The most vocal in the UK do not represent most of us real Brits, hate is a very strong word for us. Please don't be triggered by trolls or over think things.....yall!
Ha ha, yes I understand! Several people have mentioned they disapprove of British people trying to say "y'all" for example 😉. Cheers for your comment! Dara
I agree. Saying homage in the French way - hom-arje instead of HOM-age. My son says mili-TARY instead of militry and cerry-moaney instead of cerem'ny. The worst one though that has infiltrated British English is "can I get a coffee"; why don't the staff say, "yes you can get a coffee, just come round this side of the counter and I'll show you where to get it from". Oh and another one; using leverage instead of utilise or make use of.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Myself neither, but it is funny to kinda confuse a few when they think they are more savvy on the subject. This includes some Brits, which I find more entertaining when they don't realise they are talking to someone from Yorkshire (especially when they don't recognise the Yorkshire rose). Them saying it is york-sheer/shear, instead of york-sure/shur. But we live and learn to some degree, and some don't.
Videos like this should never be taken too seriously, they are just a bit of fun. As a Londoner I am as much ‘annoyed’ by what people from other parts of London and multiple different parts of the UK say and pronounce. There are no standards. Dictionaries don’t set rules for pronunciation, they merely record common usage.
Americans saying ACLIMATED instead of ACCLIMATISED !! Americans saying " can you bring me to..." rather than "can you take me to..." !! Americans saying " I'm shook" instead of " I'm shocked" !! Americans putting the emphasis on the wrong word/letter. Americans using a Z instead of an S in words that end in ISE !! NEVER heard of the word GARNERING of someone's wages. We would say DOCK someone's wages. SODA instead of POP/FIZZY DRINK. I HATE THE PHRASE " MY BAD" !!
Oooh strong feelings and loads of uppercase letters! Some of the things you hate are new inventions of the younger generation and some are just things that changed when words crossed the pond... but they are correct in the USA. 🇺🇸. So please don't hate us 🤗
"I'm shook" does not have the same meaning as "I'm shocked." The former is a sarcastic response to information presented in an unbelievable way. The latter is similar to being gobsmacked, the information provided has not been received and processed as yet. For words ending in 'ise' or 'ize', American English gives credit to the language of origin. Words stolen from latin by way of French have 'ize' endings, words stolen from Greek have 'ise' endings. Since these words were stolen from other languages, the default would be to enjoy the differences--think of it as honor among thieves.
@@MagentaOtterTravels I think a number of "ize" or "ise" words were pretty interchangeably spelt when the early settlers emigrated, and the standardisation of "ise" endings are actually the later mode, but they are drummed into us in UK schools, so that's one reason we get so steamed up about them 🙂
“Thoughts and prayers”, possibly the most insincere term of all, when in fact it means “You know I know your predicament but I can’t be bothered to demonstrate any active support”.
My 5 great hates are: 1) Pronouncing "route" as "rout" instead of "root" 2) "Normalcy", instead of "normality" 3) "Momentarily", instead of "in a moment" 4) "I could care less", instead of "I couldn't care less" 5) "Gotten" And then I almost forgot "If I would have...". "If" indicates that the sentence is conditional. It doesn't need the conditional form of the verb. It should be "If I had..."
Route is pronounced both ways in America depending on region ie Root 66. Gotten apparently originates from Middle English, that the Brititsh colonies brought over to America. In Britain today we have evolved to shortening it to 'got'.
@@paulguise698 I honestly never thought about it before this video. But yeah it's a bit strange. Like 'these little guys' is another I have noticed when describing food or other small things I think.
Haha, I never heard the term burgled until my mother in law came to visit for 3 weeks (a couple decades ago) and her house was burgled whilst she was in Texas. It was AWFUL... they took everything including the light fixtures off the ceiling!
American parent to kid. "There are two words you are saying which are unacceptable to me. One is awesome and the other is gross!" Kid to parent: "OK mom tell me what they are and I'll stop saying them!" However, my most hated word is 'grab'. Please, oh please stop saying you are 'grabbing' when you mean to pick them up! In UK 'grab' is associated with really greedy, bad behaviour. I find it really grating.
Yes, but a Brit word that is irritating to me is when one is looking at a real estate project, they use the word scheme, which has a very negative meaning in American English. It has a very negative meaning in our language in the US.
Have a nice day is not just insincere, but intrusive. I work in a shop and I don't want to be told how to spend the rest of my day. For all the American knows, I sm going to a funeral after work. I hate are you alright too, unless the person is about to faint. What's wrong with hello and goodbye? In the UK may I help you means, I think you are trying to steal something.
