Americanisms that will never, ever cross over into the UK

it's one word, douchebag

"So co on the rocks"!

I have used it, but I'm married to a yank, so I probably don't count.

xpost to douchebag!

I think *the stereotype of* Kelly Osbourne might have something to say about that.

'Erbs
Flat
Sneakers
Rush Limbaugh

ectect

"So cos for everyone!!" argh argh (Tom said there had been a thread on this already but those adverts STILL annoy the bejaysus out of me).

oh god not the soco thing

"Flat"

Do you mean like an apartment? Because that's your -ism.

'Erbs
Flat
Sneakers
Rush Limbaugh

^^wtf are the first two??

brittishes will never shralp

ever

vegetables

dentists </stereotype>

You guys drop the H on herbs, whereas we pronounce it, unless we're lovable cockney chimney sweeps.

oh

ALRIGHT ALREADY

Possibilities:

(a) the two syllables of time some Americans save by not saying "Southern Comfort" will translate into increased economic productivity, eventually allowing us to crush the British economy

(b) the relative difficulty of not saying "SoCo" when drunk will cause British people to forgo the night's last drink, causing them to be marginally more productive at work the next day, eventually allowing the UK to crush the American economy

(c) nothing will happen and nobody will care

P.S. dropping the H in herb has allowed us to develop a very important pronounced-H form, used to refer to teenagers in the 1980s New York area who are lame and don't know enough about rap music

you guys have NO WORD FOR THAT, i don't know how you get through the day

waht?

The main problem with "SoCo" in the UK is that its plural "SoCos" contains the British spelling of the shortened form of "because," so it looks like "so-cuz."

very important pronounced-H form, used to refer to teenagers in the 1980s New York area who are lame and don't know enough about rap music

I don't know this fuckin' word!

G-kit, what has upset you so?

It's pretty easy to avoid pluralizing a liquid, though.

erb halpert?

The "Herb" thing has to do with a TV show, I think? My ex from Rockland County knew it, but I didn't, and I'm pretty darn sure it was never in use in my particular school community.

I'm not sure that people in the UK drink enough Southern Comfort to be bothered about an abbreviation for it.

to be pissed at someone rather than pissed off at someone: the British resisted that for decades, but now I've heard teenagers say it.

The correct plural of SoCo would be SosCo

Yes, 'erbs will never catch on. Neither will pronouncing Aunt as Awhhhhhhhhnt.

... or however you spell it

Herb = like the short version of a guy named Herbert = 80s-era NYC hip-hop slang for a lame person who would have a name like Herbert = so far as I can tell, used largely by white and Jewish middle-class teenagers from the Upper West Side and Brooklyn. (Or anyway these are the only types of people I encounter who might still say "herb" or know what it means.)

I don't know this fuckin' word!

Have you killfiled Ethan and deej?

(Um, I didn't actually know about it until reading ILX and, like, Tom Breihan.)

I can see douchebag taking off tho

But douchebag has been around forever without taking off. It just sounds so... American!

"psyched"

"cheeseburger deluxe"

"delicious pizza"

I think I've heard UK people say "psyched". Or at least written it on the Internet.

Saying "the longest time" for "a long time"

Herbert is used as an insult in the UK.

I don't think g-kit was upset, I think he was giving an example of an Americanism.

Druthers. Don't think I've ever heard a British person say druthers.

Do you mean like an apartment? Because that's your -ism

Since flat-as-apartment is British, perhaps he means "horizontal"? Or "without bumps"? "A deflated tire?"

xpost But "druthers" sounds so British!

to be pissed at someone rather than pissed off at someone: the British resisted that for decades, but now I've heard teenagers say it.

"pissed off at"? "pissed off with", surely?

ANYWAY.

"write me". that'll never catch on.

xpost oh yes, i meant "flat" as in "flat tyre".

onimo otm, sry

Druthers. Don't think I've ever heard a British person say druthers.

OTM. I remember the first time I heard someone say this!

"For sure".

Americans don't really say soco, do they? Do you? Guys?

There are plenty of brand name things I can think of. I remember having a great argument in a pub in Dublin because an American woman I knew was complaining about not being able to order a seven and seven, until it turned out to be some drink based on brand names that the barman was in fact perfectly capable of making.

Channel four has started saying "season finale" about its own, home-produced programmes now.

"For sure".

Souness/Penis

Unfortunately "on the weekend" is beginning to creep in over here

"do the math"

OH WE HAD HERB IN BOSTON TOO GUYS

<i>"do the math"</i>

"World's Champion"

Milquetoast. See this often enough in American journalism. Never see it in Britain. Actually I don't even know what it means exactly.

Yes, people say SoCo, get over it. You people say "pressies" and "soz," you have no business being amazed by our shortenings.

Most Americans don't say "druthers" in any kind of organic way -- older rural people might say it for real, but most everyone else is using it as a knowingly folksy handed-down expression.

Americans say "over the weekend."

Now that Herb has been illuminated, I recognize it. But from Nabisco's definiton I had no clue what he was talking about. I thought maybe he meant some slur against Jews.

I've never said SoCo in reference to a drink.

Welsh band Los Campesinos have a song called "Don't Tell Me to Do the Math(s)"

Soz? People type "soz" in Internetism shorthand but I've never heard anyone say it.

i have never seen anyone drink soco ever not since i was 15

Americans say "over the weekend."

Everyone says that, but Americans say "on the weekend" and we say "at the weekend"

Pronouncing 'route' as 'rout'.

And that weird thing you do with buoy (boo-ee).

I use douchebag all the time. But using 'season' instead of 'series' bugs me.

Has "anyways" crept into the UK? I think maybe.

Don't know about Americans, but Australians definitely say "on the weekend"

Just so we don't get into the great SoCo debate again on this thread:

The people of the Southern Comfort drinks company want us to call their drink 'SoCo' and i for one flatly refuse to do so.

"Druthers, there appears to be a tiger in the dining room!"
"Perhaps his Lordship will permit use of the twelve bores..." etc

"Druthers" is a Southernism, or at the very least a countryism. Ruralism? I find it slipping out occasionally but my mom uses it in complete seriousness so it's part affectation and part reverting to type.

i say "anyways" but i say lots of dumb shit

What does it mean? (xp)

Umm wait what? The only situation where I can imagine Americans making heavy use of "on the weekend" is to project into the distance and say "on the weekend of October 14th" -- i.e., it's consistent with just saying "on October 14th."

Yes, people say SoCo, get over it. You people say "pressies" and "soz,"

Excuse me, sir. I have never, etc.

It's not so much that I care, it's just that this particular ad is so LAME that I was really hoping it was trying to introduce some stupid marketing contraction that does not really exist. Oh well.

xp thanks Jaymc.

But using 'season' instead of 'series' bugs me.

In the US, the entire run of the show is the series, and a year's worth of that (generally from September to May) is a season. Do you use the term "mini-series"?

Druthers = weird bastardization of "I'd rather" to mean (as a noun) "the way I'd prefer things." The main expression is "if I had my druthers," meaning "if I had things the way I'd rather have them."

but Americans say "on the weekend" - I've never heard anyone say On the weekend!

Also, I'm from Long Island and we definitely said Herb.

on the weekend

I've never heard anyone say this.

Series refers to an entire body of episodes of a television show. Season is merely one cycle's worth. This is perfectly logical (if you were describing televisiont that is).

Druthers, used like "If I had my druthers." Which I've always understood as "If I had it my way."
xpost

i've adopted "season" quite easily.

Until just now, I totally thought that "herb" was made up by Internet rap bloggers.

And yeah, there's not much to argue with the SoCo -- it's an organic grass-roots shortening for the US, so far as I know, and they're just trying to ship it over to you Brits so you feel all chummy with the beverage.

I am not really picking on your UK shortenings, BTW. I think your "veg" is much more dignified than "veggies."

Hmmm, that Neil Young song "Out Over The Weekend"

I was going to mention that, but he is Canadian after all

Oh yeah I forgot! And yet, if you google "on the weekend" you get plenty of hits from the New York Times etc where it is patently the same meaning as the British "at the weekend"

I can't see people in these islands ever dropping the words "street" and "road" from the names of, er, streets and roads when they give directions.

why weren't Pavement called Sidewalk?

hahaha you guys think the weekend is a place
boy are you gonna be disappointed when you try to drive there

So,

British: "Are you going out at the weekend?"
US: "Are you going out over the weekend?"

Latter seems a bit clumsy

Sidewalks are made of pavement.

"Are you going out this weekend?"

j/k

g-kit, for the US "sidewalk" is the strip you walk on, "pavement" is the general term for the stuff covering a spot that's been paved

My English mother-in-law does an impression of me that sounde like a total valley girl and is peppered with "like." I swear I don't sound like that but sadly I probably do say like too much and to her that's very American sounding.

The TV thing surely comes from the fact British TV shows tend to have shorter runs than American ones. Most sitcoms only used to have a run of 6 or 7 whereas American ones run for about 24. 24 weeks is pretty much a season or two, in the mertological sense, but 6 weeks clearly isn't. I thought that was where it came from.

Also, MM is right. We would definitely say, ""Are you going out this weekend?"

