I love it here, but I need a rant...

68? My Dad would turn the thermostat down to 58 at night and there was one crappy radiator in the corner that didn't work very for the size of the room.

Then when I went back to visit after grad school, they decided to get a new oil burner.  I loaded up on blankets and woke up at 2am thinking I was running a fever, but the room was just warm. 

I wouldn't mind so much here, but if you don't have the heat on frequently in this single glazed, craptucularly insulated, house then things go mouldy. Quickly.

Should have gone for an ice cold cider camoscato, that would have been more British 

I'm clinging desperately to my roots.   

4) The condescending way everyone wants to correct my American pronunciation of things. I said "aluminum" and I meant it.

There seem to be more variants and unintelligible accents here in the UK than I've witnessed anywhere else . . . and THEY even have the "Queen's English"! 

So I don't pay any notice to what anyone thinks about my pronunciations.  Until they can get it right amongst themselves, I leave them no room for comment. 

There seem to be more variants and unintelligible accents here in the UK than I've experienced anywhere else . . . and THEY even have the "Queen's English"!  

So I don't pay any notice to what anyone thinks about my pronunciations.  Until they can get it right amongst themselves, I leave them no room for comment.  

I've found DH and I use both UK and US pronunciation now at home.    We can call it pavement or sidewalk and we both know what we're talking about.    It doesn't seem to be an issue when it's just us talking about stuff.... then we start talking with other people.    They have the problem, not me.  

There's been even more dual-pronunciation between us now that we're growing tomatoes (and tomahtoes) and will soon plan basil (and baaaahzil).    It's nice being able to say whichever pronunciation comes to my tongue and not be corrected for it.... by my husband..... the rest of the world is a different story.    

My SIL's in-laws always find something to pick on when we visit.    Last time it was they way I said 'water'.     Actually, I don't think I even said water.... they brought it up.     Way to make an foreigner feel welcome.    Especially considering they're only first or second generation British-born themselves!  

My old manager was constantly mimicking my pronunciation of words.  The one that really got me annoyed (well all of it got me annoyed) was she didn't like the way I say 'thorough' (thu-row).  Apparently even though I'm American and have an East coast accent I'm supposed to say thuh-ruh. 

The one I can't get my head around is vit-a-mins. I go into the chemist's and they look so perplexed when I say "vite-a-mins". It's not that different, folks! Besides I always thinks vite-a-mins sounds more like vital, which is what they're supposed to be 

4) The condescending way everyone wants to correct my American pronunciation of things. I said "aluminum" and I meant it.

The one I can't get my head around is vit-a-mins. I go into the chemist's and they look so perplexed when I say "vite-a-mins". It's not that different, folks! Besides I always thinks vite-a-mins sounds more like vital, which is what they're supposed to be  

I'm in the US and it took me 5 tries and some pointing before I got TomAHtoes in my freaking omelette.

It's not that bloody different, I am saying one of five things you have. It's not cheese, spinach, mushrooms or onion so what does that leave...?

I said TomaAHtoes, and I meant it.

Hehehe, tomatoes are the one thing that I feel really silly trying to pronounce likes the British do. I come out sounding really posh and fake so I just stick to my American pronunciation for that one. Hubby tends to be the only one that corrects my words...but he did that when we lived in the Sates as well. He's just a pain in my bottom and he knows it. 

I'm in the US and it took me 5 tries and some pointing before I got TomAHtoes in my freaking omelette.

It's not that bloody different, I am saying one of five things you have. It's not cheese, spinach, mushrooms or onion so what does that leave...?

I said TomaAHtoes, and I meant it.

I had similar in the States once, when I asked for some water, and after 3 attempts and the wattress not getting it, my now wife said "he want's some wa-er" (basically dropping the "t" and the waitress got it!

DW used a new one on me yesterday - she was making breakfast and she said "do you want the heel?"
I didn't have a clue what she meant, I thought we'd just bought bacon! and then she said "for toast, do you want the heel" and at that I realised she was referring to what I call the crust (end of the loaf). So then I just commented that I'd never heard that, and referred to what I'd call it. Just swap occasional things like that when they crop up. it's not being rude or condescending - if I know what she is referring to then that's ok, but I point out any differences in what it's called here for if she's out and asking for something.

That's odd, I learned calling it the heel after moving here.

That's odd, I learned calling it the heel after moving here.

Strange - today is the first time I've ever heard it called the 'heel' .

Maybe it's a regional and/or personal thing... some people call it the 'heel' and others call it the 'end' or the 'crust' of the loaf? Probably just depends what you grew up with.

I'm in the US and it took me 5 tries and some pointing before I got TomAHtoes in my freaking omelette.

It's not that bloody different, I am saying one of five things you have. It's not cheese, spinach, mushrooms or onion so what does that leave...?

I said TomaAHtoes, and I meant it.

 

I'm sure that was annoying.


I have a similar problem whenever I try to take the bus back to my house. The bus drivers just don't understand what I'm talking about.

I always had a bit of trouble with the British pronunciation of water when I worked in retail in the US. I'm not entirely sure why, but my guess would be that I wasn't expecting it and it took my brain a few seconds to understand.    So, I try to give people the benefit of the doubt here.

Strange - today is the first time I've ever heard it called the 'heel' .

Me too!

Yeah well, who was it that said, Britain and USA are two great nations divided by a common language?
Different pronunciations, different words, different meanings and oh yeah.. it's a different culture people! 

On my first visit to the UK, I would casually ask for iced tea wherever we'd go. Servers would look at me like I was just off another planet and my husband, to avoid the embarrassment, would tell them I was.    One server, however, offered to brew some tea and throw ice in it for me.  LOL!  Not wanting to put her to any trouble and knowing she was unlikely to get it "right" anyway, I said I would be happy with a glass of lemonade instead. That after all, was on the menu. But was I in for a shock because what showed up at the table was a lemon flavoured carbonated soft drink.    That's when I really began to take pity on British culture. 

Oh that reminded me of when I ordered enchiladas at a restaurant one time.  What actually came was a Chinese vegetable stir fry with sweet chili sauce wrapped in a flour tortilla.  LOL!!!  Yeah, they really haven't a clue, have they?  But still, ya gotta' love 'em.  They try. 

... knowing she was unlikely to get it "right" anyway... That's when I really began to take pity on British culture ...  Yeah, they really haven't a clue, have they?  But still, ya gotta' love 'em.  They try. 

I really hope you're attempting to be funny and aren't actually as condescending as this post makes it seem.