Ok, stupid question alert!

Hi All,

I am moving to the UK in December and I really want to acclimate as soon as possible. Has anyone ever heard of classes or courses in English for Americans? Of all the things I could be worried about I am most worried about spelling and grammar mistakes and calling things by the wrong names.

Thanks

Just me personally - never heard of anything like that.

IMO, I wouldn't worry about it.  I use my American spelling, pronunciation, and terminology all the time here.  Nine times out of ten, people know what I'm talking about, and if they don't, they just ask me what I mean.  I explain, they go "Aha," and we move on with our conversation.

And actually, people I hang out with like it when I use my American English.  They find it fascinating learning what terminology Americans have that's different.

IMO, I wouldn't worry about it.  I use my American spelling, pronunciation, and terminology all the time here.  Nine times out of ten, people know what I'm talking about, and if they don't, they just ask me what I mean.  I explain, they go "Aha," and we move on with our conversation.

And actually, people I hang out with like it when I use my American English.  They find it fascinating learning what terminology Americans have that's different.

Ditto.

You really shouldn't over think this, seriously.  

There is a book called "Watching the English" by Kate Fox that you might find interesting.

I use British spelling and terminology, because I teach EFL and I think it's important to be consistent with my colleagues.  Plus, I don't see the point in needlessly overcomplicating things.  Why insist on saying, for example, zucchini, when you live in a place where it's called a courgette?  However, having said that, I'd agree with the other posters that American-isms are unlikely to cause you any real difficulty, and you'll learn the British words quickly enough.  There's no point in having classes about it because it's really very easy to just pick things up!

I know most of the translations like Cilantro-Coriander etc. because my husband uses them all the time. One thing I won't change though is Aluminum foil-Aluminium foil. It just kills me for some reason. I just call it tin foil and be done with it.
Working in an office situation, which is what I am after, I will need these skills to perform my tasks effectively and professionally. I will give the "Watching the English" book a read. Thank you all for the advice.   

You just have to roll with it at the office. It'll help that your computers will be defaulted to British English for spell check! IME, for formal letters and reports, you have the time to get it right and for less formal communication (i.e. quick emails) you can get away with either a 'slip up' or just not worrying about it as much since it's akin to spoken conversation.

When it comes to working in an office every company I’ve worked for (on both sides of the pond) have had terminaology guides and specific ways that corespondence should be handled.  This could be because I’ve always worked in investor relations and companies have strict rules on how to deal with specific questions from the people who provide the cash.

When it comes to spellings, you’ll have spell check.  IMHO one of the best inventions in the history of the world.  I can’t spell here, so I don’t expect myself to be able to spell there either.

Someone above mentioned courgette for zucchini.  This stuff can get pretty funny when your asking for something under a different name, just chalk those up to funny learning experience.  Stuff like this is a long running joke with DF and me, and I would guess with a lot of the other people here.  

I’m moving in late September and although I’ve lived in the UK before I’m doing things in my own odd way to prepare.  I’ve been reading history books, although I’ve been on the Biography of London for about 8 weeks, and expat books.  I think I have one called Anglophilia.  I also have a book called Weird Britain, it’s by the guys that do the Weird NJ magazines, I love stuff like that.  

Something you can do now is to look at some UK websites (in any subject that interests you) so you can get a feel for British grammar and spelling.

I met my DH on an internet forum with a large British membership, so I was already somewhat used to British English just from reading members' posts.

I understand why you will need to know proper British English in an office situation.

I write content for websites and I have to use British English on British sites and American English on American sites. I think I tend to mix them up on UKY because it doesn't matter here.

Good suggestion, I will do that.  Maybe the online british newpapers or something.

My husband says the same thing about the computers and spell check. It's probably just my anal retentive nature rearing its ugly head. I do have a while before I have to actually worry about it anyway.
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One thing I won't change though is Aluminum foil-Aluminium foil. It just kills me for some reason. I just call it tin foil and be done with it.

I work in biochemistry. When I say "uh loom in um", people just smile and say in a joking fashion "oh, you americans" or something similar.

I really wouldnt worry about it. You'll catch on quickly, and if not, I say "How do you spell *this* again?  Apparently in science, they're also slowly adapting the american spellings (ie: Sulfur rather than Sulphur), so I look at it as being two steps ahead of the competition!

Today I just learned:
Tipex=white out
crib sheet=cheat sheet

Also just remembered this thread: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=65858.0;topicseen

Maybe it will help you pick up on some of the british terminology?

Cool, thanks. I will be checking out that website ASAP.
 BTW you're in Nottingham, like Nottingham Forest? That's what I love about the UK, that the places we see in the movies and think of as fantasies really do exist. Well sometimes anyway.lol  I remember seeing the third Lord of the Rings movie while I was in Sheffield and thinking as we were driving through the countryside that I could be in Middle Earth. 

I would also recommend Watching the English, in addition to Rules, Britannia - Toni Summers Hargis, which I read before I moved, I tried to get as much info as possible to consider how life would be different there because my only other experiences were touristy.

great thanks