"Are you going out this weekend?"

Well, yes, that works all over!

ave not avenue

"Mean" for cruel and/or unkind

I think Americans use "on the weekend" in a general sense and "over the weekend" in a specific sense.

For example:

"What do you usually do on the weekend?"
"What did you do over the weekend?"

"On the weekend" is similar to "at night" in this usage.

"boogerman"

Hold on, Americans here claim they've never heard anyone say "on the weekend"! (xp)

someone remind me what the French would say for 'at/over/on the weekend'

"On the weekend" is similar to "at night" in this usage.

Or "at the weekend"!

'this weekend' solves all problems

You people say "pressies" and "soz,"

no

xpost I've never heard "on the weekend" in the context implied here. As Jaymc used, yes.

mean meaning cruel as one of its meanings is here in uk and has been ever since i can remember

herb as nerd made popular by famed "herb the nerd" an ill-fated 1985 burger king ad campaign:

http://www.tvacres.com/images/herb_nerd_small.jpg

rapping ensued.

I say pressies and soz

like the time I was going to give 696 a Littlejohn-signed copy of the Daily Mail as a birthday pressie. but then decided he did not deserve it and had to say soz.

i think the dropping the street/road from a street/road name has come in a little bit, but it depends on the road (ie, will work for kingsland or balls pond, but not upper or city)

xpost I've never heard "on the weekend" in the context implied here. As Jaymc used, yes.

Which is exactly the context I meant it to be in!

What context did you think it was in?

jello is it me you're looking for

in fact we call him Jelly Biafra as a matter of principle

Oh wait, I think I get the weekend thing -- it's the article that's throwing it off. E.g., Jaymc's sample up there would more commonly be phrased as "what do you usually do on weekends," wouldn't it?

Anyway, I didn't say "never" -- just saying it's not really the dominant phrasing. You'll usually find it when there's a date involved: "on the weekend of July 16th." But mostly you will hear "over" (since it's a span of time) or just, you know, "this."

US = "What do you usually do on the weekend?" or "What do you usually do on weekends"
UK = "What do you usually do at the weekend?" or "What do you usually do at weekends"

What context did you think it was in?

"I'm going to a party on the weekend." No. "I'm going to a party on Saturday." Yes.

Milquetoast. See this often enough in American journalism. Never see it in Britain. Actually I don't even know what it means exactly.

i used this only last week (and i is a BritXor)!

i don't stick to one thing re weekend talk, i rotate 'this/at the/on the/over the' in turn and without pattern deviation like so much Victorian clockwork.

<i>Milquetoast. See this often enough in American journalism. Never see it in Britain. Actually I don't even know what it means exactly.

i used this only last week (and i is a BritXor)!</i>

I stand corrected!

Milquetoast is DEFINITELY not a standard Americanism altho I see that it orginated from a comic strip in a New York newspaper! Maybe it is like fall-the-season and has had better success migrating across the pond.

Herbet!!

As in "you bleeding herbet"! He's a right herbet he is - although I imagine that in quite a strong cockney so the "h" is removed and we get "erbet" - I imagine that to be a 40sish saying. "You little Herbet", that sort of thing, akin to "you blinking p0nce" I guess but a bit more affectionate than I WILL KICK YOUR HEAD IN NOW YOU W00FTER.

"Fanny" for "arse"

> Druthers. Don't think I've ever heard a British person say druthers.

me! mike's mrs used it once and i got her to explain it to me. then, like two days afterwards, stephen king used it on the tv. have been using it, albeit mostly in my head, ever since.

Britishers use fanny all the time!

"ass" for "arse"

not as "arse"

xpost

http://www.raw-tcsd.com/rolling%20fr509684.jpg

When Britishers use fanny they mean vag!!

Exactly

There is a store in the Boston area called "Frugal Fanny's" which cracks my husband up when he hears the commercials.

oh my bad. sorry pic is so big!!!

also: Britishers will never say my bad, I predict

Along those lines you'd never here anyone in the UK say "Fannypack."

They say bumbag!

What the flip is a "baby shower"?

Traditionally a baby shower is when women get together and give a pregnant chick lots of advice and gifts for the baby.

An excuse for all pregnant ladies to get presents (and secretly feel jealous that all their non pg mates are chucking back the red wine whilst you are on orange juice) (so I hear).

"Buddy" instead of "mate"!

grodey? ... not GROTTY....

FROYO?? in the same vein as SoCo I guess....

Can you use "bum" to refer to a homeless person too?

x-post See also: bridal shower in which the engaged lady gets lots of presents and the attendees often play silly games. In this part of the US it's typical for wedding guests to give presents off the registry at the bridal shower and cash at the wedding.

I believe they say tramp instead of bum when refering to homeless people.

yup, we can, although 'tramp' is ideal

dammit xpost

"Buddy" instead of "mate"!

That's pretty common here.

For some reason I call my cats "buddy". Probably because our first cat was American and came over with his pet passport.

Can you use "bum" to refer to a homeless person too?

Not commonly.

pet passport?!

Do you call yourself limeys?

where america has a 'rostrum', we have a 'podium' or a 'lectern'

"Gas" for petrol

Yeah until about 4 years ago you could only bring animals into the UK if they went into quarantine for 6 months, but then they brought in a pet passport scheme, where they get vaccinated and tested for rabies and stuff and then they're allowed in.

xpost to ENBB

In my part of America we do not have a rostrum. We have a podium.

Never heard someone here say buddy unless they are being Shaggy from Scooby Doo and going "hey old buddy old pal"! Which I don't often do, but might start!

I believe they say tramp instead of bum when refering to homeless people.

And we don't use tramp to refer to a slutty woman either.

What's an "intern"? A volunteer or something?

Yeah, I've always only hear and used podium too.

xpost to MM.

tipping amirite

the yelling out of car windows can be different too

Intern = work experience?

xpost Intern is more often than not a student who is getting work experience in their field of interest but is not getting paid to do so. Sometimes you can get college credit for internships.

and the neighbours and neighbors banging 300 pound bags of lard next door

Do Americans ever use "vicar"?

Before I bother reading this, is this thread the abortion I imagine it's going to be?

Loads of Brits are familiar with 'baby shower' and 'intern' btw before Americans flip out.

My old boss at Blockbuster video used to not only use 'buddy' but abbreviate it to 'bud' all the time. man he was a dick.

haha a friend of mind once told me that she was in england when she was 12 or so an awkward age and she had a new fannypack and she was telling some nice english lady abt it and the nice lady informed her abt like what fanny meant to britishes and my friend was embarrassed and stuff so then when they were leaving the country an official asked her for her passport and she went to say oh i've got it right here in my fannypack but then remembering the local meaning stopped halfway through and just said "oh its right here in my fanny..." and then she was really embrassed

ENBB right re: interns.

I call people "hoss" sometimes.

Yeah but there's familiar with (via US TV shows) and actually being used.

xpost to blueski

"oh its right here in my fanny..."

Awesome.

"hoss" ?!

Before I bother reading this, is this thread the abortion I imagine it's going to be?

It was fine until you showed up

no fighting in the US vs UK room

"Buddy" instead of "mate"!

I kind of hate "buddy," tbh.

i mean no IN-fighting

It's from Bonanza (which I actually never watched). It's the same as "buddy" or something.

where america has a 'rostrum', we have a 'podium' or a 'lectern'

What the fuck is a rostrum?

Exactly.

no fighting in the US vs UK room

No perma-grumpy sub-Charlie Brookerisms either

in nova scotia they have an excellent usage for buddy = any guy

as in: so im on the bus and buddy just walks over and pukes on my feet right!

What the fuck is a rostrum?

Sounds like a cross between a nostril and a rectum.

Ugh. Sorry. If I could undo that I would.

how common is 'grumpy' in the States as opposed to cranky's reign of terror?

"Grouchy"!

crabby

And the verb "to crab".

crabby is more feminine.

American Heritage sez "rostrum" is:
1. The curved, beaklike prow of an ancient Roman ship, especially a war galley.
2. The speaker's platform in an ancient Roman forum, which was decorated with the prows of captured enemy ships.
3. A beaklike or snoutlike projection.

crabby

The Scottish word is "crabbit"

ticked off

I don't think I've ever used "crab" as a verb, but I say "grumpy" a lot. "Cranky" seems more befitting of a baby crying over a full diaper.

NB: When I use "grumpy" it's almost always in a cute way, like "Awww, why are you so grumpy?"

"snippy"

I like that being "crabby" makes you "snippy" in your dialogue. It's a nice evocative progression.

Awww xp!

grumpypantsed

the use and difference of cranky as opposed to crank (as in joke) is interesting.

No one outside the US says "check" to mean "bill," right?

The speaker's platform in an ancient Roman forum, which was decorated with the prows of captured enemy ships.

I like this. What would Bush's podium be decorated with.

American tourists.

Only time i've ever heard "rostrum" was in The Who's "Sally Simpson"

xp

crabby => http://images.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/thumb/a/a6/Lucyvanpelt.jpg/200px-Lucyvanpelt.jpg

has anyone mentioned "dude" yet? or do they say that in the UK?

No one outside the US says "check" to mean "bill," right?

