Pet Peeve: You Sound Funny!

Yeah, I normally am aware of what I'm saying (because I'm constantly going back and forth between BrE and AmE with the fiancé vs. family etc here in the US!) But, this totally just came out without realizing! It sounds "normal" now, so I was questioning what we do say here in the States. Odd...

Yeah, I normally am aware of what I'm saying (because I'm constantly going back and forth between BrE and AmE with the fiancé vs. family etc here in the US!) But, this totally just came out without realizing! It sounds "normal" now, so I was questioning what we do say here in the States. Odd...

I have found myself wondering about words and phrases lately. We will be watching an American tv show and I will hear a character say something that sounds completely British. I will wonder if it is one of the many phrases that are becoming global because of movies and cable/satellite tv, or if it was used in the States all along and I never noticed it until meeting hubby.

if it was used in the States all along and I never noticed it until meeting hubby.

There are plenty of words or ways of saying things that are used on both sides of the pond but are dominant & widely used on one side and more rarely used on the other. There are regional variations within both zones - e.g. "pop" and "soda" in the US. So a British word or usage might be unfamiliar to someone from one part of the US but perfectly familiar to someone from a different part.

e.g. "pop" and "soda" in the US.

That'd be a "cole drink*" or a "co-coler"....

*Oddly enough my South African co-worker calls them "cold drinks".

Thread jack-- another wisconsin born here to add- grew up in Milwaukee went to school in Eau Claire and LaCrosse- now in Manchester-- ok thread jack over:)

I never know how to answer the "where are you from" question- not very many people know where Wisconsin is so I just say near or north of Chicago- but that gets annoying

Tmfigy-I went to UWEC.  Graduated 2001

Thread jack-- another wisconsin born here to add- grew up in Milwaukee went to school in Eau Claire and LaCrosse- now in Manchester-- ok thread jack over:)

I never know how to answer the "where are you from" question- not very many people know where Wisconsin is so I just say near or north of Chicago- but that gets annoying

I so get it.  Because if your from Wisconsin the last thing you want to do is have any thing to do with Illinois LOL.  Any one from Illinois it's not a bad thing just a thing, like Packers vs Bears.

2000 here!!! love it:)

That'd be a "cole drink*" or a "co-coler"....

Or tonic in New England. Pronounced "taawn-ic" of course.

There are plenty of words or ways of saying things that are used on both sides of the pond but are dominant & widely used on one side and more rarely used on the other. There are regional variations within both zones - e.g. "pop" and "soda" in the US. So a British word or usage might be unfamiliar to someone from one part of the US but perfectly familiar to someone from a different part.

I thought about that after posting, because of the 'soda' and 'pop' example. Even within southern Indiana, whether it is 'soda', 'pop', 'soft drink', 'Coke', or even 'sodey' depends on what your family calls it.

Or tonic in New England. Pronounced "taawn-ic" of course.

 

I got laughed at over the summer when I was in England because I asked BF what store was good for pocketbooks (purse, bag). And of course when I say it, it comes out more like paawk-a-book.

I got laughed at over the summer when I was in England because I asked BF what store was good for pocketbooks (purse, bag). And of course when I say it, it comes out more like paawk-a-book.

 

I got laughed at over the summer when I was in England because I asked BF what store was good for pocketbooks (purse, bag). And of course when I say it, it comes out more like paawk-a-book.

Yeah. That's another one!

Heh. I remember learning the difference in "purse" and "handbag" when my Scottish fiancé came to visit me for the first time. We were driving somewhere, so I had my purse in the back seat. Well, the cell/mobile rang so I told him to hand me my purse. He gave me my wallet! I was cracking up, thinking "where did you think I had hidden the phone in here?!"

Heh. I remember learning the difference in "purse" and "handbag" when my Scottish fiancé came to visit me for the first time. We were driving somewhere, so I had my purse in the back seat. Well, the cell/mobile rang so I told him to hand me my purse. He gave me my wallet! I was cracking up, thinking "where did you think I had hidden the phone in here?!"

Did I totally miss something? You're marrying a Scot? When did this all happen?    Congratulations!!