Somebody tell Americans that Moscow, the Capital of Russia does not sound like a farmyard animal. Second, there is no such thing as a airplane, it's an aeroplane.
Well, if it's spelled airplane... that's how we have to pronounce it. If you wrote aeroplane on a school assignment in the USA, you'd be marked off for that.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Now that you mention it I have heard it called coe. I might have even said it some. I'm curious about the Russian pronunciation. They would know how to pronounce it correctly! They say Moskva.
The one that bugs me in America, is referring to everyone as, Bro… especially the youth who use it multiple times in each sentence, boys and girls, when talking to boys and girls.
As Ben Elton stated in the 1980s. “Have a nice day” doesn’t quite sound as nice in broad Wigan accent, as it does in Florida or Texan accent, we just want quick service. “What do you want! There you are, now phuck oof” that’s the English way or at least the Northern English way.😂
@@jeanlongsden1696 Hi, Brit here. Sorry mate but unless the system has changed drastically since my RM service in the 1960's you're wrong. While the Royal Marines and the SBS are related, they serve different roles. The SBS is the maritime special forces unit, whereas the Royal Marines fulfill broader amphibious and naval duties. Both units contribute to the UK’s defense capabilities, with the SBS operating at the highest level of specialisation and secrecy.
"don't hate on people" Dara??? How can one hate ON someone? There's another for your list! I could put up with 'awesome' more easily if it wasn't pronounced 'arrsome'. But none of the 'word' or pronunciation differences bug me quite as much as the American insistence on using adjectives as adverbs.
I am a 70 year old and work on the checkout at a supermarket I greet customers with “hello how are you today “ then I ask “have you had a good week” and am quite prepared for a discussion about it. When customers leave I say enjoy the rest of your day
Another one that occurs to me comes from an Australian friend of mine who is now a US citizen. He says (as do all Americans) that he “immigrated to” the US. WRONG! He EMIGRATED from Australia to the US, whereupon he became an immigrant in the US.
@@MagentaOtterTravels The easiest way to solve this is to think "in-" instead of "im-" for immigrate. You enter into the new country, therefore IMmigrate. The opposite or leaving word is EMmigtate "em-" referring to Exit. The two initial letters alone should be your biggest clues.
@@ianprince1698 His arms will be bloody tired from all that flapping then ;-D Added - this comment relates to the post that says "migrate" just so y'all know.
I was on the bus back from Minehead at lunchtime today and had to bite my lip. There were two American ladies sitting behind me and they were enthusing about the cute old churches and thatched cottages along the way. I was thinking that a 19th century church and 18th century cottages were fairly new. LOL.
I love a lot of things the Americans say, its a lot of fun hearing the different accents and Pronunciations. Life would be just a little bit more boring if we all spoke the Queens English.
As a Brit, I still enjoy imagining how the locals pronounce the name of their village or town. As a general rule, it's usually the most outlandish that is the accepted way. xx
Two phrases that I find strange are: "Needs fixed" (future tense straight into past tense) instead of Needs to be Fixed or Requires Repair. "Under Construction" for example when an old building is being repaired or restored. Construction implies the act of building in the first place. However, English is a gift to the world, not a set of rules.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Not that I've heard. It seems a very American phrase, heard on many RU-vid videos refering to the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) during its recent restoration. As I suggested, Construction seems to imply new building or re-building. The clock tower was constructed in 1834 and the latest renovation was from 2017 to 2022.
There's a great story about the pronunciation of "harassment". When Michael Crawford pronounced it the American way in his 1970s sitcom "Some Mother Do 'Ave 'Em" it was for comic effect and got a laugh, but it popularized that pronounciation in Britain.
There are huge numbers of words pronounced incorrectly by Americans in the UK. However, the language is complicated and inevitably variations in pronunciation will occur. What I think irritates British people in the UK, is the American assumption that they are correct ALL the time. The situation is exacerbated by the volume at which most Americans talk. I remember sitting in a bar in Belgium recently which was extremely busy with a number of languages being spoken. Flemish, German, French, Italian and English all around us, however, the only people you could hear distinctly, was an American couple talking loudly, complaining about the service and quality.
I'm a great fan of language, and the diversity thereof. I love to hear how non-Brits speak English, I just reserve the right not to join in. Where you would say, "y'all" I might say "you lot." You say, "my bad," I say, "oops." You say, "have a nice day," I would rather bite my tongue off...
As a Brit, I have never heard the word "goose pimples", we also say "goosebumps". Sinks are located in the kitchen and basins are located in the bathroom. Another grammatical thing I have noticed is that some people use the word "alot" rather than "a lot", I guess that is just the way people tend to speak and do not realise that it is two words and not just one. Did you notice that in the last sentence I used the word "guess", which I think has come over from America, up to a couple of years ago I would have used the word "think".