Or even cheque!

i say dude a lot. i blame/credit certain american ilxors for this tho.

"Guess" for suppose - that prob'ly will cross over

surely it did long ago.

Did "tube" for television make it over?

Give me an example (xp)

Did "tube" for television make it over?

Years ago

saying "momentarily" instead of "in a short while" when it means "FOR a short while" already. OH WAIT.

"Tube" for television is vestigal in the US and shows only in expressions like "boobtube", as far as I can tell!

i guess that's why they all it the blues - elton john

inevitable xpost

It's a rock song! They don't count!

ok

i say it all the time and have done for at least a decade.

i see dentistry has been mentioned already...

regarding an interest in guns as a patriotic duty

i say 'guess' for suppose. i say 'douchebag'. i say 'psyched'. "write me" is the dative tense and entirely acceptable english. i have taken to saying 'season' where britishes say 'series'.

trunk or is it still called a boot?

i probably write quite a few (American) words on ILX i almost never say in REAL LIFE. because i feel like i'm writing to a fairly sophistimacated American audience on here a lot of the time and there's this urge to be accepted by them or at least thought of as not ignorant of/opposed to the differences in "their" language (i don't get annoyed by American spelling of certain words for example) esp. slang, daft as this may be. also when i say some words to people i'll say them in certain accents because it sounds lamer in my natural voice. i be weird.

i say 'guess' for suppose. i say 'douchebag'. i say 'psyched'. "write me" is the dative tense and entirely acceptable english. i have taken to saying 'season' where britishes say 'series'.

Traitor!

"Asian" to mean Chinese/Japanese

... or Korean, or whatever

ok, i never got this. in north america we call one year's worth of TV a "season" and the entire body of work a "series" (ie. lost season 1, season 2, but the SERIES is called Lost.)

What word do britishonians use for our word "series"?

if we're talking about US Tv shows i guess (ha) it makes sense for us to say season not series. makes a lot less sense for British shows as someone pointed out upthread.

i feel like most of the most common ILX-isms are distinctly American inc. things like 'OTM'. there's already another thread about getting ILX-isms out into the real world tho.

"Asian" to mean Chinese/Japanese

(or Korean/Vietnamese/Thai/perhaps Filipino/Malaysian)

regarding an interest in guns as a patriotic duty

...

US = "What do you usually do on the weekend?" or "What do you usually do on weekends"

the latter, yes, the former, no. i don't believe jaymc knows any non-anglophiles who use it.

nabisco oh-tee-em re NY-LI "herb" (but it lasted into the early 90s)

the non-use of 'douchebag' is one that can be chalked up for the britishes

Will we would use 'series' in both cases and specify by saying 'a new series' or 'the second series'.

What word do britishonians use for our word "series"?

Series! You lot will insist on dragging out programMMEs for years and years and years...

I don't think the Great Americanism of being a cheesy fuck will ever catch on in Britain, with large thanks going to the ever-strengthening Great Britishism of being a cynical fuck who can't express any sincere fondness for anything (see: E4).

Of course, everything I know about anything I get from watching TV.

Is "wanker" used by any Americans who aren't pretending to be British? A society that could have a place for both it and "douchebag" would be a great one indeed.

"Tube" for television is vestigal in the US and shows only in expressions like "boobtube", as far as I can tell!

Yeah, it sticks around in my lexicon because of the Beastie Boys:

"Sittin' 'round the house/get high, watch the tube/eatin' Colonel's chicken/drinkin' Heinekin brew"

Which admittedly, is 20 years old.

i feel like most of the most common ILX-isms are distinctly American inc. things like 'OTM'.

I figured "on the money" was a Britishism

americans saying "wanker" always bugs the hell out of me

same with "bloody"

"Ruddy"
"Bleedin'"

A society that could have a place for both it and "douchebag" would be a great one indeed.

THIS BAR IS CALLED ILX

xpost to GR - Me too! Even when I lived in England I could never bring myself to say either of those because it just sounded so fake and pretentious.

how about americans saying "well" instead of "really" like "she looks well angry"? i like it so much but have to stop myself from using it because people HATE it for sounding so affected. SO SAD :(

that was xposted way back to ghost rider re: americans + wanker and/or bloody

the latter, yes, the former, no. i don't believe jaymc knows any non-anglophiles who use it.

Oh, come on. Here's THREE American college newspapers:

Stanford Daily: As someone who has written an op-ed belonging to the latter category, I’ll own up and take the hit: I wrote about fun things to do on the weekend.

Daily Kent Stater:
So in the spirit of the weekend, I have compiled a list of 10 things to do on the weekend.

The State News (Michigan State Univ.):
If you’re looking for something to do on the weekend, you’ve got two new places to look.

Also, this book was published by a small press in North Carolina:

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V6Y48W40L._AA240_.jpg

Oh I definitely say "I need to start finding things to do on the weekend" in reference to finding weekly activities to do over multiple weekends. But I am from Canuckistan so who knows?

x-post to Will - Agreed. There were a lot of things that I loved the sound of until they cam out of my mouth and I realized I just sounded like an asshole. I'm from NY and that's where I learned to talk. I have no business saying "wanker." Sadly.

That's what I meant, it's used in a general sense, not a specific one referring to a particular weekend. But it is used.

The worst is that I think in these terms, ENBB. My BRAIN is affected! I think, "I am well tired," or, "when I get home I will be in bare shit"

i really like the british meaning of "sound" as in a general term of approbation but could not use it myself, much as i would like to. i just don't have the right accent.

I think you're well sound, Tracer Hand.

Americans saying 'wanker' always amuses me.

I think I would ALSO use it for a particular weekend, though, jaymc. "I still don't know what I'm going to do on the weekend" might be said-- more like to say "...going to do this weekend" in that case, but I would, for example say:

"he's waking up early every day that week which is cool, but he will be fucked when we go out and party on the weekend" (where "on the weekend" refers to the weekend after the week in question)

xpost what meaning of sound is that tracer?

"more likely" to say

The worst is that I think in these terms, ENBB. My BRAIN is affected! I think, "I am well tired," or, "when I get home I will be in bare shit"

What about "cuddlestein mountain"?

Have never used "well" or "sound" in those contexts, bit too Madchester

Will - So do I esp. because I'm around my husband so much so his usage rubs off on me! The way I phrase things has definitely changed since meeting him/living over there but I don't even really notice that so I can't really stop myself.

sound - "He's really sound". It means someone who is . . . wow tough to explain. I guess it would be a good, solid, reliable, person. Maybe?

Is "wanker" used by any Americans who aren't pretending to be British?

maybe by a few? the American politix blogger uses 'wanker' and if he is being anglophilic I don't think it comes across in type, so he may be promulgating limited such use in the world of politicoblog geeks

sound as in 'sound logic' - agreeable, correct - so yeah.

The season/series thing always bugged me, since how does it work for something like Star Trek, which has had multiple seasons of multiple series? like, "yeah, they only had Dr. Polaski for the 2nd series of the 2nd series"?

apparently Mr Burns called U2 'wankers' in the 200th episode but i only ever saw the cut version with this taken out.

Or anyway these are the only types of people I encounter who might still say "herb" or know what it means.

I still use this word in this context pretty regularly.

This belongs way upthread, but according to Viz:

A slut is a tramp and a tramp is a bum and a bum is a fanny and a fanny is a PUNANI.

Oh, come on. Here's THREE American college newspapers:

hey, who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes? ok, so i'm wrong, but it was an error of reading comprehension - Americans might use "on the weekend" to refer to weekends in general, but not to refer to a particular weekend, as brits do with "at the weekend"

Punani. I'm going to start using that. All the time.

In America "pissed" is often used to denote "angry" (as a shortened version of "pissed off"), whereas in the UK "pissed" is firmly entrenched as denoting "drunk" and is unlikely ever to be dislodged by the American variant.

However, the UK has a rich patois that shall never cross the ocean westwards, more's the pity. For example, "grew like Topsy" is never going to catch on here in the USA.

it'd be sweet if you could somehow loop that back around to "slut."

i think we have that definition of sound here? maybe? maybe not for people so much but i like it. I hope I don't start affecting it.

I thought of one: "good people" re: one person. Like, "Yeah, Joe, he's good people." Maybe no Americans say that either.

How about "sketched out"?

In America "pissed" is often used to denote "angry" (as a shortened version of "pissed off"), whereas in the UK "pissed" is firmly entrenched as denoting "drunk" and is unlikely ever to be dislodged by the American variant.

On the contrary, we say "pissed off"!

For example, "grew like Topsy" is never going to catch on here in the USA

Never heard of it!

wankerrrrrrrr

i could never say 'tube' or 'tuna' the right way while in britland. i would avoid saying those two words because they sounded so retarded in an american accent compared to the chorus of british accents.

Tho i do use and support the spreading of the term "wanker"*, since much like "authoritarian", there are few better terms describing what's going on over here nowadays.

*(said he the anglophilic political blog reader)

Oh I definitely say "I need to start finding things to do on the weekend" in reference to finding weekly activities to do over multiple weekends. But I am from Canuckistan so who knows?

