Language differences

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:09 am

Chips are fries

Crisps are chips here-potato chips

Ive been called daft and a narna by more than a few Scots and Brits...here that means brilliant and overwhelmingly astute.

I assume its near the same thing there. :rolleyes:

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:11 am

A narna! Not nanny nanny?

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:14 am

I must say that all the people that served us in the US, where somewhat kind, because we kept asking for a dinner with chips, of course forgetting that for u those are not the same chips that we are talking off. Thankfully we didn't get one person, look at us strangely, they just excepted us British folk.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:17 am

Chips are used to play poker......................or cops in California!

:wah:

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:18 am

chonsigirl wrote: A narna! Not nanny nanny?

You take that back ! :p

sherry · Post by **sherry** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:19 am

I say daft all the time. As in daft as a brush.

sherry · Post by **sherry** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:20 am

Nomad wrote: Chips are fries

Crisps are chips here-potato chips

Ive been called daft and a narna by more than a few Scots and Brits...here that means brilliant and overwhelmingly astute.

I assume its near the same thing there. :rolleyes:
It's nana as in banana I believe.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:21 am

I must say I never heard that before, daft as a brush?

I use a brush for my hair.

And daft is for a vacancy sign in the mind.

*looking at Nomad*

I didn't say a word..................nanny, nanny, nanny.................

sherry · Post by **sherry** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:24 am

it comes from fox hunting I think. As in brush as in foxes tail.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:25 am

And daft is for a vacancy sign in the mind.

*looking at Nomad*

Its not a vacancy sign bunny its an under reconstruction sign with an occasional out to lunch thrown in

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:25 am

Oh, yuchy-fox hunting.

Scarf-to eat like a pig-since I put that in word association.................not a thingee around your neck...............

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:27 am

Lady cop asked what we think of American accents, its funny actually cause we here so many from the telly and the films that its not that strange sounding to us. I think for Americans its a bit different as the Scots and Irish characters in films and dramas tend to be played by Americans doing an accent, like Scotty in Star Trek, which wasn't really the same as a real one. Some American accents are a bit mad, like the minnesota/mid canada one, or the deep southern ones, or that mad New York one. I do fnid it extremely difficult to understand the modern urban street talk that both Black and White kids seem to use now, but I guess that would be the same for Americans of a certain age as well.

BTW, in all this discussion the poor old Welsh seem to have been left out as usual, poor old Wales, they have nice accents as well you know.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:27 am

chonsigirl wrote: Oh, yuchy-fox hunting.

Scarf-to eat like a pig-since I put that in word association.................not a thingee around your neck...............

I wonder what one does with a fox once its been hunted ? Bad foxes !

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:29 am

You don't want to know, poor little fox-there is a thread on that topic somewhere.

*looking fora needle and thread to sew the fox's tail back on*

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:30 am

poor old Wales, they have nice accents as well you know.

No they don't

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:31 am

Some American accents are a bit mad, like the minnesota/mid canada one

*sigh* I live in Minnesota. People dont talk like that here ! I know no one who speaks like that. Its a Hollywood fabrication. Actually we have more German settlers than Scandinavian. There might be pockets of Swedes or Norweigens that have that dialect but for the most part no. The movie Fargo ? That was a joke.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:33 am

Regional differences give variety to English here. I enjoy the southern slant on words, but my western accent got a student ticked today-too bad! Now, Spanish on the other hand, has great regional difference, and the Spanglish of the West is a hoot to talk in, very slick and full of double and triple meanings.

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:34 am

I agree with Nomad, so many films these days portray the people and places around the world nothing like what they actually are. People will simply believe the films, and go on just that as to what other places around the world are actually like.

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:35 am

I find american accents sexy, out of the mouth of a sexy person of course though!!. some American accents are nicer than others, but on the whole they're pretty attractive.