What a really brilliant analysis of and discourse on language differences, delivered so understandingly, beautifully articulately and with great humour. How could anyone be offended by your video? (You should offer this as an after-dinner speech!) I’m sure we in Britain say things that grate with Americans, as much as Americans say things that irritate us. I’m also certain some Brits say things that grate with fellow Brits - terminological inexactitudes such as ‘would of’! The thing is, life is too short to worry about these things and get het-up about them. And, yes, many of our villages are quaint . . . ouch!
You are too kind, Richard! Thanks for not taking offence where none is intended ;-) Something we should all try to do! I have certainly heard many Britons complain about things said by their fellow citizens. Fact it, most of us are grumpy old gits and we like to moan about things... whether it's things people in our own country do or another! LOL YOU are allowed to call the villages quaint I guess, because you are British! haha Cheers! Dara
Cute is the worst insult you can level at anything, unless aimed at a puppy or kitten. It is so profoundly hurtful that if you said it about my house, you would never be invited again. I had to dtop watching one couple's videos, because despite being asked many times to stop, they called everything cute.
Would of, could of etc is rife in Britain and is extremely annoying. It's all down to kids not being taught or caring about correct punctuation and grammar. It's also associated with lack of understanding of the correct use of apostrophes. Drives me nuts!!!
Oh yes... apostrophes. I have a couple British friends with a RU-vid channel who use the apostrophe incorrectly in their channel name... I have been debating for ages if I should say something. But I don't want to offend them!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Best not to offend them! I don't know if he's still active, but in Bristol there was an older gentleman who went round at night adding and deleting apostrophes in signage such as shop names, advertising boards etc. He took great pride in his work! By the way, thanks for taking the time to reply to people's comments.
As as older Brit (75) I hate “are you all right” in shops. i don’t know how it has crept in. I do dislike “have a nice day” because it is a meaningless Americanism that is creeping in from watching too much American tv. “Thank you very much” with a nice smile is so much nicer. I think there is more respect in thank you - have a nice day implies you know something about my life and my day - and it has become trite and superficial - like saying to family members at the end of every phone call “I love you”. It becomes a meaningless set of words just spoken automatically that purports to mean something and it is trotted out so regularly that it sounds insincere.
My fruend from Boston U.S has lived here 30 years and agrees now with how Americans ask for things, "Get me" "Give me" "I'll have" 'I'll take", rather than "" or "Please can I have" "I'd like the .. please"
I watch a lot of travel videos on RU-vid, and something I've noticed recently is the habit of Americans to say "I'll do the..." when specifying what they'd like from a menu. In countries where English isn't the first language, this often causes the server to look at them blankly for a few moments while they try and work out what exactly they mean by "I'll do the chicken"!
I don't think you should feel that every little criticism of America is anti-American. I criticize America all the time (land of Idiocracy!) and I'm an American. Some criticism is deserved.
I'm not overly sensitive. But if someone leaves a really long rant about how completely stupid and idiotic all Americans are, I will delete them. I just did a couple minutes ago...
@@MagentaOtterTravelsI was going to say, that I am sure you are savvy and intelligent enough to differentiate between a tongue in cheek comment and something unnecessarily nasty and uncalled for from a troll 🧌!
As an American, I feel comfortable saying there is much idiocy in our country these days, but then again, the whole world seems to be spinning out of control. Different countries do/say/interpret things differently. There more serious things to get our knickers in a twist about today than our vocabularies!
@@andyt8216 yes, most of the time. A true troll is obvious. But sometimes British people have such a sarcastic sense of humour I'm not sure if they are being funny or seriously mean.
My pet hate is the phrase "off of", used by both Americans and fellow British. The "of" serves no purpose there. Why not simply say "off", such as "Get off that fence!"
To take something with a "grain of salt" or "pinch of salt" is an English idiom that suggests to view something, specifically claims that may be misleading or unverified, with skepticism or to not interpret something literally. In the old-fashioned English units of weight, a grain weighs approximately 65 mg, which is about how much table salt a person might pick up between the fingers as a pinch.
I found this presentation absolutely riveting from beginning to end. Having spent time in the States, I have noticed the day to day differences. Yes, we need to be tolerant. But there are two US pronunciations i don't like :- 'route' rhyming with 'out' or 'sprout'. It's a French word. I know French and it is 'route ' that rhymes with 'root', or 'boot'. Similarly niche is not / NITCH / but niche / NEESH /. On the other hand people from the US and maybe also Canada say ''erbs", which is closer to the original pronunciation in French as its / PAH tay / for pâté, another French word! We say 'pattay. 'As a linguist and proud German and French speaker, all I can say is: 'Vive la différence!' PS - I've been recommending your videos to my online students of English!