This seems more intuitive to me than saying "on weekends" too but a number of these Britishisms seem common in Canada. (Oh, gabbneb has clarified himself.) No way I'd drop the "h" in "herb" either. I definitely say "wank"/"wanker" and "bloody" sometimes and have known a lot of people who do. Americans seem to find it amusing. And is pronouncing "aunt" like "ahnt" really an Americanism?! My parents, who were raised in India, say it that way. I usually say it like that to avoid referring to family members as insects. (And, yeah, I use "pissed" for drunk, which seems to confuse Americans.)

xposts

this weekend discussion is blowing my mind

This seems more intuitive to me than saying "on weekends" too but a number of these Britishisms seem common in Canada

"On weekends" is NOT a Britishism! We say "AT the weekend", "AT weekends"!

... which is where I came in, I think

No, I was responding to gabbneb's comment that "on the weekend" was anglophilic as opposed to "on weekends". He clarified it anyway.

My American friends definitely use "wanker" to refer to people like Yngwie Malmsteem.

And is pronouncing "aunt" like "ahnt" really an Americanism?!

It is when it's the strange exaggerated way Americans say it, like they're trying to be really polite and (upper class) British, it always makes me giggle

Ooh, I thought of one-- "shitty." The adjective of shit. Don't you guys generally say "shit," like, "that's a shit record" or "my day was shit" vs. "that's a shitty record" or "my day was shitty?"

I thought of one: "good people" re: one person. Like, "Yeah, Joe, he's good people." Maybe no Americans say that either.

That's actually what came to mind when I was trying to think of how to define "sound" but I don't know why because although I've heard other people say use it like this, I've never said "He's good people" before.

this weekend discussion is blowing my mind

Me too. I think by brain is going to explode.

oh YEAH sundar I pretty much only user wanker in terms of people who fucking noodle around on guitars! i was going to make a note of that but forgot.

Will is otm with regard to shit v. shitty. See also: crap v. crappy.

I have to admit, I'm guilty of this one. I always say crap rather than crappy these days.

Ooh, I thought of one-- "shitty." The adjective of shit. Don't you guys generally say "shit," like, "that's a shit record" or "my day was shit" vs. "that's a shitty record" or "my day was shitty?"

More than "shit" than "shitty" but "shitty" not proscribed by any means. I much prefer "shite" myself tho.

In America "pissed" is often used to denote "angry" (as a shortened version of "pissed off"), whereas in the UK "pissed" is firmly entrenched as denoting "drunk" and is unlikely ever to be dislodged by the American variant.

Or, for the U.S. the past tense of "urination." And good GOD this caused serious consternation among me and my friends when Chumbawumba became an international sensation back in 98 or so.

What's the status of "write a test/exam" as opposed to "take a test/exam"? I tend to use the former but have been told it's an odd Canadianism.

Sit an exam?

whip a shitty?

I would never say write an exam but have heard sit an exam used here. Take would certainly be the prefferd choice.

I reckon "sit" wins in UK

Ok, he's a question - on University Challenge - they always say that so and so is "reading" _____ at University. What's that about? We would say studying here.

It sounds more intellectual and poncey

Nobody normal says it!

That's sort of what I figured.

> The season/series thing always bugged me, since how does it work for something like Star Trek, which has had multiple seasons of multiple series? like, "yeah, they only had Dr. Polaski for the 2nd series of the 2nd series"?

Start Trek: The Next Generation

(oddly, she was also in ST:TOS series 2 and 3, about 6 episodes apart playing different characters (but doctors both times))

Whoa, I wanna back it up for a sec, OTM means OTMoney? I always thought it was OTMark! OTMoney is SILLY and makes me never want to say OTM again :( oh well I always have 8080. Seriously I am going to start saying "eighty eighty" in real life. or UK style, hatey-hatey

OTM could go either way. Means the same thing.

write an exam

I would use this when I was actually creating an exam/test to give someone else.

whip a shitty?

Like doin' donuts?

xpost to Will - That's funny that you read that as eighty eighty. In my mind I read it as eight oh eight oh. Ok, nevermind. That's not funny at all.

It just occured to me that it's probably eighty eighty for a reason that I just never got. Oh well.

no, there was no reason. i just read it as "eight eighty" because it sounded good, and i often read 4-digit numbers with a 0 as the second digit as such when trying to remember them (ie. 7085 is seventy-eighty-five... it's weird and wrong but it must work because I have way above average skill for memorizing numbers)

eighty eighty, not eight eighty

What the fuck does "8080" mean? I've seen it used here on ILX a lot lately.

It means GO HOME YOU LAZY SOD

fake snrub

During my first year of high school, a security guard used the term "good people" (as in "she's good people") and after he left, four or five people stood around going "WTF" and speculating that it was some kind of newfangled black slang and then acting like I was weird for having heard it before.

(Although it IS slightly more a southern and/or black thing, right? The two are hard to separate sometimes.)

I had never even heard of 'soco' or 'druthers' until reading this thread. 'Douchebag' sounds so alien to me that I'm surprised to find another British person upthread saying they use it ('booger' and 'boogerman' too I can't see ever catching on).

'Intern' I didn't understand for ages. Quite a long way into the Monica Lewinsky scandal I still thought that she was someone very important in the American government.

'On the weekend' is definitely creeping in over here, as is 'guys'/'you guys' meaning a group of people possibly including women.

I'd be quite happy for us to import 'dude'. I like the word. In fact I'll happily take 'dude' if you promise to keep 'douchebag'.

California -- "on the weekend" is normal for an upcoming weekend.
"you doing something on the weekend?", although substituting "this weekend" is a bit more likely.
the only time I've ever heard "over the weekend" is past tense.
"what did you do over the weekend?"

also, I always theorized that the use of 'Herb' date back to that Burger King mascot or whatever from the 80's? I don't remember people using it at that time per se but it wasn't long after.

oh scott beat me to it nm

California -- "on the weekend" is normal for an upcoming weekend.
...
the only time I've ever heard "over the weekend" is past tense.

seriously? (in both cases) bizarre.

WTF is a "boogerman?"

PS of course the British will never use "booger," because SOMEONE's regional accent will make it sound a whole lot like "bugger"

are there any britishes who can say "boogie" correctly.

HOUSE, MD excluded

the only time I've ever heard "over the weekend" is past tense.

seriously? (in both cases) bizarre.

ok, thinking about it, people say 'over the weekend' but more seldom, and more likely in re: a 'special' weekend ("what are you doing over memorial day weekend"); subconsciously evokes the spatial difference between a normal weekend and a 3 day weekend i guess, the same way using it past tense evokes the fact that you lived through/over the whoooole weekend as opposed to the open-ended relationship you have with an upcoming weekend that you might not live through. I'll send you the literature.

That'd be boo as in book, not boo as in... shoo, right? Nah, it's oo all the way here. Boooooogie.

xp

(Not to mention the northerners who don't even pronounce book like that. Boooooook. Buke. Luke in the buke.)

I make fun of my husband for saying boooooogie. Also, they say bogeyman like B -long o as in "Bogart" - geyman.

"zelda zonk"

Hopefully, neoconservativism.

Does anyone outside the US use "freshman," "sophomore," etc?

(I don't know what "8080" means either. I mean, I gather it's somewhat equivalent to "OTM?")

ok the explanation of how they say 'book' in northern england basically made me realize that everything i know of their accents i learned from paul's grandad in 'a hard day's night'

well, and mark e smith

(I don't know what "8080" means either. I mean, I gather it's somewhat equivalent to "OTM?")

Yeah, it is. I just missed where it came from.

while we're on the subject, does anyone else think of lol as "lots of/o' laughs"? "laughing out loud" has never read nearly dorky enough for my taste.

Okay I admit I haven't read this whole thread (and don't really have time to right now) but have we got to the thing were Americans say "Now you're talkin'!" when they mean they really agree with what you saying, or they think you have a good idea? I don't think that will ever catch on in the UK will it?

I haven't read the whole thread but did anyone mention Americans saying "how's it going?" or "what's up?" and NOT actually expecting an answer?

Also british people will never say "bro". they may on occasion use dude (ken c?), but it ends there.

I don't think I've ever used "bro" outside ILX

hey Curt1s, what's up?

hey adm.

'sup bra?

i hang around ppl who say 'bro' all the time, completely w/o irony

also, what about "shitty" as "drunk"? Like, dude, me and my homeys were totally shitty last night, i can't believe that fucking guy stole a suitcase from Wal-Mart, what the fuck

BRITISHES: suitcase = 30 pack of beer, Wal-Mart = a chain of stores

cunt is gaining in popularity over here as SHOCKER insult of choice, btw (non-gender specific)

* I have said "good people" completely seriously
* I will use Britishisms occasionally, but that's because moms grew up there and she's basically talking all the time (WE CALL THIS A CHATTY CATHY) and loves using quaint ould Irish/Lanc turns of phrase
* I barely tolerated Aussies/Kiwis saying "bro" in Colorado (even worse than American bros saying it), and would probably punch a Brit in the face if he tried using it
* Britishes have no cultural context for the word "fratty," though I fear it may gain popularity simply because it describes a type of American that Britain already loves to hate (which is probably OK)
* RAD (discus)

BLOOD DIAMONDS IS THE NEW RESPEK KNUCKLES, 8080 IS THE NEW OTM

A lot of NZers say bro.

that doesn't mean i have to like it

Oh no I don't either, jus' sayin'.

what about the use of "rack" meaning a case of beer and "half a rack" as a 12-pack? actually i never heard that outside of new england where we had our own language to tell the outsiders from the natives. c.f., pronouncing "faneuil hall" or what the three apartment dwellings in dorchester are called.

also, does anyone over there say "y'all" in a non-ironic way?

