british or american english?

Gerald   Fri Apr 07, 2006 4:57 am GMT
Jamie,
People don't get beaten up for having certain accents, (well anymore) You just get funny looks when you go into pubs. Though you can still shoot a Scotsman with a longbow within the city walls of York after midnight.
Ralph   Fri Apr 07, 2006 5:00 am GMT
That's completely correct, Gerald. Jim's been mistaken the whole time. Both English are the same. Tah tah and tah don't sound the same. Scots speak better than Jim does.
Uriel   Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:33 pm GMT
<<So much so that we in Yorkshire have a "plan B", One day soon, You'll hear "On Ikla Moor baht ’at" being sung, getting quieter and quieter as we float off into the north sea.
Here's an artists rendition of how it will look.
http://www.yhassembly.gov.uk/p_contentImages/9_1.jpg>>

You are too funny, Jim C!

(I have to add the C because I've already gotten into trouble confusing the other Jim with someone else -- we may need to post a cast list soon!)
Jim C, York   Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:37 pm GMT
Thanks, I do try to bring humour where ever i go.

Dunno what Gerald and Ralph are on about though? I think I must have missed something.
Uriel   Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:20 pm GMT
Obviously they're trolls. You get a lot of them on here, for some reason. You'll see them impersonate people, cut and paste other people's answers, and go on about nonsense. Just ignore them. Or use your longbow -- whichever is easier!
Damian in Edinburgh   Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:02 pm GMT
When I was looking at the spendour of York Minster or walking along the Shambles all the longbows missed me! Rotten shots in York.......is it the beer there or do they need to go to Specsavers?
Jim C, York   Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:29 pm GMT
Cliffords tower is the traditional ambush point. And yes it is the beer. ;)
Reese   Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:34 pm GMT
I was searching the web looking for someone that could help me because I was considering going to London for my honeymoon and didn't want to get stuck trying to ask something, like "Where is the bathroom?," and have no one understand me. I stumbled upon one of the pages and began reading what everyone seems to think is a very important and had quite a few laughs. First of all, most of you sound like a bunch of college students who think you are so smart just because you're attending some university and know more than anyone else. Second of all, we can't base any of what we hear on tv because it's biased. I've lived in several places all over the U.S. and have heard several accents, which include different names for certain nouns. I'm originally from Alaska, but my cousins in L.A. tell me I have a southern accent. Some other people I've met couldn't place where I was from when I visited New York or Chicago, and were greatly surprised to hear where I was from. My best friends parents are from Boston and can't pronounce their 'r's. My stepsisters from New Jersey laugh at things I say as I make fun of them. I'm sure the same goes for every language out there. There are differences, and the best we can do is learn them, especially if we are traveling or writing to each other.
By the way, I've never heard of a car park, only of a parking lot.
Jim C, York   Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:34 am GMT
I only wen't to Uni for a year doing a "micky mouse" degree, and even then it was an ex polly tech, so I'm in no way trying to Lord it over anyone. :)

You will get on fine in London, talk as you normaly would, we get enough American telly over here to understand you. But if you do pick up local terms, use them and you will be very popular. Oh and if you have what you call a "fanny pack" for the love of god don't call it that!, for some reason "bum bag" is more acceptable here, it really shouldn't be, but it is.

Not that you have one, im probably stereotyping American tourists.
andre in usa   Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:56 am GMT
"I stumbled upon one of the pages and began reading what everyone seems to think is a very important and had quite a few laughs."

People who post here have a special interest in linguistics, so yes, to an outsider a lot of it would seem unimportant.

"First of all, most of you sound like a bunch of college students who think you are so smart just because you're attending some university and know more than anyone else."

Yes, it can be irritating when they write condescendingly and authoritatively about topics of which they aren't even true experts. It's the "look at me, I know more than you because I go to school for it" mindframe. Well, what can you do.

-- andre in usa, linguistics major
andre in usa   Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:59 am GMT
Jim C,

Do people really wear fanny packs anymore? I thought they went out of style years ago.
Jim C, York   Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:31 am GMT
Ive seen a couple, but I suppose no one told them that its wasn't stylish anymore. By the way "can I put my wallet in your fanny pack" means something entirely different here, ;)
Travis   Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:03 am GMT
>> Do people really wear fanny packs anymore? I thought they went out of style years ago.<<

I was wondering the same myself. If you wear one, you probably deserve the ridicule you will bring upon yourself if you happen to say "fanny pack" to anyone on the other side of the pond.
alamin   Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:01 am GMT
I want to learn the real pronunciation of all english letters through both American and British way.
can you help me?
Uriel   Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:02 am GMT
<<I want to learn the real pronunciation of all english letters through both American and British way.
can you help me? >>

You're kidding me. Isn't that one of the first things you learn in a language class?

Oh, well, if not, here goes:

A -- ay
B -- bee
C -- see
D -- dee
E -- ee
F -- eff
G -- jee
H -- aytch
I -- ai
J -- jay
K -- kay
L -- ell
M -- em
N -- en
O -- oh
P -- pee
Q -- kyu
R -- arr
S -- ess
T -- tee
U -- yu
V -- vee
W -- double yu
X -- eks
Y -- wai
Z -- zee (Am) or zed (Brit, Can, Aus [I think])