I think I'm a bit unusual in so far as the Italian, French and Irish accents do nothing for me really. The Italian, French and Irish accents sound like they'd wine and dine you, whereas the American accent sounds like they'd really show you a good time! ;D

X

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:36 am

Nomad wrote: Some American accents are a bit mad, like the minnesota/mid canada one

*sigh* I live in Minnesota. People dont talk like that here ! I know no one who speaks like that. Its a Hollywood fabrication. Actually we have more German settlers than Scandinavian. There might be pockets of Swedes or Norweigens that have that dialect but for the most part no. The movie Fargo ? That was a joke.

Sorry, sorry, its just that I knew this fella from Alberta, and he had a bit of a mad accent, I don't think it was the same as the Fargo one, but it was a little bit german sounding, and he said that it was a bit like the minnesota one. But you actually live there so I will take your word for it. I know what its like when people do bad imersonations of your national dialect, that movie "Far and Away" when Tom Cruise was supposed to be Irish, people in the cinema were in hysterics here during that film at his ridiculous attempts, it was the unintentional comedy hit of that year! Priceless.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:39 am

The sweet whisperings of a true southern belle will lull you and ease you into submission and carry you away with the wind. :-4

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:40 am

Bothwell wrote: .

No they don't

Now now, Bothwell, don't go all English on us. Think of some of the fine Shakespearians that the principality has produced. Poor old Wales, ever the bridesmaid, dear, dear.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:43 am

Nomad wrote: The sweet whisperings of a true southern belle will lull you and ease you into submission and carry you away with the wind. :-4
Oh honey child, you just are the sweetest..................

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:43 am

Galbally wrote: Now now, Bothwell, don't go all English on us. Think of some of the fine Shakespearians that the principality has produced. Poor old Wales, ever the bridesmaid, dear, dear.
I like the Welsh accent, my stepsister lives there and has picked it up, it is very sweet.

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:49 am

Galbally wrote: Sorry, sorry, its just that I knew this fella from Alberta, and he had a bit of a mad accent, I don't think it was the same as the Fargo one, but it was a little bit german sounding, and he said that it was a bit like the minnesota one. But you actually live there so I will take your word for it. I know what its like when people do bad imersonations of your national dialect, that movie "Far and Away" when Tom Cruise was supposed to be Irish, people in the cinema were in hysterics here during that film at his ridiculous attempts, it was the unintentional comedy hit of that year! Priceless.

The worst accent simply has to be Dick Van Dyke's (spelling?) attempt at English in Mary Poppins!!! Wow, he went from English to Australian and back in so many ways!!

I find that the Yanks sometimes find it difficult to distinguish between the English and the Australian accent-I suppose Cockney sounds a little like Aussie?

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:55 am

I had an English roomate once and I fairly picked up his accent. I would go to bars and try it out on the girls. It was a magnet and it actually worked for me a once. Not that Im proud of that but hey all is fair in love and war when your 18.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:01 am

Nomad wrote: I had an English roomate once and I fairly picked up his accent. I would go to bars and try it out on the girls. It was a magnet and it actually worked for me a once. Not that Im proud of that but hey all is fair in love and war when your 18.

Nice one me auld mucker, pulling the top totty wiv a bit o' british lingo! I can well adam and eve it!

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:04 am

Galbally wrote: Nice one me auld mucker, pulling the top totty wiv a bit o' british lingo! I can well adam and eve it!

LOL !! Yea well I wasnt that good but mission accomplished.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:07 am

Nomad wrote: LOL !! Yea well I wasnt that good but mission accomplished.

Very good, its a results driven industry after all.

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:14 am

It's interetsing how different countries and even regions have stereotypes. Even if you don't mean to, it's hard not to hear a Texan accent without immediately imagining the person in a Cowboy hat with spurs (like that character in The Simpsons. Lol!) Or, to hear a French accent without thinking of garlic and bicycles (well, riots might be more appropriate at the mo).

Maybe I'm not p.c. enough.

I thought that the British and especially the English were seen as being a bit too 'reserved' to help pull a girl Nomad, or did you try and play the 'East end geezer'? Tee hee!!