Does anyone outside the US use "freshman," "sophomore," etc?

Nope. The words don't even make any sense as our education systems are completely different. 'Fratboy' doesn't have any equivalent. Or 'High School proms'. Or 'jock'. And for most people 'college' doesn't mean 'university'.

...did anyone mention Americans saying "how's it going?" or "what's up?" and NOT actually expecting an answer?

What does "what's up?" mean in America? I've always used it to mean "what's the matter?", but it seems to mean "what's going on?". I need to know exactly what Bugs Bunny intended by his catchphrase. Also, I haven't come across anyone in Britain saying 'hey!' to mean 'hi!'.

For example, "grew like Topsy" is never going to catch on here in the USA.

But it's a quote from an American book!

Also british people will never say "bro". they may on occasion use dude (ken c?), but it ends there.

-- admrl, Friday, June 29, 2007 4:39 AM (Friday, June 29, 2007 4:39 AM) Bookmark Link

I don't think I've ever used "bro" outside ILX

-- Curt1s Stephens, Friday, June 29, 2007 4:39 AM (Friday, June 29, 2007 4:39 AM) Bookmark Link

I said "bro" a minute before opening this thread. I think I use "dude" as well, though more in the written word than the spoken.

May we never start referring to our main courses as "entrees"... aargh.

yeah that is a weird one

Waiiit who does this!?

Does anyone outside the US use "freshman," "sophomore," etc?

-- Sundar, Friday, June 29, 2007 6:48 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Link

'fresher'.

i say dude all the time.

"now you're talkin" is great

i've never heard a british person say "TELL me about it"

NRQ you need to realize that british people cannot say "dude" any more than americans can say "mate"

it's just how i roll, holmes

oh shit "chopped liver". don't even know what it means.

not jewish enough.

You don't know shit from shinola.

I've been saying "its how I roll" a bit too much lately much to many peoples irritation.

Anyone cited "Mom" yet? I couldn't be arsed to read the 280-something skipped messages.

i hate the word "mom" yet i am american. it sounds plastic somehow.

Well, although we spell it "mum", most people seem to pronounce it "mom", I know I do.

British people will never go to "the john", will they?

Mum = mum for me.

What I am finding curious about this thread is the mishmash of UK and US phrases Aussies will use. You'd think we'd veer more twards the britishers but on reading this thread I'm not so sure.

'the john' gets you out of the toilet/lavatory issue. but no-one in britain says 'the bathroom' meaning lavatory.

"the men's room"

Ha I say bathroom all the time! Toilet - non-u. Loo - urgh, just don't like the word. Lavatory - too formal.

Water Closet.

'the can'

The pisser.

Dunny.

I usually find that just pointing in the vague direction of the bathroom and saying either "where's the...um...?" or else "I'm just off to the...um..." does pretty well.

although we spell it "mum", most people seem to pronounce it "mom"

Really?

I think so. If I pronounce it "mum", it sounds weird.

Maybe it's just my family, I dunno. My mum calls her mum "mom", which could be where I got it from. I thought I'd heard other people saying it like that too though.

"auxiliary ensign poo"

Anyone cited "Mom" yet?

If you have a British West Midlands accent you use Mom. I don't really have much of my regional accent remaining, but I still say Mom. People who are not from that area take the piss out of me constantly for "sounding like an American."

I do say hey to greet people, but I've picked that up from the Americans I work with. I've also picked up starting sentences with 'So...' which is driving my boyfriend crackers.

I thought brums said it more like "moom" though? The ones Ive known anyway.

Depending on where you are in the UK, just about any vowel or diphthong can go between the Ms.

You're in trouble now Trayce.

what's wrong with 'so...'?!

i think i just like americanisms, and i'm hooked on american tv partly just for the back-and-forth, new idioms, rhythms, etc.; it's proof of linguistic vitality or something.

what EVERRR

what's wrong with 'so...'?!

Yeah I'm really astonished by some of the things deemed Americanisms here!

If you have a British West Midlands accent you use Mom.

Why am I in trouble now? Oh dear.

I remember about seven years ago myself and loads of people I hung out with started saying douchebag all the time, having just been introduced to it by one, or both, of Daphne & Celeste. Good times

yet/already with the simple past tense. "Did you do it yet?" Don't think that's really crossed over to the UK.

Birmingham is a very different part of the world from where Anna comes from. The West Midlands is the Balkans of British Regional Identities and accents.

uh?

xpost

The West Midlands is the Balkans of British Regional Identities and accents.

xpost to the "uh"

I would say "have you done it yet?"
"Did you do it yet?" sounds American to me. Maybe I'm behind the times though.

Ah I see sorry, I used "brum" in a lazy sense. My ex was from Rugely. I didnt know the West was its own world!

ok the explanation of how they say 'book' in northern england basically made me realize that everything i know of their accents i learned from paul's grandad in 'a hard day's night'

But Paul's grandad is Irish!

I would say "have you done it yet?"
"Did you do it yet?" sounds American to me. Maybe I'm behind the times though.

-- Zelda Zonk, Friday, June 29, 2007 4:51 PM (21 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

i might say either one of those. plenty of things, like saying 'today' for 'to-day' are really americanisms, or were considered so 80 years ago...

yet/already with the simple past tense. "Did you do it yet?" Don't think that's really crossed over to the UK.

It's definitely creeping in. I blame Friends. Also the 'have' v 'have got' thing. Both are acceptable, but in Britain it's more common to say "I've got a pen" / "Have you got a pen?" / "Yes, I have" than "I have a pen" / "Do you have a pen?" / "Yes, I do". But the other 'have' thing seems to be growing and leading to mangled hybrid exchanges like "Have you got any money?" "Yes, I do".

But the other 'have' thing seems to be growing and leading to mangled hybrid exchanges like "Have you got any money?" "Yes, I do".

"Yes, I do got money" is the correct response

word

i'm not sure what y'all trying to protect.

I'm conflicted about how Americanisms have impacted on British speech but I don't obsess over it, especially not on weekends... well, not for the longest time, anyways... and I am usually the world's champion at that sort of thing... sir

one americanism i've found myself using but not understanding is along the lines of "not that big of a deal". what is up with that?

i'm not sure what y'all trying to protect.

Well I was going to say no British person would ever say "y'all"...

Not trying to protect anything. But I think it's interesting what crosses the Atlantic, and what doesn't.

some Midlanders would say "mam" right?

Cotton candy.

Taffy

How do Americans pronounce 'Mom' anyway(s)? Because the sound that most English people use in 'bomb' doesn't seem to exist in America.

Does anyone use commode?

Aluminum

If you have a British West Midlands accent you use Mom. I don't really have much of my regional accent remaining, but I still say Mom. People who are not from that area take the piss out of me constantly for "sounding like an American."

Really? My husband is from the West Midlands and neither he nor any of his friends or family say Mom. They definitely all say Mum.

Where in the West Midlands?

The tropical paradise known to most as Coventry. Heh.

"Have you got any money?" "Yes, I do"

What about the past tense of get i.e. gotten vs got?

Sadly, I've never been to Coventry. Sent people there, like.

"Have you got any money?" "Yes, I do"

See, this doesn't work in Scotland, 'cos the answers always "Naw"

we have had the "gotten" discussion here before; i believe the brits think "gotten" is ugly and possibly dangerous

ill-gotten

Does 'Darn Tooting' get said in the US?

Gotten is old school, like 17th century or sumthin'

britishes need to chillax

If you ask "have you got", then grammatically the reply should be "yes I have", and if you ask "do you have", then the reply is "do you have". I think that's the point being made above.

As for got/gotten, I think there's an age cut-off. People (in the UK) over the age of 30 or so use "got" as past partciple, younger people use "gotten".

OK I just reread that post and I see that you meant the reply should be "Yes, I have" instead of "Yes, I do". I don't think that's an Americanism either though. Using "do" in place of other verbs surely is an integral part of the English language?

xpost
Aaargh, the reply to the second is "yes I do"

x post to TomD. - Coventry is not a very exciting place but it's not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. It's kind of grim but so are a lot of other places! I was expecting much worse based on what I'd been told.

Does 'Darn Tooting' get said in the US?

I've never heard it said other than in jest.

Is "pesky" still in common usage in the US?

also:

"you want that i" vs "do you want me to" FITE!

ironic slang is the old/new ironic dancing

xxpost yes, why wouldn't it be?

Charlie that's a whole 'nother topic

If you ask "have you got", then grammatically the reply should be "yes I have", and if you ask "do you have", then the reply is "do you have". I think that's the point being made above.

yeah, only who the fuck speaks grammatically?