Thanks so much for watching, Aidan, and leaving an interesting comment! The funny thing about your example words of route and niche are that Americans pronounce them both ways! I grew up saying "Root 66" (like in the song) but calling the roads near my house in Illinois "Rowt 31 and Rowt 72". No idea why! And I grew up saying neesh because that's what my mama said... but I have certainly heard loads of Americans say nitch. As for other French words... we Americans try to say herbs and pate (sorry no special characters on my keyboard) in the French way.... but it's rather butchered I'm sure! haha Thanks for recommending my videos. That is very kind of you! XX Dara
This is a really fun video! I love noticing differences in how people say things from other countries. But it doesn’t make me mad. From what I’ve noticed, Americans like to hear how Brits say things. It’s actually considered very classy to have a British accent. One thing I would point out that didn’t come across in the video is the difference between how Americans from the north and south say things. A lot of northerners hate y’all. I also noticed that southerners bring things to places, whereas northerners take things to places. There are a bunch (yes, a bunch!) of other awesome differences between how people say things from all parts of the U.S.
Lol, thanks so much! Yes I agree that Americans in the North and South say things very differently! As an advertiser, I think it's funny to hear how many companies use spokespeople with British accents when they want to make their brand sound sophisticated 🤣
53 year old here, I've said "SKedule" for as long as I've been able to comprehend what i say. The only things that Americans say that mildly annoy me are the overstressing of ORY at the end of words eg Territory. A DEE das (the clothing brand) is grating too.There's a RU-vid channel Feli from Germany who addressed this because it's a German company and Americans say it incorrectly (as above) and she got told she was wrong! It is Adi Das named after the guy who invented the company. Apart from those two things i really couldn't care less.
I love Feli's channel! Her videos on pronouncing brand names are great. Ian has been practicing speaking German for years, and we are excited to be spending the month of September in Germany this year!
Hi Dara, I really enjoyed your premiere this morning! I didn't comment too much on the individual examples as I wanted to wait until you watched our reaction video - hated to have spoilt/spoiled the surprise, lol! We are now feeling rather nervous 😬😳Thank you so much for the lovely shoutout 🥰🥰 You had some great reactions going on in 'The Chat' 👍😀
Hiya Everyone who's reading this, I suggested this vlog to Dara sort of by accident, all I said was I hate it when American people describe food as "BAD BOYS", Dara said "I'm going to do a vlog about Americanisms that annoy British people", so BOBS YOUR UNCLE, I'm CHUFFED Dara's decided to do it, hooray, I hope our American cousins like the British phrases I've put in my message, this is Choppy
Some English people have accents where they don’t pronounce the T, particularly in east and south London and parts of Essex. In my school days we did an exchange visit with a school in Lancashire and I recall an Essex boy demanding, “Pass the budhaa”, to which a Lancastrian girl replied, “It’s not budhaa, it’s boutta”. In case you’re not clear, the boy was after butter. Pronunciation varies greatly across the UK and there’s often no right or wrong. The King’s English is really only spoken by the King, and it’s often mocked. The cartoonist Steve Bell often mocked Royal pronunciation and did a cartoon of Charles saying “trizzers” for trousers. In my 61 years I’ve probably heard schedule pronounced “skedule” as much as “shedule”. It didn’t occur to me that the former pronunciation was American until I heard an employment tribunal chairman take exception to a witness saying “skedule”, telling him he wasn’t in America. I don’t think it really matters how it’s pronounced since people will know what is meant either why. Place names are often confusing because pronunciation is often rooted in local dialect, or perhaps dictated by the upper classes. When Princess Diana died it was announced she would be buried in the grounds of the Althorp estate. Newsreaders initially pronounced Althorp as it was spelt, but then adapted to call it “Altrop”, apparently because that was how the family referred to it. Similarly, the Cadogan estate which lies south of Knightsbridge in London, is referred to by its owners as “Kerdoggan”. I’m sure it isn’t a problem just here in Blighty. I wonder why Arkansas and Kansas have such different pronunciations. I tend to think when we listen to how people speak we are often trying to work out whether they belong to the same group as us - the same culture, class, etc. Etiquette works in much the same way. I see lots of videos telling American visitors to the UK not to do this or that, but I always think visitors are entitled to behave as themselves and not be required to conform. PS. Some in the UK use the word “Yous”, which I think is similar to Y’all.
