Americanisms that will never, ever cross over into the UK

Oh no I don't either, jus' sayin'.

what about the use of "rack" meaning a case of beer and "half a rack" as a 12-pack? actually i never heard that outside of new england where we had our own language to tell the outsiders from the natives. c.f., pronouncing "faneuil hall" or what the three apartment dwellings in dorchester are called.

also, does anyone over there say "y'all" in a non-ironic way?

Does anyone outside the US use "freshman," "sophomore," etc?

Nope. The words don't even make any sense as our education systems are completely different. 'Fratboy' doesn't have any equivalent. Or 'High School proms'. Or 'jock'. And for most people 'college' doesn't mean 'university'.

...did anyone mention Americans saying "how's it going?" or "what's up?" and NOT actually expecting an answer?

What does "what's up?" mean in America? I've always used it to mean "what's the matter?", but it seems to mean "what's going on?". I need to know exactly what Bugs Bunny intended by his catchphrase. Also, I haven't come across anyone in Britain saying 'hey!' to mean 'hi!'.

For example, "grew like Topsy" is never going to catch on here in the USA.

But it's a quote from an American book!

Also british people will never say "bro". they may on occasion use dude (ken c?), but it ends there.

-- admrl, Friday, June 29, 2007 4:39 AM (Friday, June 29, 2007 4:39 AM) Bookmark Link

I don't think I've ever used "bro" outside ILX

-- Curt1s Stephens, Friday, June 29, 2007 4:39 AM (Friday, June 29, 2007 4:39 AM) Bookmark Link

I said "bro" a minute before opening this thread. I think I use "dude" as well, though more in the written word than the spoken.

May we never start referring to our main courses as "entrees"... aargh.

yeah that is a weird one

Waiiit who does this!?

Does anyone outside the US use "freshman," "sophomore," etc?

-- Sundar, Friday, June 29, 2007 6:48 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Link

'fresher'.

i say dude all the time.

"now you're talkin" is great

i've never heard a british person say "TELL me about it"

NRQ you need to realize that british people cannot say "dude" any more than americans can say "mate"

it's just how i roll, holmes

oh shit "chopped liver". don't even know what it means.

not jewish enough.

You don't know shit from shinola.

I've been saying "its how I roll" a bit too much lately much to many peoples irritation.

Anyone cited "Mom" yet? I couldn't be arsed to read the 280-something skipped messages.

i hate the word "mom" yet i am american. it sounds plastic somehow.

Well, although we spell it "mum", most people seem to pronounce it "mom", I know I do.

British people will never go to "the john", will they?

Mum = mum for me.

What I am finding curious about this thread is the mishmash of UK and US phrases Aussies will use. You'd think we'd veer more twards the britishers but on reading this thread I'm not so sure.

'the john' gets you out of the toilet/lavatory issue. but no-one in britain says 'the bathroom' meaning lavatory.

"the men's room"

Ha I say bathroom all the time! Toilet - non-u. Loo - urgh, just don't like the word. Lavatory - too formal.

Water Closet.

'the can'

The pisser.

Dunny.

I usually find that just pointing in the vague direction of the bathroom and saying either "where's the...um...?" or else "I'm just off to the...um..." does pretty well.

although we spell it "mum", most people seem to pronounce it "mom"

Really?

I think so. If I pronounce it "mum", it sounds weird.

Maybe it's just my family, I dunno. My mum calls her mum "mom", which could be where I got it from. I thought I'd heard other people saying it like that too though.

"auxiliary ensign poo"

Anyone cited "Mom" yet?

If you have a British West Midlands accent you use Mom. I don't really have much of my regional accent remaining, but I still say Mom. People who are not from that area take the piss out of me constantly for "sounding like an American."

I do say hey to greet people, but I've picked that up from the Americans I work with. I've also picked up starting sentences with 'So...' which is driving my boyfriend crackers.

I thought brums said it more like "moom" though? The ones Ive known anyway.

Depending on where you are in the UK, just about any vowel or diphthong can go between the Ms.

You're in trouble now Trayce.

what's wrong with 'so...'?!

i think i just like americanisms, and i'm hooked on american tv partly just for the back-and-forth, new idioms, rhythms, etc.; it's proof of linguistic vitality or something.

what EVERRR

what's wrong with 'so...'?!

Yeah I'm really astonished by some of the things deemed Americanisms here!

If you have a British West Midlands accent you use Mom.

Why am I in trouble now? Oh dear.

I remember about seven years ago myself and loads of people I hung out with started saying douchebag all the time, having just been introduced to it by one, or both, of Daphne & Celeste. Good times

yet/already with the simple past tense. "Did you do it yet?" Don't think that's really crossed over to the UK.

Birmingham is a very different part of the world from where Anna comes from. The West Midlands is the Balkans of British Regional Identities and accents.

uh?

xpost

The West Midlands is the Balkans of British Regional Identities and accents.

xpost to the "uh"

I would say "have you done it yet?"
"Did you do it yet?" sounds American to me. Maybe I'm behind the times though.