Literature The British English vs American English thread!

[Alice-Bee]

I had lunch with a British ex-pat today. This topic came up. He said that what Helen Bonham Carter said in the movie was just plain wrong. It should be Ma'am rhymes with palm (or Maaarm), not rhymes with ham. Now, I don't know which is right. But it is puzzling to me why they would put it in the movie if it is wrong.

BTW, I never expect to meet the Queen, so this is all academic to me.

I knew I was righter than a film. As Mythbusters prooves most things in Movies are utter balls.

This came up at dinner tonight, and did not come from me, because I'd never noticed it.

Imagine a queue of Americans. Then imagine a queue of Britons.

The Americans wait in line; the Brits wait on line.

No we dont. We Queue or line up or wait in line...Never ever heard that we wait ON line. You know unless computers are involved.

A lot of people here use "so" at the end of sentences.
I'm not sure if its an American thing, or a regional thing, so.

I say that when Im being sarcastic or in a mood. Sort of 'Well I didnt know that...soooo.' in a you finish the sentence way. Or something.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I say that when Im being sarcastic or in a mood. Sort of 'Well I didnt know that...soooo.' in a you finish the sentence way. Or something.

I hear it a lot in regular conversation, so.




As for British vs American differences...
It seems like a British "scheme" is descriptive, and just a plan, organization to do something?
Where most (if not every) usage of "scheme" I hear from Americans is negative. It's always like a pyramid scheme, or something else negative.

 

[AeryFairy]

As for British vs American differences...
It seems like a British "scheme" is descriptive, and just a plan, organization to do something?
Where most (if not every) usage of "scheme" I hear from Americans is negative. It's always like a pyramid scheme, or something else negative.

Pretty much, although if you're 'scheming' it's usually meant in a kind of 'muahahahaha evil plot' kind of way. We send out adverts using the word 'scheme' all the time, though, and it's not meant as a bad thing.

 

[hungryraccoon]

This came up at dinner tonight, and did not come from me, because I'd never noticed it.

Imagine a queue of Americans. Then imagine a queue of Britons.

The Americans wait in line; the Brits wait on line.

Eh??? Nope.

 

[hungryraccoon]

A lot of people here use "so" at the end of sentences.
I'm not sure if its an American thing, or a regional thing, so.

Interesting. Never heard that before.

 

[KLS52]

Me either...I would use it at the beginning of a sentence, but not at the end.

 

[FortyTwo]

A lot of people here use "so" at the end of sentences.
I'm not sure if its an American thing, or a regional thing, so.

I do this ALL THE TIME. The same goes for "like."

 

[sequoia]

A lot of people here use "so" at the end of sentences.
I'm not sure if its an American thing, or a regional thing, so.

Regional fo sho.

 

[sequoia]

I have heard people here say wait on line. Freaks, probably.

 

[Joe]

No we dont. We Queue or line up or wait in line...Never ever heard that we wait ON line. You know unless computers are involved.

Thank you for that correction. I'll pass it along to the person who said it.

 

[Joe]

Eh??? Nope.

Second negative vote. Thanks.

 

[hungryraccoon]

Made me think of this thread.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I was just watching Frasier and the characters were talking about the third date rule, in regards to having sex on the third date. Do people from the US really think that way about sex and the number of dates or is it an unrealistic TV thing?

 

[ledboots]

I was just watching Frasier and the characters were talking about the third date rule, in regards to having sex on the third date. Do people from the US really think that way about sex and the number of dates or is it an unrealistic TV thing?

TV thing. Although some people I'm sure hope it is true!

 

[Moll Flanders]

TV thing. Although some people I'm sure hope it is true!

 

[Calliegirl]

Yeah, it's a tv thing. We, or at least the people I know, don't have a number. It could be the first date, it could be the 50th.

 

[PTree15]

I have heard people here say wait on line. Freaks, probably.

People in Pennsylvania say wait "on" line as well. I always say "in" line. Maybe another regionalism.

 

[Joe]

I was just watching Frasier and the characters were talking about the third date rule, in regards to having sex on the third date. Do people from the US really think that way about sex and the number of dates or is it an unrealistic TV thing?

Let me break this down into two parts.

First, the counting or numbering of dates, yes, some people--perhaps many people do that. During my relationship with Carol, she complained that we had twenty-two dates before I kissed her. It had never occurred to me to keep a count of our dates, nor to conduct myself according to the "number" of the date I was on. But she had expectations that did depend on date numbering. Different strokes for different folks.

As to whether there is an expectation of sex on the third date, I don't think so. Frasier is a comedy show, so they probably just threw that in to be ridiculous.
In fact, most of the "you'd better do Y by X date" stuff I have seen on TV has been in comedy shows.

 

[Renee1]

The 3 date rule has been pretty true in my experience, though I'm pretty strictly a first-date kind of woman.

 

[Moll Flanders]

The 3 date rule has been pretty true in my experience, though I'm pretty strictly a first-date kind of woman.