Does 'Darn Tooting' get said in the US?

http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/brands/0015/5755/brand.gif

May we never start referring to our main courses as "entrees"... aargh.

-- mike t-diva, Friday, June 29, 2007 4:37 AM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Link

I have never ever heard that this is wrong

It is becasue entree should actually be used to refer to an appetizer, right?

The word entrée is French. It generally means "entry", and "a smaller, first course" when used in relation to food.

I think the US is the only place where entree means main course. Every else it means the starter course.

If "Darn tootin'" is out then I'm guessing "Great horny toads!" is too

"zee" vs. "zed" fite

zed zed top

I've read that entrée it could come from entre, between, back from when meals had umpteen courses and between the soup and the salad and the large hunk o' meat you might have a fish dish or something.

But yeah definitely a merkinism.

It dates back to the beginings of service á la Russe in western Europe where courses would Enter into the meal rather than the á la Française tradition of a big buffet. With mixed styles courses that entered into the meal rather than being present at the start were Entrées and could be at any stage of the meal. In europe they have become the entry into the mean, or the first course to enter.

xpost

I doubt "Zee" will ever cross over

Merkins be revisionist etymologizing

xxxposts

also there's that guaranteed French rib-tickler "à la mode", meaning "with a scoop of vanilla ice cream"

When I was little I didn't know what that meant and one day while playing restaurant (my parents owned restaurants so I played that instead of playing house) I made up a menu with chicken a la mode. Yum.

Rooster

your ideas intrigue me

xpost

In coastal New England a "regular" coffee was one with cream and sugar. The counterperson fixed it for you. I think it's a dying practice.

Beth - I'm in Boston and hear people use that all the time still!

damn straight - same goes for NYC delis and it hasn't died out yet there as far as i know

That's brilliant! Because that's exactly how I like my coffee. Everyone serious west of the East Coast drinks coffee black, no sugar.

the 'regular coffee' thing still confounds and infuriates me every time i try to order a goddamn cup of coffee out here.

i am serious midwestern coffee drinker.

Charlie that's a whole 'nother topic

pls to xpln, tracer?

"Great horny toads!" is too

Horny toads are nearly extinct. :(

"basketball boots" wtfomglol

If "Darn tootin'" is out then I'm guessing "Great horny toads!" is too

"Consarnit" and "Razzle Frazzit" however, are making a comeback. ; )

Are there still varmints west of the Pecos?

I am still staggered by this "entree means main course thing" wtf. Its an entree! Not a main!

Do Americans say starter then?

What does "what's up?" mean in America? I've always used it to mean "what's the matter?", but it seems to mean "what's going on?".

Similarly, in the UK, "are you all right?" seems to mean "what's going on?" but in the US, it means "what's the matter?/is there something wrong?" This caught me off-guard the first few times I heard it when studying over there.

* american brain explodes *

Charlie "you want that i" is, to me, a very regional NY area thing (i also wanted an opportunity to say "whole 'nother")

xpost - totally! people say it ALL THE TIME - "you all right then?" - i'm like, why shouldn't i be? do i look hung over or something?

Do Americans say starter then?

Sometimes. Sometimes appetizer.

Like, dude, me and my homeys were totally shitty last night, i can't believe that fucking guy stole a suitcase from Wal-Mart, what the fuck

If you hadn't explained it, I wouldn't have understood "shitty" or "suitcase" in this context. I also don't live in Montana, though.

people in england have been saying 'what's up' meaning 'hello' for ages.

Just "A'right?" as a greeting sounds v strange to me, yes -- I think of it as a Keef thing. Um, on second thought tho, the whole "a'ight?" thing belies any American claim of strangeness.

totally! people say it ALL THE TIME - "you all right then?" - i'm like, why shouldn't i be? do i look hung over or something?

I wouldn't say it myself. "How's it going" or "How's things" are more likely.

Haha Tracer perhaps the subtext is "you are British / in the UK, are you coping okay."

"Are you all right?"
"Yeah, sure, why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, you're Welsh."

The "Alright?" thing got my wife all the time. She's used to it now.

What does "what's up?" mean in America? I've always used it to mean "what's the matter?", but it seems to mean "what's going on?".

I definitely use it in both contexts, but the latter, more "American" one feels... dated. Like, HI MY NAMES THE 90S

Surely you're thinking of "what up."

the 'sup?' lolcat is concerned for your wellbeing

Way upthread xp to Nabisco: I think "Herb" is not just a nerdy-sounding name but a reference to a Burger King campaign in the mid-80s, isn't it? A nerdy guy who had never eaten a Burger King burger and yet hung out at Burger Kings across America, waiting to be spotted?

Yes, that's what I was told re Burger King + "Herb".

A'right?" as a greeting sounds v strange to me, yes

This was still strange to me after living in England for two years because when it's said a response is not always required - it's kind of just like hello. I couldn't get that through my head and always tried to respond which seemed awkward.

The correct response is just to say "alright" back!

does anyone else find it slightly bizarre when US media talks about "the City" wrt London?

maybe they're saying "the city" and I'm hearing "the City"

"Paris, France", "London, England", The London Times. Mind you, the British Open has taken off... it should just be called The Open.

'the times of london', please.

Ha ha, right

What does "what's up?" mean in America? I've always used it to mean "what's the matter?", but it seems to mean "what's going on?".

I definitely use it in both contexts, but the latter, more "American" one feels... dated. Like, HI MY NAMES THE 90S

http://www.vinyltap.co.uk/gallery/4n/4nonbbbfm6520401144471140.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/29/66852555_b3e94f7b47.jpg

Coolin'

"Paris, France", "London, England", The London Times. Mind you, the British Open has taken off... it should just be called The Open.

In the company where I work, which is American, we have to give the name of the country after every city we name, unless it's in the U.S. But London is in Great Britain, not England (I don't know why).

http://qntm.org/files/uk/uk.gif

"what's up" is an exact, though not literal, translation of "que pasa"

"Darn Tooting"

http://www.cowfish.org.uk/tubestations/Tooting%20Broadway.jpg

(xxp) Ireland's not in the British Isles tho?

Are you mad?

Well, it's not, it's not British

Or "British", if you prefer

Geographical not political sense.

Even then?

Ha, Curtis, I was looking at the charts for the summer of 1993 the other day, and in one week, "What's Up" by 4 Non-Blondes was directly ahead of "What's Up Doc (Can We Rock?)" by Fu-Schnickens.

wiki says ireland is in the british isles but that sounds fucked up to me.

If you wanna come up with another term to handily describe that bunch of islands situated just to the north of France, go ahead.

Those two big islands hanging off Europe are called the British isles. This is a geographical expression. The one island that is called Britain contains Scotland, England and Wales. Even if Scotland becomes independent or whatever it will still be in Britain. I thought everyone knew this?

The British Isles and Ireland

So would your definition of the British Isles be just Great Britain, Scottish Hebrides, Isles of Man/Wight, Anglesey, Scilly etc? I always thought it included Ireland.

xposts

Oh, that surprises me for some reason. A) it's an island, and B) it's a...for lack of a better word a "holding" of Great Britain. WAIT Wikipedia thinks that the Republic of Ireland is NOT part of the United Kingdom...? Oh, I sort of see in XPosting.

WAIT Wikipedia thinks that the Republic of Ireland is NOT part of the United Kingdom...?

Well obv. it isn't!!!!

presumably 'britain' was the roman designation for the lands it conquered so it's not all that geographical...

waht? course ireland is included in the term "british isles"

it's not a holding of great britain... but great britain is not a political entity...

I think he's playing you, dog

xpost to col. poo

Apparently, he wasn't!

Ireland hasn't been a part of the United Kingdom since 1922.

If they included it they'd just have to call it "Ok Britain"

burn on Ireland!

waht? course ireland is included in the term "british isles"

You try telling the Irish that

Okay, now I'm just confused.

The term British Isles is controversial in relation to Ireland where its use is objected to by many people and by the government of the Republic of Ireland. Its use is also avoided in relations between the governments of the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, who generally employ the euphemism these islands.

The diagram above explains it except, I would argue, for the British Isles bit (xpost)

Hey, we let them name the sea between the islands!

Then filled it full of nuclear waste! Or something.

Yes but you got the English Channel (xp)

Let's just call it all "Li'l Canada!"

incl. exclamation point

http://www.beckysweb.co.uk/images/venn.gif

So Northern Ireland, the England/Scotland/Wales landmass, and all the er Western Isles are the United Kingdom, officially; the term "Great Britian" has no official significance; and the southern 5/6ths of the island of Ireland is a sovereign state (are "state" and "nation" interchangeable here?)...?

That sounds about right to me, yes.

We cna also rename Canada as "Grampa (sic) Britain" so that you don't feel like you need to identify as similar to us beer-swigging 'nucks.

stupid square brackets on sic :(

Yes. I thought everyone knew that! "the England/Scotland/Wales landmass, and all the er Western Isles etc" IS Great Britain!

No, sorry" "the England/Scotland/Wales landmass" IS Great Britain!

Add Western Isles etc = British Isles

So Ireland just got a free pass not to be? Because they're the only conquered people ever? I mean, not that I disagree but it seems a relatively arbitrary distinction.