Thank you very much for all the thoughts you shared in your comment. All very interesting! Yes, some Britons have dropped the T in the middle of their words. My little niece is in one of my video shorts and it's so cute how she says "bu'uh" for butter. Ian and I always roll our eyes at how many Americans have started doing a similar thing... they say "mou'in" for mountain and "buh'in" for button. But as you say... we know what they are saying and so we need to just chill and be a little more tolerant ;-) Have a nice day! heehee ... Dara
That was just awesome Dara...My bad for saying that...I would go horseback riding with my glasses/spectacles but I was too busy saying Have a nice day at the counter in the grocery last week...enjoyed this video...lots of fun!
Garnish is an extra surely. A bunch of flowers is correct. What are a bunch of flowers called? BOUQUET definition in American English | Collins English ... A bouquet is a bunch of flowers which is attractively arranged. The woman carried a bouquet of dried violets. Synonyms: bunch of flowers, spray, garland, wreath.
I regret that I only discovered "garnish" is another example of an opposite word. I wish I had included it in my video about opposite meanings from the week before!
Hi Dara - loved this video! I think that most of the things you have mentioned really don't bother me at all here in Buckinghamshire - certainly nothing to "hate" or get your knickers in a twist about!! Only a couple of things that grate with me - the American pronunciation of the words Caribbean and Renaissance. Plus the overuse of the word "nice' - I was always taught at school that it was a very lazy / non-descriptive word to use, and should be avoided - we were told to use a better descriptive word ( such as lovely, beautiful, delightful, pleasant etc ). So the use of "Have a nice day" grates for that reason really. Love your humour in the videos and your very kind comments about the UK. Nick
Thanks for watching! Yes, "hate" is a strong word... really an exaggeration for the sake of the RU-vid algorithm, LOL! Yes, Americans pronounce Renaissance differently... one of the million words in which we put an accent on a different syllable! But as for Caribbean, Americans pronounce it BOTH ways!! Just like we pronounce route both ways! You just need to hang out with Americans who say it the way you like :-) Cheers! Dara
This fun video reminds me of an ongoing conversation I’m having with friends at my church that have moved into the area from out of state. We are in Tennessee, and we have a blast talking about the difference ways we sound, AND, just different words we use that mean different things where we come from. Interestingly, linguists say that we southerners actually sound more like our ancestors in England than any part of the US. Not so sure about that, but it’s fun to hear! Check out a short and cool video about it on RU-vid called “A Quick Lesson on Southern Linguistics”.
I like that you convey wisdom and sophistication, qualities rarely seen in other American "spokesmen." By observing you, I'm sure Brits realize that Americans have their own culture and language, and they haven't been sitting around on their behinds since splitting off from the UK almost 250 years ago. (I say this even though I'm a Japanese living in the US.)
@@masudashizue777 thank you so much for your comment. It's true that language is constantly evolving, in all countries! Hopefully we can find interest and humour in our differences, and not take ourselves too seriously. Or get defensive when we really shouldn't. 😉
Aussie here. I agree with the Brits that "bay-sil" is bizarre 😅 Pronouncing 'herbs' without the h also sounds weird to me. That said, we also pronounce t's like d's., more like Americans do. To make things even more complex, we don't pronounce r's at the end of words - so we end up with wadah, buddah, sistah, brothah etc 😅 Americans find that hilarious!
Thanks for bringing an Aussie comparison into the mix! The funniest pronunciation from Down Under was how Crocodile Dundee said Knife and White. The fact that white sounds like weight makes me giggle. Cheers! Dara
Dove is the past tense of dive, so it's corrected to say 'I dove into the pool'. Irregular past tense is always interesting and the differences I found is that British English still uses some that American doesn't eg spelt as in "I spelt the word wrong' Americans would use 'spelled'. Brits use 'learnt' 'I learnt how to do that' compared to Americans "I learned how to do that'. During university I did a Summer School in Europe run by an American university and had a interesting time with the American teachers! It's wasn't just a case of saying 'cookies, sweater and trash'!
I would say so many hundreds if hundreds were part of the number, such as thirteen hundred rather than one thousand three hundred. However, not if it is a round number of thousands.
I agree! I cannot tell you how many times I have told someone "I have a flat in England" and then 5 minutes later they say "when do you move to your flat in London?". I will nicely correct them and say "we go to our flat in ENGLAND in May" and then a couple more times in the conversation they will say it AGAIN... e.g, "how long do you live in London?". It drives me bats!
English did have 2nd person singular and plural - thee/thou (singular) and you (plural). But like French we started using the plural as a singular in 'polite' speech. The older form of the past participle of dive is dived. But dove came about in the 1800s in America (it's in Moby Dick!) and Merriam-Webster accepts it as standard, together with dived. Aluminum and aluminium.really are different. When Humphrey Davey first isolated the metal he called it alumium (the base ore was alum). That didn't catch on and the scientific community preferred aluminum (this is about the 1820s). Then the scientific community changed its mind to aluminium to bring it in line with other similar elements. But the relevant American scientific body refused to change it again (this is still in the 1800s).
