Pam
Well-known Member
- Location
- Cumbria, England.
A case of getting your knickers in a twist methinks, Bee...
Agree, QuickSilver, 'knickers' is a good word!
Agree, QuickSilver, 'knickers' is a good word!
English speaking countries still use some different words, tell us ?
- Thread starter oakapple
- Start date
Capt Lightning
Well-known Member
- Location
- Historic Buchan, Scotland
It's really confusing here for anyone who isn't local. Not only are there the common Scottish words, but in this area, a unique dialect called Doric is spoken.
A few words...
Loon - a young man
Quine - a young woman
ken - to know
You can greet a local simply with "Aye Aye" or enquire how they are with "y'fit like?"(are you keeping well). To this you could reply "am Chaavin awa" (I'm struggling on).
A few words...
Loon - a young man
Quine - a young woman
ken - to know
You can greet a local simply with "Aye Aye" or enquire how they are with "y'fit like?"(are you keeping well). To this you could reply "am Chaavin awa" (I'm struggling on).
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
I know the Doric very well . Having grown up in Scotland myself...(although on the west coast), my paternal grandparents were from the highlands.. and my maternal from the East coast!
Last edited:
GeorgiaXplant
Well-known Member
- Location
- Georgia
Pappy, imagine my surprise and confusion the first time I visited London and asked to have someone wake me early in the morning. The desk clerk at the hotel asked, "What time would you like to be knocked up?" Um....
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
I'm stunned by that because it's just simply not a phrase that any hotel receptionist would say in London.
What time would you like to be called, what time would you like to have a knock on your door in the morning...but not what time would you liked to be knocked up..because it means they would be offering to get you pregnant!!
Warrigal
SF VIP
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
Australians tend to modify words, typically by adding the "ee" sound at the end.
and thongs are only worn on the feet.
cardie = cardigan
lippy = lipstick
trackie daks = track suit bottoms
barbie = bbq
sparkie = electrician
chippy = carpenter
lippy = lipstick
trackie daks = track suit bottoms
barbie = bbq
sparkie = electrician
chippy = carpenter
and thongs are only worn on the feet.
GeorgiaXplant
Well-known Member
- Location
- Georgia
Actually, Hollydolly, it happened 30 years ago...maybe it was in common use at the time. It was a pretty upscale hotel...
Pappy
Living the Dream
A term not used much these days here is, much obliged, which means thank you. My grandfather always said this.
There are HUGE differences in the English language here in the states... not only in pronunciation but in meaning ... Beginning in the 60's blacks would be the leaders of new phrases and words that became the "in thing" to use... Even simple words such as 'cool' or 'bad' ...it would take awhile before it dwindled down to white culture.
Capt Lightning
Well-known Member
- Location
- Historic Buchan, Scotland
Hollydolly, I'm from the west myself. Father's side was from the borders and mother from Dennistoun, Glasgow. I was brought up with west coast vernacular - mother often called me a 'thrawn wee skitter' - she had a way with words! Most of those were lost to me when I moved to Hampshire and on moving to Aberdeenshire, I've had to re-learn them.
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
oakapple
Senior Member
- Location
- Oxford England
I have heard that in some places in the US the loo is referred to [in diners and so on] as a comfort station. Is this true?Pappy, 'much obliged' used to be used here, at least until 20 years ago or so, haven't heard it in a while though.Dame Warrigal, at least I know what all those terms mean, but are there any words used that are 'totally' Australian [if you know what I mean!]
Now and again, when watching US drama I do struggle both to understand the accents and some of the words, but mainly muddle through.Anything from new York/New Jersey seems easier to understand than most.
Now and again, when watching US drama I do struggle both to understand the accents and some of the words, but mainly muddle through.Anything from new York/New Jersey seems easier to understand than most.
oakapple
Senior Member
- Location
- Oxford England
It's true that some accents here would be very difficult for anyone to follow,although I think that Last Tango In Halifax [tv drama] is popular -ish in the US? I am from very near Halifax [long time ago] and even I have to re-tune my ears for some things!