Not to be what?

Not to be part of Great Britain.

Or the United Kingdom, for that matter?

wikipedia: Politically, "Great Britain" describes the combination of England, Scotland, and Wales. It also includes the former Celtic nation of Cornwall, and a number of outlying islands such as the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides, and the island groups of Orkney and Shetland, but does not include the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.

Great Britain is an island (Scotland/ England etc). Ireland is another island!

GB (geographical) = teh one big island, GB (political) = that and all the other little islands. Says wikipedia.

"British Isles" is an Americanism that will never, ever cross over into the UK

right, xp

Can anyone suggest who to refer to the archipelago just above France without using the term British isles?

how even.

Ahahahh THEY ARE ALL ISLANDS WTF.

I always thought it was a geographical term , Great Britain is the greatest (in size) of the British Isles, which is why it's irritating when right wing twats go on about "Making Britain Great again!"... you mean it's shrunk or something?

Goddamnit L'il Canada! is the answer, I am telling y'all.

ireland is not part of anything with britain or kingdom in it.
i can understand it might not be part of anything with british in it.
but it has to be part of something with isles in it. "these isles" sounds crap. "the isles" is better, but still a bit rub.

So Ireland just got a free pass not to be? Because they're the only conquered people ever? I mean, not that I disagree but it seems a relatively arbitrary distinction.

-- Laurel, Friday, June 29, 2007 10:54 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

waaaaaaaaay more complex than that. but yeah basically there was a strong movement for irish independence ('home rule') and it was backed by the liberals in england from about the mid-19th century. but this process foundered when the irish vote became decisive in parliament in about 1910 and, well, we almost had a big ol' civil war over it because large parts of northern ireland were protestant and did not want to be ruled by dublin and they were backed by the tories. and then the actual world war intervened. and then there was a civil war in ireland. and then you had the irish state and northern ireland and and and

No, The Isles doesn't work 'cos that makes me think of the Western Isles

Geog term would make far more sense, but if all the West. Isl. and etc are included it just becomes some kind of polite fiction, I think...? Because why NOT include the Isle of Man when it's far closer in size to, say, Arran (which DOES get included) than it is to Ireland.

Or is Isl of Man another national identity thing? I KNOW: PLACES WITH THEIR OWN BREED OF CATS GET TO BE SOVERIGN, PROBLEM SOLVED.

let's call them "Iceland, Jr."

"you want that i" vs "do you want me to"

i love this construction, fav: "you want i should" but i wasn't sure if it was just old NY gangster movie talk. out of bounds for a californian in any case. Has "twat" crossed over into the US?

The Isle of Man has its own legislature that's why it's not included politically

The Leprechauckney Islands

Ditto the Channel Islands (xp)

I always thought it was a geographical term , Great Britain is the greatest (in size) of the British Isles, which is why it's irritating when right wing twats go on about "Making Britain Great again!"... you mean it's shrunk or something?

-- Tom D., Friday, June 29, 2007 10:59 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

i thought: britain is wales, england, scotland; and 'great britain' was that plus all the other bollocks. but that's probably wrong.

isle of man is a crown dependency, not part of the union.

IoM legislature older than poxy anglos'.

Up the "Celts"

yeaaaaaah bwoyeeee (that's what we say in douglas)

IoM has best flag

They've got Norman Wisdom too

I think "you want I should" is at base a Yiddish thing that crossed over into "tough" talk at some probably gang-related point. Or maybe it was part of the old old Brooklyn or Bronx dialect and was rolled up with a "partly geographic, partly class" distinction.

"Twat" has SORT OF crossed over but you know that Americans rhyme it with "hot" instead of with "fat".

Also apparently I cannot square-bracket the uppercase T up there so bear with me.

we got it all

xpost

"Twat" has SORT OF crossed over but you know that Americans rhyme it with "hot" instead of with "fat".

they quite often say 'twot' in 'the sopranos'.

I think "twot" is an old pronunciation of it anyway

So typical of Americans to be talking like geezers from the 17th century

do you guys ever use "fellow" or "fella" anymore?

You hear it every now and again

You even hear "chap" occasionally!

Hey, buddy, we're keeping the 17th century alive for you; when you run out of useful words you'll thank us later.

hey, i thought of a few canadianisms that will never make it to the uk, do those count?

double-double (a coffee w/ 2 creams, 2 sugars)
bunny hug (a hoodie)
buddy (means "that guy" ie. Hey, did you see buddy's hat? Lame)

bunny hug (a hoodie)

????

xxxxxxxposts.. but isn't the england/wales/scotland landmass called Albion?

Saskatchewan, don't ask me.

I'm from "midwestern Ontario," where we drop the letter T from a lot of things. I lived in Tiverton (Tiver'n) in Bruce County (Cowny) for eight years. We have no fun words. Although I do remember the word "kife" meaning steal, but this may have been more than a regional thing?

holy shit, that was a UK thing?! why the fuck did we use it in the Bruce?

I had no idea "twat" could rhyme with "fat," I've actually corrected someone who said it that way

To be fair the Brit vowel is a sort of in-between sound that I don't know the official marks for, but it's not the midwestern twangy "feeyat" either.

I had no idea "twat" could rhyme with "fat," I've actually corrected someone who said it that way

man alive!

a few people in the US use it that way, but no one in the US pronounces it that way

to be fair I checked this before correcting them

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/twat

In my understanding, the United Kingdom used to refer to England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. When (most of) Ireland became independent in the early 20th century, the United Kingdom began to refer to everything except for that area. Great Britain is pretty much the same thing, except it doesn't include Northern Ireland. I have no fucking idea how the Isle of Man and Jersey and Guernsey and whatever other random islands you have factor into this.

Shetland! Orkney!

One of the best Canadianisms is "toque," since there's not really any equivalent word in the US (we just say, like, "winter hat").

I had no idea "twat" could rhyme with "fat," I've actually corrected someone who said it that way

"you fackin' twat"
"i think you mean 'twot', my good sir"

Really? Toque isn't used elsewhere? I feel so ethnocentric, not knowing that.

people in the US use "toque" to refer to chefs' hats; I wasn't aware there was any other use

whaaaaaaaaaat! chef's hat!

ok my mind is now blown along with everyone else's. a toque is a (usually) wool winter hat!

it's just 'chef hat' to 99% of Americans though, although we all suspected it had a french fancy name.

WTF do kids call winter knit hats? For the life of me I can't think of the slang-y term for them.

Beanies.

This confusion is all just a matter of Ireland being grouchy about imperialism, though, right? Cuz the objection doesn't seem to have much merit any other way, per the way I've always understood this:

- coherent group of islands = British Isles / Britain
- the biggest island among them = Great Britain

So the Irish grouchiness seems based on allowing the "Great Britain" designation to turn the people on it into the "British," as opposed to the Irish, until eventually Irish people are like "fuck no we're not part of Britain" -- i.e., kinda mussing up the political/geographical senses of the word and rolling them together? But of course at present the UK doesn't claim full ownership of the "Britain" word -- it's "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (and miscellaneous islands)," isn't it?

Beanies.

Nah, I'm thinking of something else. Besides beanie really means a smaller, usually more rigid, hat. Rather than the knit ones which can roll down past your ears.

Granted, it would be annoying if your island were not THAT much smaller than the next one, and history was still like "this one is GREAT Britain, and they are going to come take all your stuff and call you savages, but don't worry, you're part of Britain too!"

I HAVE HEARD PLENTY OF AMERICANS USE THE WORD TOQUE TO REFER TO A SPECIFIC TYPE OF WINTER HATS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toque

also used: toboggan, which i had no idea what was being referred to the first time someone accused me of wearing one.

Canadian variant
Main article: tuque
In Canadian English, "toque" is also a common alternative spelling of tuque (IPA: (tuk)), a knit woollen winter hat, originally worn by French-Canadians but now a staple of the Canadian winter wardrobe. This "fashion" originated when coureurs des bois kept their woollen nightcaps on for warmth during cold winter days. The Canadian Oxford Dictionary regards the use of toque for this hat to be assimilated from the etymologically unrelated French word tuque

i.e. there's something very canadian about that word

I have only ever heard "toque" from Canadians and then actually it was pronounced "tuke". We called knit winter hats uh stocking caps? Or just winter hats. XP yes!

lol cold people

I had no idea "twat" could rhyme with "fat," I've actually corrected someone who said it that way

"you fackin' twat"
"i think you mean 'twot', my good sir"

-- That one guy that quit, Friday, June 29, 2007 12:55 PM (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

I don't get British humor

toque is also used colloquially to refer to chefs themselves, i.e. "Top Toque"

'beanie' has come to encompass almost every type of knit hat in the last maybe 15 years in my neck of the woods.

SHUT UP ABOUT THE CHEF HATS

Nabisco's basically right about the Britain thing, except, you know, "grouchiness" is kind of understating it. Given the history and all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beanie

vindication never felt so comfy

It would work better if people had ever used the term "British" to refer to all the people of the whole island group -- which we can't really do now, since there's no good alternative form for people from the UK. (UKer? Great Britisher and/or Northern Irelander and/or Miscellaneous Non-Irish British Islander?)