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:19 am

I definetly think Nomad is a bit of a natural geezer, he'd be right at home in Eastenders. That bloke is well mental.

sherry · Post by **sherry** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:21 am

I think geezer is the right word for him *lol*

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:24 am

Katy1 wrote: It's interetsing how different countries and even regions have stereotypes. Even if you don't mean to, it's hard not to hear a Texan accent without immediately imagining the person in a Cowboy hat with spurs (like that character in The Simpsons. Lol!) Or, to hear a French accent without thinking of garlic and bicycles (well, riots might be more appropriate at the mo).

Maybe I'm not p.c. enough.

I thought that the British and especially the English were seen as being a bit too 'reserved' to help pull a girl Nomad, or did you try and play the 'East end geezer'? Tee hee!!

Its the novelty I suppose. Heres something different, the same reason I find English, Irish, and Scot accents alluring. A lady from a far away land with new and interesting experiences.

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:36 am

Mind you nomad, if you really wanted to be like an English bloke you'd drink six pints of Stella Artois, stumble over to her saying something like 'you'll do', drink six more pints, invite back to yours-stopping only for a half eaten kebab (throwing the rest in the road) Steal some traffic cones, vomit into one of them....crawl up the stairs shouting 'c'mon love' (not realising she left for the taxi rank an hour ago and pass out, face down in an ashtray. With you trousers around your ankles (and you will never know why they were).

sherry · Post by **sherry** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:48 am

Katy1 wrote: Mind you nomad, if you really wanted to be like an English bloke you'd drink six pints of Stella Artois, stumble over to her saying something like 'you'll do', drink six more pints, invite back to yours-stopping only for a half eaten kebab (throwing the rest in the road) Steal some traffic cones, vomit into one of them....crawl up the stairs shouting 'c'mon love' (not realising she left for the taxi rank an hour ago and pass out, face down in an ashtray. With you trousers around your ankles (and you will never know why they were).
PMSL!:wah:

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:08 am

Katy1 wrote: Mind you nomad, if you really wanted to be like an English bloke you'd drink six pints of Stella Artois, stumble over to her saying something like 'you'll do', drink six more pints, invite back to yours-stopping only for a half eaten kebab (throwing the rest in the road) Steal some traffic cones, vomit into one of them....crawl up the stairs shouting 'c'mon love' (not realising she left for the taxi rank an hour ago and pass out, face down in an ashtray. With you trousers around your ankles (and you will never know why they were).

Charming. I think Ill just stay a Minnesota guy all the same. :rolleyes:

sherry · Post by **sherry** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:21 am

It's a stage some british men go through, if we're lucky they grow out of it.

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:29 am

Mind you nomad, if you really wanted to be like an English bloke you'd drink six pints of Stella Artois, stumble over to her saying something like 'you'll do', drink six more pints, invite back to yours-stopping only for a half eaten kebab (throwing the rest in the road) Steal some traffic cones, vomit into one of them....crawl up the stairs shouting 'c'mon love' (not realising she left for the taxi rank an hour ago and pass out, face down in an ashtray. With you trousers around your ankles (and you will never know why they were).

Look I put the bloody cone back and it was funny at the time, you also missed out the 101 uses of a naan bread competition

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:34 am

Funny thing is Nomad, you might think that I'm Exaggerating....but oh no! There ia a large percentage of british men (and women come to think of it!!) that do exactly that, every weekend.

But of course, none that would post on thi forum!!

Minnesota eh? What kind of accent is that then? And don't take the **** and say Minnesotan. Lol.

Bothwell, I am intrigued, do go on........

Post by **Betty Boop** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:43 am

Katy1 wrote: Mind you nomad, if you really wanted to be like an English bloke you'd drink six pints of Stella Artois, stumble over to her saying something like 'you'll do', drink six more pints, invite back to yours-stopping only for a half eaten kebab (throwing the rest in the road) Steal some traffic cones, vomit into one of them....crawl up the stairs shouting 'c'mon love' (not realising she left for the taxi rank an hour ago and pass out, face down in an ashtray. With you trousers around your ankles (and you will never know why they were).

