UK/US different terminology

The "a" in my American pronounciation of "pasta" doesn't sound like the a in "charming" or the "a" in cat. It's more like the "o" in "hot".

The "a" in my American pronounciation of "pasta" doesn't sound like the a in "charming" or the "a" in cat. It's more like the "o" in "hot".

When I say it the a in pasta sounds like a in apple.

When I say it the a in pasta sounds like a in apple.

So you won't get any of those funny looks from Brits when discussing Italian cuisine... unless you come from some place out in the boonies where they say "arple" or "erple" or something. 

Just joking... because trying to explain how you pronounce one word by comparing it to how you say another word is such a tricky business.

So you won't get any of those funny looks from Brits when discussing Italian cuisine... unless you come from some place out in the boonies where they say "arple" or "erple" or something. 

Just joking... because trying to explain how you pronounce one word by comparing it to how you say another word is such a tricky business.

True

The one that got me when I first moved here was "will you be eatin' in, or takin' away?" as opposed to the US usual "for here or to go"?
They talk so fast, I couldn't understand for the life of me what they were saying.  I must have said "pardon?" five times.  My kids tease me about it now.

Also, at Ikea, I was looking around for a cart.  They all looked blankly at me until I played charades, then they showed me where the trollies were.

I hear it all of the time. When I first got here and people were using it at work, I must admit I had to google it. I thought it meant two weeks, but I needed to be sure.

One other thing that I notice all the time--my name is Katie, and when I have to introduce myself, Brits have a really hard time understanding it with my American accent. I pronounce it like "kaytee," but Brits say it more like "ka-eh-ee," and don't really pronounce the "t" sound. It gets really annoying. Someone thought my name was Kayleigh at work for far too long for me to correct them. It was awkward. And Brits usually think I'm saying my name is Kelly. Now I sort of have to put on a fake accent and say it like they would for them to get it. My husband makes fun of me.

I don't know what weird brits you've been hanging out with, but never in my life have I met a british person who doesn't pronounce the t in katie.

I don't know what weird brits you've been hanging out with, but never in my life have I met a british person who doesn't pronounce the t in katie.

Not "weird brits" at all... the glottal stop is a feature of the Cockney and Mockney accents and in fact is found all over London and the Southeast of England, as well as a number of other regions. Maybe you have been hanging out with posh types out in the sticks?

Not "weird brits" at all... the glottal stop is a feature of the Cockney and Mockney accents and in fact is found all over London and the Southeast of England, as well as a number of other regions. Maybe you have been hanging out with posh types out in the sticks?

I agree that it's not just the "weird Brits" who don't pronounce the T. However, it's also not just the "posh types" who do pronounce it.

I agree that it's not just the "weird Brits" who don't pronounce the T. However, it's also not just the "posh types" who do pronounce it.

Not at all; they pronounce 't's in the West Country where I am. Another thing - in the East Midlands, Derby, Leicester, etc, people say an 'r' sound instead of a 't', e.g. "burrer" for "butter". "Weird brits"... hmmm... infelicitous phrase IMHO...

I agree that it's not just the "weird Brits" who don't pronounce the T. However, it's also not just the "posh types" who do pronounce it.

My hubby is from Manchester and he pronounces "water" as "wa-er", and his accent isn't even all that strong. 

In certain areas of Philadelphia (and probably NJ as well) some pronounce "water" as "wooder", which drove my ex's Californian born and bred friend crazy.

Not at all; they pronounce 't's in the West Country where I am.

I was about to say that where I grew up in the West Country, hardly anyone pronounces their 't's ... I grew up and went to school in the Bristol area and loads of people round there say things like 'war-er' (water), 'woh' (what), 'wai-ed' (waited) and 'buh-er' (butter),... even Bristol is pronounced 'Brizzle' by a lot of Bristolians. Just listen to Vicky Pollard speaking and you'll hear a ton of 't's not being pronounced (yeah, buh, no, buh, yeah, buh, no... )!

I work in a preschool and, to make myself understood by the little ones, I intentionally pronounce my t's.  As in buTTer and leTTer instead of saying budder and ledder.  And when I go home to the states my family notices the change in my "accent". 
When I first started working at the preschool I was corrected by some 3-year olds on my pronunciation of banana and tomato.  LOL   

I work in a preschool and, to make myself understood by the little ones, I intentionally pronounce my t's.  As in buTTer and leTTer instead of saying budder and ledder.  And when I go home to the states my family notices the change in my "accent". 
When I first started working at the preschool I was corrected by some 3-year olds on my pronunciation of banana and tomato.  LOL   

That's my situation as well! I've learned to say water as "wha-Ta" instead of how I used to say it in my SoCal pronouciation of "wadder" and of course, "bha-nah-nuh" instead of my "bannana"  and "toh-ma-toh" instead of "tomaato" I recognize that I never enunciated in the past, because of living in SD, and having a lazy tounge, I think. So, I have to tell myself to enunciate. Sometimes, though, I'll let one of my "Americanisms" slip. One day, when we were passing out the lunch/dinner to the kids, I did something wrong, like I took one too many or something, and I said, "Oh, sorry, my bad." My workmates were stunned into silence.

I said, "Oh, sorry, my bad." My workmates were stunned into silence

LOL   
I'm a west coast girl too so I imagine our "accents" are pretty similar.

Not "weird brits" at all... the glottal stop is a feature of the Cockney and Mockney accents and in fact is found all over London and the Southeast of England, as well as a number of other regions. Maybe you have been hanging out with posh types out in the sticks?

My best friend is from Croydon.  I live in Cambridge.  I've never heard anyone not pronounce the t in katie, and I would have remembered if I had because it's my sister's name.