Thank you for sharing the backstory and context. That is really interesting! Just shows that language evolves... and that the US and UK have chosen to go there own way on quite a few terms! Cheers! Dara
I am English I may say a picturesque village is Quaint. I don't say cute. Puppies are cute. Stuffed toys are cute.... toddlers with chocolate over their face are cute. But when a 600 year old collection of buildings riddled with history , which makes the local residents' hearts swell with pride, is downgraded by its looks to "cute" , it is a bit of a slap in the face!
I hear you. That is how the word is perceived by Britons. But in fact the American saying it is NOT intending to be condescending or patronising or belittling. They love that gorgeous village! They just don't understand the way the word is perceived ;-)
Why is a ladybug not a bug? The “Bugs” characterise mainly with sucking mouthparts, which the ladybird lack. In American English, there are lots of insects that carry “bug” in their names but are not actually bugs.3 Mar 2021
The dislike of using quaint or cute, I think stems from early post war US tourists who tended to treat us as poor cousins and were rather patronising. I grew up in Suffolk during 1950s/60s, we had loads of US airmen stationed there so we saw quite a bit of this attitude. I was at my grandmother’s one day and we saw an American couple walk into the front garden to peer through the window. Granny went outside to ask them what they were doing and they were most affronted at being challenged! It’s not like that now as far as I know but for some of us the words still grate.
As you know, I spend a LOT of time in Cotswold villages. The perfect examples are Lower Slaughter and Castle Combe. They have TINY cottages that are right along the main pavements/sidewalks that tourists traverse when they visit the village. In these "cute" villages these tourists have a struggle to not peer inside these "quaint" cottages because they are so captivated by the fact they are so old and "darling"... but I feel bad for the occupants who actually live there and don't appreciate having their privacy invaded on the daily!!!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I understand their curiosity and it’s easy to say folk shouldn’t live there if they don’t like living in a goldfish bowl but that’s not fair. They are homes and some families have lived in those “cute” cottages for generations. It’s not just folk from the USA though, folk from the far east can be very inquisitive too. I’ve only been a victim of it a very few times but that was enough for me. Round the corner from me is Alfriston and pretty as it is, I would never live there as it’s heaving at weekends in the summer.
@@Nick_r actually, i'm planning to try making scones and clotted cream again next week! Wish me luck. Every time I try it here in Texas it's a disaster...
I don't have any great annoyances with the different versions of the English language, but I do love languages so enjoy reflecting on them. The main one I've noticed is that Americans still use the subjunctive tense correctly so 'If I were, I wish I were' (I know the subjunctive tense thanks to learning other languages!) Brits don't use it, most say 'If I was, I wish I was' which does irritate me as the language pedant in my head is saying 'WRONG usage!" Languages do evolve and what used to be considered incorrect is now accepted, I saw an interesting video by Stephen Fry on language pedants, and that's a point he made quite strongly.
I don't think anyone really gets upset by spelling or pronunciation, it's more grammar; but it's not just Americans who are guilty. The real gripe is the subversion of the language " I was DECIMATED", "She is one of the ONLY", "I COULD care less". A single person can't be decimated (even in the modern usage). Only means unique (unless being used as emphasis). What she can be is "One of the FEW". And if you could care less, it dosen't mean you don't care at all, but that you care a little bit. ps Sorry, I just remembered that "speak to" instead of "talk about" and "based off of" instead of "based on" do irritate me as well.😉
I think the incorrect grammar examples are the most irritating... but face it, we ALL have pronunciation differences that annoy us. But as I just told someone else... if English people can fight to the death over how to pronounce scone, is it any wonder that the way Americans say things is maddening? LOL Cheers for watching and commenting! Dara
I'm never annoyed by American's speaking the way they do, althought I admit to wincing a bit with a few of the pronounciations. Mostly I just get frustrated about younger people adopting Americanisms (even though I know I shouldn't) The main one for me is the use of Pinky instead of little finger. As a music teacher that comes up a lot and really does bug me.
Your sweatshirt is cute and quaint. What is the difference between a sweater and a sweatshirt? Sweater vs Sweatshirt: Sweaters are typically more form-fitting and often styled for a more formal or dressy occasion, and can be paired with skirts, dress pants, or jeans. On the other hand, sweatshirts are more relaxed and often styled for a more casual occasion, and can be paired with leggings, jeans, or shorts. I have a friend who always says bought when he means brought. I also had a friend from Lancashire and she always wrote has when she meant as. This video is a proper job. Interjection. proper job. (UK, West Country) Good work; well done. "I've painted the fence." "Proper job!"