Butterfly
SF VIP
- Location
- Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
Early on when we were in Germany, I asked German friends if I might use their bathroom. Though they looked somewhat bewildered, they politely ushered me to a room containing a bathtub. Ummm ... I hadn't wanted to take a bath . . .
Warrigal
SF VIP
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
"Come for tea", means different things to the English and Aussies.
We found out the hard way.
We found out the hard way.
oakapple
Senior Member
- Location
- Oxford England
Yes but which was it, food provided or just a cuppa?
oakapple
Senior Member
- Location
- Oxford England
What's really interesting about the different US States, is depending upon where the original settlers came from, created all the different words, types of houses, food etc.Italian, Irish, English, Scots,Germans, Swedish and so on.So could all of our US posters tell us about their State [or part of State] and what influenced words, speech patterns there?
oakapple
Senior Member
- Location
- Oxford England
The same for our friends from Australia and NZ and Canada [especially all the French speaking provinces.]
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Oakapple,
I live in Connecticut, in the New England states which are heavily inundated with immigrants from several countries. Since NE states are quite small it didn't take much to borrow foods from one to another.
I'd say most of the houses we think of as original here are called cape cods and salt boxes that seem similar to English cottages. They are still around but quite few.
Although not in New England, but less than 2 hours away from me; New York City accents remind me alot of some English accents I've heard on TV but I don't know which region. Some buildings in New York City ( originally New Amsterdam) are unmistakeably Dutch in stlye.
Food up here has been rich in immigrant dishes, My own area of CT is heavily populated with Italians and we've enjoyed that cuisine for a long, long time among others.
In Massachusetts many Portuguese people settled there from their original fishing villages. Seafood reigns, in fact it does all over New England.
I think what we call New England Clam Chowder originates from fish stews from old England. This too, varies; in CT, Maine and others north it's creamy. In Rhode Island it's clear; going over to NY it's red (Manhatten style). North; it's pronounced "Chow-dah", which seems English to me.
Northern New England states like Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts speak with a hugely different accent than Connecticut. I wish I knew why.
I live in Connecticut, in the New England states which are heavily inundated with immigrants from several countries. Since NE states are quite small it didn't take much to borrow foods from one to another.
I'd say most of the houses we think of as original here are called cape cods and salt boxes that seem similar to English cottages. They are still around but quite few.
Although not in New England, but less than 2 hours away from me; New York City accents remind me alot of some English accents I've heard on TV but I don't know which region. Some buildings in New York City ( originally New Amsterdam) are unmistakeably Dutch in stlye.
Food up here has been rich in immigrant dishes, My own area of CT is heavily populated with Italians and we've enjoyed that cuisine for a long, long time among others.
In Massachusetts many Portuguese people settled there from their original fishing villages. Seafood reigns, in fact it does all over New England.
I think what we call New England Clam Chowder originates from fish stews from old England. This too, varies; in CT, Maine and others north it's creamy. In Rhode Island it's clear; going over to NY it's red (Manhatten style). North; it's pronounced "Chow-dah", which seems English to me.
Northern New England states like Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts speak with a hugely different accent than Connecticut. I wish I knew why.
Even though I've lived in California(Pacific West coast) most of my life, I have many fond memories of time spent in the South, where my family's from. Here is an interesting link with a quiz type format: how-many-southern-words-and-phrases-do-you-know
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
This is pretty much the home counties generic accent ( home counties are the counties which surround London)...Rose, this will give you an idea of how we sound in this part of the UK.
There are huge regional variations in the uk given that it's such a small Island...and also of course there is slang talk within any county as well with lots of people particularly the young but the video shows our accent here in the London area pretty well for most of the average population..
There are huge regional variations in the uk given that it's such a small Island...and also of course there is slang talk within any county as well with lots of people particularly the young but the video shows our accent here in the London area pretty well for most of the average population..