I know it's pedantic but I'm referring to a knitter's/seamstress definition of hat styles.

I'm going insane b/c I can't remember the name I'm thinking of.

It would totally be fun to refer to someone as "Great British," though.

pejorative sense etc.

vindication never felt so comfy

I still don't trust an Angeleno when it comes to winter hats, though.

vindication never felt so comfy

That would make a great tagline for a movie.

x-post: My folks are from the upper Midwest and this is how they referred to it.

The best Canadaism that will never catch on anywhere (but wish it would) is when Canucks tell you about their drinking last night and mention "my head hurts, I had 9 beer last night". That refusal to pluralize beer to beers is so charming.

The island of Ireland is geographically part of the British Isles. I'm stunned that so many people, particularly British people who went to school here, don't know this.

That Irish Republicans don't wish to be associated with the word British is neither here nor there. There are many Brits who don't want to be associated with the word European but changing continents to suit ones political will is a bit tricky*.

*Isreal in Eurovision/European football doesn't count

xpost Is it because Canadians are surrounded by moose and deer?

Maybe they actually mean "9 deer"

gabbneb's diagram:8080

http://qntm.org/files/uk/uk.gif

yes, yes, yes...but what did Bugs Bunny mean when he munched on a carrot and said "nyyyyaaaahhhhh.... what's up doc?"? Was he asking what was the matter, or was he saying what's happening, or was he just saying hello? THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

oooooo nice

*Isreal in Eurovision/European football doesn't count

They're not in Europe!!!!

(This is a passionate argument held around May time every year in our house)

What Canadians are saying "9 beer?"

I think I used to say that or something... but I stopped at some point, and I'm not sure why. That's so strange. It must have been a Bruce/Toronto/etc thing because I don't think I ever said it in Ott or Mtl.

xpost

The drunk ones.

They're not in Europe!!!!

That was my point, they're the exception that proves the rule, um, along with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan and all these other "new" countries that now play "European" football.

.but what did Bugs Bunny mean when he munched on a carrot and said "nyyyyaaaahhhhh.... what's up doc?

this is key but the question never seemed to solicit a response other than "I'll tell YOU what's up!" which puts us back to square one.

or sometimes "I'll tell you 'WHAT'S UP'!", similarly unhelpful.

Onimo, I was agreeing with you. But I was referring to far more important issue of the Eurovision Song Contest. Never mind your football.

(It's a bit like if the people of the big island called Hawaii took over the other islands and were dicks to everyone and then eventually Maui got its independence and started saying "WTF, we are not nor have we ever been part of any so-called 'Hawaiian Islands.'")

This confusion is all just a matter of Ireland being grouchy about imperialism, though, right? Cuz the objection doesn't seem to have much merit any other way, per the way I've always understood this:

- coherent group of islands = British Isles / Britain
- the biggest island among them = Great Britain

So the Irish grouchiness seems based on allowing the "Great Britain" designation to turn the people on it into the "British," as opposed to the Irish, until eventually Irish people are like "fuck no we're not part of Britain" -- i.e., kinda mussing up the political/geographical senses of the word and rolling them together? But of course at present the UK doesn't claim full ownership of the "Britain" word -- it's "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (and miscellaneous islands)," isn't it?

-- nabisco, Saturday, June 30, 2007 12:08 AM (31 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

'britain' comes from the part of these isles that were colonized by the romans, so you can imagine celts (i am one) not being so keen to subscribe to it. the notion that there are nonpolitical 'geographical' terms is rubbish. it's only coherent if you want it to be -- canada and the USA are coherent, no?

the uk doesn't explicitly claim ownership of 'britain' but an irishman would never call themselves 'british'. because the union is breaking up anyway that word is going out of style on the mainland too.

canada and the USA are coherent, no?

Yes, and it's called North America BWAHAHAHAHHHAAAA

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/crunchydog_2006/bugs.jpg

xpost

Umm yes Canada / US / Mexico are a coherent landmass collectively called "the continent of North America" !!!??

I mean I follow your point about geographical names having a political dimension, but I'm just saying the Irish objection here would seem to have a lot more to do with the words Britain and British lying with the GB people, not some kind of claim that their land is somehow not a part of the same collective island chain.

(I guess this would seem less weird if they had a term they used to refer to the island chain -- I mean, what do Irish topographers call it?)

Along with the fact that "Americans" generally only refers to citizens of the United States and not other residents of North or South America, there's the weird issue that some Spanish-speakers refer to citizens of the United States as "norteamericanos," even if they, too, technically live in North America.

because the union is breaking up anyway that word is going out of style on the mainland too.

Ah, the mainland.

I feel like all this geographical chat has hijacked the fun word-swapping thread.

yeah shit got mad boring

Yes, I'm so confused. And also still can't of think of the hat name I had in mind.

Don't worry about it, Ms. M, it's North West Europeantown.

Now I want to know the hat name too.

I'm thinking perhaps it doesn't really exist and I'm just losing my mind.

ms misery: skully or skull cap?

I got these:

114 Moby Thesaurus words for "hat":
Balmoral, Dutch cap, Panama, Panama hat, Salvation Army bonnet,
Stetson, astrakhan, balaclava helmet, baseball cap, beany,
bearskin, beaver, beret, boater, bonnet, boot, bowler, brass hat,
breech, busby, calash, campaign hat, cap, capote, castor, ceil,
chapeau, chapeau bras, cloak, cloche, coat, cock-and-pinch, coif,
cork, coverchief, coxcomb, crown, derby, dome, fantail, fez, frock,
gown, handkerchief, hard hat, headcloth, headdress, headgear,
headpiece, headtire, headwear, helmet, homburg, hood, jacket,
jockey cap, kaffiyeh, kelly, kepi, kerchief, leghorn, lid, mantle,
millinery, mobcap, mortarboard, nightcap, opera hat, overseas cap,
peaked cap, picture hat, pillbox, pith hat, pith helmet, plug,
poke, porkpie, puggree, roof, roof in, rumal, sailor, scraper,
shirt, shoe, shovel hat, silk hat, skullcap, slouch hat, snood,
sock, sombrero, stocking, stopper, stovepipe, sun hat, sun helmet,
sunbonnet, sundown, tam, ten-gallon hat, tin hat, tip, top,
top hat, topee, topper, trilby, turban, tyrolean hat, wide-awake,
wimple, wind-cutter, yarmulka

Is it in there?

I hope it's "cock-and-pinch."

No, I've looked everywhere and it's nothing mentioned. I'm now convinced it's something I'm only imagining.

Oh poo.

So, what are button downs?

shirts? button-downs.

If it helps, I had this moment in 6th grade where I thought there was another word for "cigarette" that I just couldn't remember, and after fifteen minutes of this one guy listing off euphemisms it became clear that I was actually not-remembering the word "smoking."

you could always go and ask a random kid "what do you call those hats oyu wear at winter?" but they may just think you're crazy.

accentmonkey, what do you mean?

I got into a big argument on another thread a while ago about the term "button-down" for shirts. I thought it was just any shirt with buttons, but I was told that "button-down" only referred to shirts with collars that button down, and that the shirts I was thinking of were just "buttoned" or "button-up."

Yes if a stumble across a kid on the way home I will ask. I'm used to kids thinking I'm crazy.

After work I'm heading to the doctor's for an order to test my thyroid levels. I will actually be pleased if they are low as this could explain the growing "dumbness" I have demonstrated on this thread.

xpost

jaymc is right.

I'm right that I was wrong?

accentmonkey, what do you mean?

I guess I mean shirts, yes? Nabisco referred to them on his trends thread. I've seen the word written down, and I always assumed it referred to an item of clothing (check out the big brain on me) but I never knew what it was.

The only irregularity I've ever caught on that one is that women usually call them "button-up" and men usually call them "button-down." I am not sure how much this correlates to actual buttoning-order trends (and, if so, what the chicken/egg status of that correlation might be).

Jaymc, I meant you are right that it specifically refers to a button-down collar.

if i ever hear a britisher say 'beer me', well, there'll be trouble.
jaymc is right about being right or something. 'button down' is kind of a generalism in addition to its proper meaning.

I've always called them button-down shirts if they button all of the way down. half-button or polo or whathaveyou otherwise. button-up sounds so... childish to me?

My boyfriend's repsonse to the hat name question:

"yeah... it's called gay"

:(

UNHELPFUL BOYFRIEND!

Re shirts: I do maintain that a button-down has a collar that...wait for it...buttons down. Otherwise I believe a men's shirt w/o a particular collar treatment is technically known as a sport shirt.

sport shirt doesn't equal like a polo shirt? Easy way around the whole button affair: dress shirt.

i'll concede that i don't know what the fuck i'm talking about, only how it's used. if i heard 'sport shirt' i'd think it was what jcpenney might call a polo.

yah see xpost

I have never heard "button-up" used by anyone over the age of...let's say, nine.

No, Miz, a "dress shirt" goes under a suit, is tailored in a more fitted fashion so as not to bunch up under a suit, and has a particular style of collar intended for some number of tie-tying options. Ie the spread collar, the button-tab, the straight-point, etc.