Sometimes I read the Daily Mail, one of London's many tabloidish papers when I'm in the mood for some hard-hitting journalism (I kid, I kid). But today what really struck me was the English that the English speak and write in daily life. I think it's adorable!
My bff moved to Canada several years ago, and has since adopted a few Euro words, spellings and phrases into her speech. For instance, she spells her favorite and color as "favourite and colour" as well as uses phrases such as "go to hospital," rather than go to the hospital and "in university" rather than in college. I find these little changes to be good ones, more concise and direct and a bit classier.
Other little things I find very likable and would love to incorporate into my own way of speaking include: proper (using it as "I need to find a proper raincoat"), bum, tum & mum(self-explanatory), brilliant (use it more often and not only to describe a great idea), reckon (when they say it, it's not redneck at all), wee, nosh. There are many more that just don't come to mind at this exact moment.
Afterall, it's proper English. Now I have to try to use it without sounding like a stooge or someone who desperately wants to be a Harry Potter character.
My bff moved to Canada several years ago, and has since adopted a few Euro words, spellings and phrases into her speech. For instance, she spells her favorite and color as "favourite and colour" as well as uses phrases such as "go to hospital," rather than go to the hospital and "in university" rather than in college. I find these little changes to be good ones, more concise and direct and a bit classier.
Other little things I find very likable and would love to incorporate into my own way of speaking include: proper (using it as "I need to find a proper raincoat"), bum, tum & mum(self-explanatory), brilliant (use it more often and not only to describe a great idea), reckon (when they say it, it's not redneck at all), wee, nosh. There are many more that just don't come to mind at this exact moment.
Afterall, it's proper English. Now I have to try to use it without sounding like a stooge or someone who desperately wants to be a Harry Potter character.
Hahaha! I COULDNT do it. Reason 1) I am from TEXAS and Reason 2) NOW I live in a spanish speaking country and would REALLY sound like a moron and Reason 3) I would LAUGH..ALL of the time!
ReplyDeleteBUT props to you for trying!
Haha! Using reckon and not sounding "redneck at all" is awesome. How do you make that happen? This is a great and funny post. We have British friends and I do love their little twists on the English language. I could never pull it off. I look like I barely speak Engrish!
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely slip in "bollocks" and "bloody" as frequently as you can....Even when they are being foul, they sound classy.
ReplyDeleteYes! I forgot all about bollocks and bloody! Those are great suggestions. And you're right - even their curse words are classy.
ReplyDelete