After posting of the way that Brits use the word, presently (as in soonish), and also mentioning their cute use of telly instead of tv, I decided to mention a few other variances.
I only decided to do this when I saw the word fracas posted somewhere or other. While most of us say FRA-cas, I hear them saying fra-CAW. We say the S and tend to emphasize the first syllable; they don't say the S and emphasize the second syllable. (By the way, if you can't tell, I don't know how to properly write phonetically, so I do my own thing.)
We do the reverse with café, however. We emphasize the second syllable (caFAY) while they say CAFay.Oh, and by the way, with their myriad of local accents, I don't pretend to know how all Brits say these words but am repeating the way that I usually hear them on telly.
Another difference is not pronouncing the ary ending in words like secretary but skipping a syllable and just saying tree as in secretree.
However, when I recently asked a Brit expat how he said it, he did use the two-syllable ARY ending. He claimed that this was part of his public school education, which is another odd difference because their public schools are really akin to our private schools.
It's breakfast time, and I could really enjoy a bacon sarnie rather than cereal. Alas, I am on the wrong side of the pond.
Marmite anyone? Mushy peas? Brown sauce?
No to all, but I'd love fish and chips for supper, just with regular vinegar, however, and not malt vinegar.
Finally do you know what a porkie/porky is? If not, scroll down.
Porky Pies is Cockney slang for Lies.
"Stop tellin' me Porkies!"
One of the most well known slangs throughout London and the UK.
15 comments:
They also add a syllable when they say "aluminum" by making it "alu-MIN-ium." But I love Britishism myself. Never heard of porkie meaning lies. :-)
Well, I did not know! We watch a lot of Brit DVDs!
It is always good to expand one’s vocabulary. Keeps us sharp! That’s not a porky pie!
I get a kick out of the phrase 'bun fight', and 'a knees up'. I follow a blog Going Gently, and he uses lots of Brit words.
I do love the differences in our languages. Opportunities for some fun laughs.
Wow, I loved the English lesson. Who knew that there was such a variance in speech between the 2 countries.
I love different accents and uses of words, so you could post every day about this and I would be happy. My Scottish friend Pam gave me examples of sentences in English (but Scots words) that she didn't think I'd understand. And I had NO clue! :) As an obsessive watcher of the Great British Baking Show, it took me at least a season to figure out what ora gone o was. (oregano) I thought it was a new spice I hadn't heard of.
My region of the US shares most of not all of the common Canadian ways of speaking, so when I go elsewhere in the US I am often asked if I am Canadian. And, I most sincerely take the suggestion as a compliment.
PipeTobacco
Of = if in the above.
PipeTobacco
You make me wish I could see my English sister in law again. It always took me a day to be able to understand her.
Over 54 years ago I married and english girl. Many time we talk about different expressions. Many times we have mix ups.
I am American and watch lots of British TV on Britbox and AcornTV and love all these differences in meaning and pronunciation. I did know what a porky is from watching British shows. I recently told a friend I would check my schedule and I pronounced it she-dule, I think I am becoming British, a good thing.
Meanwhile I pick and choose how I say things.... probably because as a non-native English speaker I can't really tell what expressions is used where and how. My accent approaching the West of Scotland accent slowly. Funny thing, most British think I am from the Western Isles (the outer Hebridean islands) while I am actually from German speaking Switzerland! I can clearly hear the Swiss German sounds when I listen to my lecture recordings.
One thing I'm noticing on this continent is several public people who don't pronounce the G at the end of their "ings." So they're "think-een" not "thinking" and "go-een" not "go-ing" -- these are educated people, too, so not just speaking hillbilly. Interesting. Not interestinG, mind you -Kate
I'm with you on the food items. But I do like Haggis. And the last time we were i England, we grew very fond of gastro-pub sandwiches on baguettes--one notable (and potentially heart-stopping) one was brie, bacon, and butter. In about equal proportions.
Post a Comment