:yh_rotfl Very good, and oh so true!! Came across some just last weekend.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:45 am

We have a mix of Germanic and Scandinavian people here but the settlers came a long time ago of course so if there is an accent its very subtle. Im not sure the Brits have the market cornered in vomiting in cones and passing out in ashtrays. If there is a difference in perception it might be that it would be considered alcoholism and treated as a sickness or disease here. There I cant speak to, except perhaps your drinking bouts might be considered just how it is ??? I dont know.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:07 am

Its a ritual here, young people go out to get pissed (drunk) and basically misbehave themselves. S'not considered alcoholism till your 30 and drinking a bottle of vodka before breakfast. Funnily enough the Japannese (another repressed Island race) also do this, and its quite socially acceptable for Japanese bunessmen to get plastered (drunk) in the middle of tokyo and fall around the place throwing up, funny that innit? Personally I think the secret of American sucess has been the ability of the population to get up on monday morning without a hangover, we need to learn from these people. Though the poles and the russians make us look like teetotallers, never, ever, get into a drinking competion with those people, you will regret it.

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:14 am

They call it 'binge drinking'. Very topical at the moment. And it's not seen as alcoholism, more like 'how it is'.

The species of which I spoke of are in their 'natural habitat' when the 'World Cup' is on.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:23 am

Personally I plan to support France coz they knocked us out of it, drink a glass of Burgundy with some Pate de Fois Gras and a little Brie, while roaring at the tele. Though maybe I should just have beer and pretzels seeing as its in Germany.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:30 am

Katy1 wrote: They call it 'binge drinking'. Very topical at the moment. And it's not seen as alcoholism, more like 'how it is'.

The species of which I spoke of are in their 'natural habitat' when the 'World Cup' is on.

Monkey see monkey do. How are the drunk driving laws applied there ? Not until the last 20 yrs due to MADD (mothers against drunk driving) have there been serious penalties. Drunk driving is criminal and not treated lightly here any longer. Far too many unnecessary deaths.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:44 am

Nomad wrote: Monkey see monkey do. How are the drunk driving laws applied there ? In the lat 20 yrs due to MADD (mothers against drunk driving) have there been serious penalties. Drunk driving is criminal and not treated lightly here any longer. Far too many unnecessary deaths.

Amen to that buddy.

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:00 am

As you will have gathered from UK news items we have many immigrants here. Down 'south' where I live we are getting the following nationalties :

Thai

Polish

Lithuanian

Spanish

Portugese

Brazillian (with Italian passports ....why)

African

And more.

I have employed people from all of these countries in the last 12 months...the locals who send in application forms are not up to the standard I'm looking for...sad but true...apart from the Spanish and Portugese, they all have very little knowledge of the english language, but boy do they want to learn. They go to english classes twice a week and and the improvement is astounding in just a few weeks. I find the accents they carry into the english language facinating....specially the Lithuanians.

Their 'work ethic' gets 10 out of 10 from me. I guess this is because of circumstances in their own countries. I have mining engineers, dental nurses and several who have degrees in their own countries...bear in mind that I am recruiting for unskilled factory work...

Sorry to get off the point a bit...I just find it so interesting....they nearly all send money home to their impoverished families back home.....some are so desperate that they leave children with grand parents while they get settled.

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:05 am

Well, they do the usual hard hitting ad campaigns every Christmas along with extra spot checks.

Most of this unruly behavious is pretty much centralised around Town and City Centres and TBH parking fee's for parking centrally is extortionate. No one bothers parking there unless you really have no choice. So these people tend to get taxi's home or walk. There's a Ã‚£50 fine for 'fouling' the back of a taxi-oh and they run night-buses to get the rabble home in the small hours. So drink driving isn't really an issue in this context.

We don't even run a car, neither my husband and I have ever learnt! Getting a bit of a pain in the neck with a 13 month old and an 8 week old baby though. Lol.

On a different tack, funny isn't it. An English person will supposrt a Welsh Scottish or N.Irish team if they get jnocked out. But it never happens the other way around........

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:10 am

On a different tack, funny isn't it. An English person will supposrt a Welsh Scottish or N.Irish team if they get jnocked out. But it never happens the other way around........

Those bastards !