kazyeeqen
Superb Owl
Is a 'left-tenent' a different rank entirely? Do we have that in America? Cause I think I only ever hear it with a British accent...
Literature The British English vs American English thread!
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I think we say it the same dont we?
Loo-ten-nant
At least we can say Duty without giggling
Wikipedia to the rescue (again!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant#Etymology
So I think we say "loo" (or "lew") and they say "lef".
French just makes everything more confusing. It also makes me sound like a pretentious **** when people ask me what breed Noshie (one of my dogs) is.
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Calliegirl
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In the US, a scab is someone who crosses a picket line, to work at a company where the regular employees are on strike.(Can't multi-quote on tapatalk)
Don't be a scab, buy your own!
It looks like scabs (regardless of meaning) are disliked in both countries.
You should stay. I think everyone is just kidding around, I didn't take any of it serious.
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kazyeeqen
Superb Owl
Wikipedia to the rescue (again!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant#Etymology
So I think we say "loo" (or "lew") and they say "lef".
French just makes everything more confusing. It also makes me sound like a pretentious **** when people ask me what breed Noshie (one of my dogs) is.
We totally say lew-ten-ent here!
No one says lef-ten-ent! :run:
Farscape does though.
AeryFairy
Anachronism
It's the Brits who say lef-tenant. Not sure why, though. I used to say lieu-tenant until one of my army friends told me off.
IME, Americans who read a lot of British literature understand British English usage, and those who don't read British literature have more difficulty. I assume the converse also applies, so maybe those Brits who have difficulty with American (specifically U.S.) English just aren't particularly well read as far as American literature is concerned.
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I have no idea. I've heard both ways in Britain and I've heard both ways on US tv shows... It's too confusing!
OP
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IME, Americans who read a lot of British literature understand British English usage, and those who don't read British literature have more difficulty. I assume the converse also applies, so maybe those Brits who have difficulty with American (specifically U.S.) English just aren't particularly well read as far as American literature is concerned.
But what about Harry Potter?
AeryFairy
Anachronism
IME, Americans who read a lot of British literature understand British English usage, and those who don't read British literature have more difficulty. I assume the converse also applies, so maybe those Brits who have difficulty with American (specifically U.S.) English just aren't particularly well read as far as American literature is concerned.
I can't speak for others, but I'm usually not bad with it - too much American TV rather than literature
On holiday years ago, my dad was trying to order ice cream from the American waitress. He couldn't think of an American term for "hundreds and thousands" (sprinkles), so he resorted to mime xD
I can't speak for others, but I'm usually not bad with it - too much American TV rather than literature
Haha, yes, me too, I hardly watch any British TV.
I did study American Lit and poetry when I was younger though but a lot of the language wasn't exactly what I would consider "current". But what about Harry Potter?
The HP books came out in Americanized versions, if I remember correctly.