Here is my opinion on sweater versus sweatshirt: it's all about the material with which it is made! A sweatshirt is made out of fleece fabric that is smooth on the outside and fuzzy on the inside, same as sweatpants. But a sweater is made out of knitted yarn. Do you call a sweatshirt a jumper?
Inviting people to comment on what bugs them is very brave and asking for an avalanche of criticism! I think it’s very gracious of you to take the time to parse through it. I’m a Brit who has lived 30+ years in the US and yes there are some things that bug me such as misuse of words like “chaise longue” said as “chaise lounge.” 😁 I lived in France so when I hear Americans mangling French words such as Sauvignon Blanc as Savingyong Blank i cringe but that’s just me being a language snob! One word I’ll never say is gotten as it just plain annoys me even if it is supposed to be an old English word. I’ve heard people say boughton for bought which really surprised me. I think Americans look for the easiest way to pronounce things and go with it and why shouldn’t they as they are in their own country. It’s when they travel that people become critical as they don’t appear to be using the language correctly. In the US I hear less educated people saying “I don’t guess” or “I don’t gotta do that” but you find that in the UK too with “I ain’t doin that” for example. As you say we should be tolerant of each others differences. I do agree that when Americans say how cute everything is in the UK it is annoying but I think they are just so bowled over with how old and different everything is. Ahhh Vive la difference!
I always attempt to pronounce French words the correct way, but I end up mangling it terribly! It's always a mashup of English and Spanish pronunciation! 😖🤦🏻♀️ Thanks for your interesting comment! Cheers! XX Dara
Note to all Americans: Don't go to the U.K. unless you absolutely have to...If thats all it takes for someone to get irritated just stay home and vacation (Holiday) in the U.S.
Hi, My problem with Math verses Maths. In general we only here this in the Term 'You do the Math', Generally after an American has failed to understand a situation and put forward a poor solution, and having done the Maths, we realise it. Its a crass (and intentional) put down in the first place and often wrong.
As a Brit I’m somewhat baffled as well as embarrassed that so many of of my fellow countrymen and women seem to have gripes about how another nation pronounces words or uses phrases. Do they have the same concerns about Australians and New Zealanders for instance? 😂 I think if anyone is really serous about this, they need to get out more😅. As a matter of interest I’ve always pronounced it as ‘Skedule’ and not ‘shedule’ (and I’m in my late 50s). I also pronounce ‘privacy’, ‘advertisement’ and ‘harassment’ the same way you do. Thanks for the video. Great container as always.
@@wessexdruid7598 English doesn’t belong to anyone though. There are many variations on pronunciations and different words throughout Britain alone. So I don’t understand the upset of how another nation uses it.
Thanks for your comment, Lee. Interesting to hear how you pronounce some of those words. It is just ust a reminder that not all British people pronounce things the same way. Just like not all Americans do... and not all Americans have an attitude of superiority, either 😉. Cheers! Dara
@@leecal5774 of course it belongs to the English the clues in the title. I don't really have a problem with mispronounced words in fact I think it's quite funny but I do object to forign nationals telling me the way we pronounce something is wrong.
@@orwellboy1958 Clue’s, not clues! No one nation owns a language or has the monopoly on how it’s used and pronounced. Just as Spain doesn’t have ownership on how South and Central American countries use Spanish. Nor Portugal on Portuguese Brazilian or Germany on Austrian German. The English spoken in Britain just a few hundred years ago would be unrecognisable to us now. And it’ll change again dramatically as time goes on.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Thanks Dara. You do such a great job providing really interesting videos, that I think it’s a bit sad that you get pulled up on saying words such as ‘cute’ or ‘quaint’. Does it really matter? It sounds like it’s us Brits that seem to have the superiority complex about the use of English 😂. Oh dear! 🫣 PS: I also say ‘goosebumps’ and not ‘goosepimples’ 😊
As long as somebody is attempting to be polite and friendly I really couldn't care what they say, we are all a bit different so embrace it and have some fun with it. The only time Americans or anybody else for that matter will rub me up the wrong way is when they insult my country.
I dislike when servers in American restaurants, take away everyone's plate the minute they put the last forkful in their mouth,, and then say to me - always the slowest eater at the table - 'Are you still working on that?' No! I'm enjoying it at my own pace. It's not something I have to, 'Work at.'
haha, I can see where that would be annoying! If you have put your cutlery on the plate and pushed it away from you... then the server might ask "may I clear this plate for you?"
Did Dara say the shop assistant had to make change all day? We'd say give change surely? We also talk about wages getting docked when money is deducted.
