Language

I've lived in the UK for more than half of my life, and I'm a naturalised British citizen.  I think it would be weird if I *didn't* use the local words, phrases and pronunciations!

The hardest thing for me at the moment is remembering to say 'diesel' or 'fuel' instead of 'petrol', as I've just bought my first diesel motor! 

I'm Massachusetts born,bred and educated. Came to Scotland in 1999 and worked my way up the immigration ladder(was easier and cheaper years ago) and have had dual citizenship for many many years now.

I haven't tried one way or the other to use "british,scottish" terms/language it has just been a natural progression for me being here for 17 years now.. I do find that when I visit family and friends in the states or they visit me.. i have to make a conscious effort to think which is the US vs UK term for things.. Some things they would be able to figure out and some uniquely british/scottish slang the wouldn't have a clue..
Others mileage may vary 

Had a very amusing time yesterday afternoon explaining to my new US mother-in-law (80, lived in the rural South all her life) what a "fortnight" was.... 

Had a very amusing time yesterday afternoon explaining to my new US mother-in-law (80, lived in the rural South all her life) what a "fortnight" was.... 

That's funny. I swear fortnight was still used more recently in the south than it was in the north.

I have a Mexican Citizen father and four Mexican-born grandparents. I'm a first and second generation American and my first language is Spanish. My husband is English and my kids are dual. Our household uses English-American-Mexican words all the time. About two minutes ago, I just told my son to: "Por favor, niño, go upstairs and collect the trash from all the bins and put it all in the garage (the English way) porque mañana vienen the trash men y temprano".

I don't really notice the words I use until someone points it out. My sister has to ask me what certain words mean so I'm using an English word or expression. Other days, I can't find the right word in the entire English language to mean what I want so I'll just say a random Spanish word and strangely, my husband sort of "gets it". If I'm speaking to my in-laws over the phone, I'll have to use English words but it does sound a little strange. I say "petrol" but I also say "gas" or "gasolina". My son, after 12 years in the US (he's 19) still has an English accent and when he uses American words, it sounds strange. My daughter is 15 cannot fathom ever using an English word because she says it sounds stupid to her ears. So, I'm willing to guess it's a preference.

Like others...for me it will always be "gas", "toe-MAY-toe", "cart" not trolley, "sidewalk", etc (even though I once had a Subway worker correct me for asking for "toe-may-toes" and said "Do you mean toe-MAH-toes?" She knew perfectly well what I meant!)

However, I refer to "soccer" as "football". I don't see it as being a fraud, but I am in the land of "football" so it would be more acceptable for me to refer to it as such. Plus I thought saying such would prevent the whole football-soccer debate...wrong! I will get people saying "Oh, I see you call it the PROPER way..." and that usually leads to come long rant about how Americans call it Soccer -_-

Hee heee.  My husband and I have very different interpretations of the word skanky.   

And possibly the word "shag".

Americans might dance the shag on a shag carpet. The British might have a shag on their birthday.

And possibly the word "shag".

Americans might dance the shag on a shag carpet. The British might have a shag on their birthday.

A few months ago I bought a new Shag Bag to pick up golf balls with. Of course.....a few open mouth stares when I told guys about it. My wife still can't stand me calling a Bum Bag a Fanny pack....makes her cringe.

I like having conversations about filling up a 'growler' with beer......Hehehehe

Heck, even within the US there are pronunciation differences. I say crick instead of creek........motorsickle instead of motorcycle. There are some UK carryovers in the NE US aren't there? I haven't lived there so I only pick up on some of that from TV (if it's on TV.....it must be true!). I hate to think about what happens to things in the deep South. My wife cringes whenever she hears a heavy Southern accent on TV. We used to watch a bit of NCIS New Orleans.....should could barely understand what the one guy said.....and he didn't have that bad of an accent

I like having conversations about filling up a 'growler' with beer......Hehehehe

...oh dear lord... 

I tend to adapt my speech depending on with whom I am speaking.  I work with kids at work and it really confuses them when I speak American.  One three-year old once told me off for saying Zee-bra and not Zeb-bra.  I still take customers back to the bathroom, rarely the toilet and never the loo.  I speak a weird hybrid language with my husband.  We sometimes use the same words but typically know what the other means.

I find myself using British phrases more than anything.  I commonly respond with "no worries," I sign my e-mails with "kind regards," etc. 

I find myself using British phrases more than anything.  I commonly respond with "no worries," I sign my e-mails with "kind regards," etc.

'No worries' must be a US regionalism. I and most of the people I know in the States have all said it since the late 90's Early 00's. We're from Colorado.

"Anything dainty or derived from French (serviette, toilet, pardon?) she decreed non-U, spoken by aspirational people anxious to appear naice and refained."

http://www.lady.co.uk/people/8352-pardon-that-s-practically-a-swear-word

I like having conversations about filling up a 'growler' with beer......Hehehehe

I hate to sound thick, but what's wrong with growler?  I was gonna ask for one the other day.