PS yeah Faulty Towers is the best!

Do you have any thing that teaches “Bubba”? [:D] That is the language spoken in NW Florida and Alabama. They always refer to Panama City as “Panamaw”. Other words such as “Down yonder” (or over yonder). Example. " I went fishin over yonder in Panamaw". [:)]

Another phrase heard often is “Mightnear” (one word). Example, " When I went fishin over yonder in Panamaw, a fish mightnear yanked me offen the boat". [:)]

Another pharse is “Aintfittindeat”. Again one word. Example “The catfish you ketch over yonder in Panamaw aintfittindeat”. I could fill a dictionary with phrases used in this area. [;)]

Well, Central Floridian has “Atalanna”(Atlanta), and pert near(pretty near).
There’s also “gettin’ to goin”(kinda like fixin to do somethin’)!
So we’re kinda like different dialects, hey-yep?(another central floridian/bubba word. It’s equivalent in standard english is “eh?”.)

That’s actually regional dialects of “Southern”. Here in GA we say words like “dawg” (2 syllables), Phrases like “that’s a good-un” and "it’s hotter’n hail-far in tha summer 'round here(2 syllables) [8D]

I didn’t think there were any southerners left in FL. I thought the state had been taken over by retired northerers[:D]

Now those British folk, they have a wierd accent and say some funny words like “dead chuffed” [:D][:p][;)]

That dictionary will come in handy if I get to go to England and I’ll be sure to ask if any one wants to borrow my rubber[}:)][:D]

Eric

Don’t worry, Erush. The South is alive and kickin here in Florida! Native Floridians(and ppl like me, who are the children of Native Floridians) still know that y’all is only properly used when referring to a multitude of people!

And, when it comes to Southern, who can forget “Ain’t”? The do anything, go anywhere contraction that can be used for just about anything?!
And, of course, good old “cattywumpus”(any generic swampland, IE: Anywhere in Florida! [:D] )

Actually, for sumthin’ that’s hard to understand, try reading a post made by Butz!! [;)][:p]

Fade to Black…

According to Mr Bryson, up until not that long ago the average North American would have sounded like Yosemite Sam. And it’s not so long ago that huge area’s of the USA had populations that didn’t speak English at all! So really you chaps are coming along nicely in the language department, shame about the spelling! Then again, have you watched MTV recently? is any of it in English?
‘two countries, divided by a common language’ - Sir Winston Churchill.

Coastal areas of Virginia (Chincateague and Assateague) have a dialect very similar to Portsmouth and Suffolk England. So much so that much of the same vernacular is still used. Belies the heritage of the area.

The North side of New Orleans has an accent very similar to Boston, in fact the two are often confused. A result of the common Irish ancestory of both areas.

And can someone please tell me what it means when your wife stares at you with one eyebrow raised and tapping her foot?.. hah! She’ll never hit me from that dist…

Mike

I strted thinking about this in relationship to the hobby today. The language differences between countries when it comes to the hobby. I was wondering what were some of those differences not only between Britain and the U.S. but what about Austria, New Zeland, Australia, Hong Kong. i.e

sand paper - glass paper
supplier - stockist
card stock - styrene
Home improvement center - DIY store
styrofoam - polystyrene

anyone have anything else?

Mike

I have to agree that alotta folks here in the USA cannot spell to save their lives. Of course, if one’s talking about the differences in spelling a word in the US and in the UK (ie; humor & humour), well who knows why these differences exist? I’d like to know…

Fade to Black…

Bwolf, I’ll have to check (or is it cheque) on that one. [;)] [:D]