None of us are perfect we all have things that others do that annoy us. For me a golfer is when I’m watching it from the USA and some prat when the Pro tees off shouts, in the hole, mashed potatoes, light the candle or your the man. But by far the biggest is Plagiarism, taking something you didn’t invent then claiming it as your own. A perfect example was when an American in the U.K stopped me to ask for directions, and in English they asked me if I spoke American. They say ignorance is bliss, they were the most blissful people I’ve ever met, but I’ve met many nice ones as well.
Schedule with a “K” is pretty much the standard way of pronouncing it nowadays. I honestly can’t remember when I last heard it pronounced with a “sh”; it sounds very old fashioned.
Hi, Re 'My Bad', I think this might have been a German, or other European phase. I first heard it from Michael Schumacher (F1 racing driver). I think the problem with this is its an acceptance of fault in a statement the recipient did not understand. So I (the recipient of an apology) am angry and frustrated. It's similar to when a tourist, say 'I told you excuse me' when they meant 'I said 'excuse me'' .
Two things you need to understand. America are our cousins, so there will always be that kind of rivalry, but it's generally not malicious, even though they do, do things that mildly irritate us. Secondly, Americans can give as good as they get. It's like having to deal with a pair of teenagers squabbling, both of us occasionally need a time out.
haha, definitely! This is the internet... so I will get a few real trolls on this video that will say positively HATEFUL things about Americans. I delete them. But for everyone else who is just taking the mick or sarcastically (yet good-naturedly) teasing... yes, that's to be expected ;-)
@Poliss95 ...I believe the constant misuse of the word, they had to change its meaning...that's what such a living language is...I'm quite proud that it's probably the only real living language left now, that has words continually being added, removed forever changing and developing whilst constantly fitting into the world at any particular time...
I dislike how Americans order food with "I'm gonna do the......" As if they're doing the waiter/waitress a big favour by eating their food. "I would like", or "Please may I have" are much nicer.
On my last trip, I stayed at a B&B owned by a former teacher who was still involved in a local school. I said both Arundel and Fishbourne wrong, and she corrected me on both, which I appreciated. My view on the cute and quaint issue is that so much American development is ugly and unfriendly to bicyclists and pedestrians. Considering that, it’s no wonder someone would use those words to describe built development in Great Britain. Speaking of quaint, Vicki Pipe of “All the Stations” fame developed a quaint scale to rate railway stations based on architectural interest, quality of flowers & landscaping, or lack thereof.
Arundel is one that I might try to say differently.... but the same thing keeps coming out of my mouth! LOL I think cute and quaint are used in a positive way by Americans, so it's sad that it is perceived in a condescending way. The roads are so much smaller, and often the buildings in villages are small as well... so I can see why Americans say cute or quaint. But I have certainly broken MY habit ;-) Fun story about the "quaint scale"... I had not heard that! Cheers! Dara
Something Americans say that has caught on over here is when a customer asks, 'Can I get..?' instead of 'Could I have..?' It sounds as if they're asking to climb over the counter and get it for themselves, instead of letting the assistant get it for them.
where do I start! "you would be talking German, if it wasn't for us Americans", which I always reply too with "and you would all be speaking Japanese if it wasn't for the Royal Navy". "British food is terrible". yet another WWII saying that keeps being said. this was due to Britain fighting a war for 3yrs and being on rations before the Americans decided to join in. "y'all" just sounds like someone is being sick. Americans calling New Jersey ...Jersey.
The issue of English place name pronunciations reminds me of a short trip that I took to Taunton, Somerset. Along the way I saw a sign for Hatch Beauchamp. I mentioned to my cousin and her neighbor that I had Beauchamp ancestors (allies of William the Conqueror) after whom that place was named. I pronounced that French name in the French style as Bow-shomp. They were rather confused/annoyed and informed me that the name is pronounced as Beach-am. Go figure...
Back in the 70's I had a work colleague named Beauchamp, who pronounced it Beach-am. I left there and at my next job there was also someone named Beauchamp, who pronounced it Beau-champ.
Many British place names are not pronounced as they are spelled but a lot of American travel bloggers make no attempt to find out how to pronounce them or European place names when there are plenty of online sites which demonstrate how. Alternative words used in the same sentence, e.g. 'stagnancy and stagnation'. My pet hate: 'lay' instead of 'lie'. Lay is the past tense of lie (but is also used in the context of 'lay an egg', 'lay the table' or 'lay down the law').
I learnt that grammar rule in school, but I have such difficulty retaining it in my memory! Every time I want to say "I need to go lay down"... I hesitate and can't remember if it's "lay down" or "lie down"!!!
