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Old May 13th 2016 | 9:54 am
  #61  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by badgb21
Agree.
I have no problem using American words instead of the normal English word; trunk, pants, sidewalk etc., but I take exception to speaking with an American accent to be understood. First 2 yrs here I was angry with how they use the English language, now I'm far more relaxed about it (and that's how they get you!) Not to worry anymore, we are returning to England this summer, but I will miss this place dearly (all bar the snow!)
Trunk? I can't think of a specifically American usage with trunk..??
 
Old May 13th 2016 | 10:34 am
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Default Re: WATER

The thing at the back of your car you put groceries in?
 
Old May 13th 2016 | 11:52 am
  #63  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by dj6372
The thing at the back of your car you put groceries in?
Ah OK! I'm going through elephants, tree trunks, subscriber trunk dialling, didn't think of the car one! Maybe because we've always owned hatchbacks ...
 
Old May 13th 2016 | 12:27 pm
  #64  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by dj6372
The thing at the back of your car you put groceries in?
Originally Posted by robin1234
Ah OK! I'm going through elephants, tree trunks, subscriber trunk dialling, didn't think of the car one! Maybe because we've always owned hatchbacks ...
No idea here either. Probably 'cos we're in Texas and we all have big bad ass Trucks
 
Old May 13th 2016 | 1:03 pm
  #65  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by Sugarmooma
No idea here either. Probably 'cos we're in Texas and we all have big bad ass Trucks
Not seen many trunks on the back of bikes/trikes either
 
Old May 13th 2016 | 2:32 pm
  #66  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by lizzyq
Not seen many trunks on the back of bikes/trikes either
Actually our trikes does have a trunk
 
Old May 13th 2016 | 5:13 pm
  #67  
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Default Re: WATER

It's not us Tykes who have a problem with the Yanks. it's the southerners, especially the Londoners.

Who could understand anyone who asks for a "glarss of wo'ah"
 
Old May 14th 2016 | 12:19 am
  #68  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by dc koop
It's not us Tykes who have a problem with the Yanks. it's the southerners, especially the Londoners.

Who could understand anyone who asks for a "glarss of wo'ah"
Having lived in the U.S. for half my life, I sometimes feel like giving up, and just keeping quiet, confining my communication to email etc.

I was in a college class yesterday, we were talking about Shakespeare plays quoted in Return to the Forbidden Planet. Various people offered King Lear, Julius Caesar, etc. I decided to chance it, and speak up. I raised my hand, and speaking slowly and clearly, enunciated "Merchant of Venice."

Teacher looked confused. I repeated my observation. She still had no idea what I was saying. One other person repeated my contribution, so the teacher, looking relieved, was able to say "Ah, Merchant of Venice."

I kept quiet for the rest of the class...
 
Old May 14th 2016 | 8:50 am
  #69  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by robin1234
Having lived in the U.S. for half my life, I sometimes feel like giving up, and just keeping quiet, confining my communication to email etc.

I was in a college class yesterday, we were talking about Shakespeare plays quoted in Return to the Forbidden Planet. Various people offered King Lear, Julius Caesar, etc. I decided to chance it, and speak up. I raised my hand, and speaking slowly and clearly, enunciated "Merchant of Venice."

Teacher looked confused. I repeated my observation. She still had no idea what I was saying. One other person repeated my contribution, so the teacher, looking relieved, was able to say "Ah, Merchant of Venice."

I kept quiet for the rest of the class...
I still have a British midlands accent but haven't had any problem making people understand me. I use American expressions which helps. I did cause some amusement by calling a flashlight a torch and a sling shot a catapult,

I had a couple of friends from France when I lived in Quebec, Canada. They couldn't understand about 3 words out of five the French spoken in that Province mainly due to pronunciation, They speak the dialect of that spoken in Normandy and Brittany back in the 17th century.

Much the same with Spanish. The Spanish spoken in Mexico sounds nothing like the lispy sounding Spanish of Spain,

Nations divided by a common language
 
Old May 14th 2016 | 9:54 am
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by dc koop
I still have a British midlands accent but haven't had any problem making people understand me. I use American expressions which helps. I did cause some amusement by calling a flashlight a torch and a sling shot a catapult,

I had a couple of friends from France when I lived in Quebec, Canada. They couldn't understand about 3 words out of five the French spoken in that Province mainly due to pronunciation, They speak the dialect of that spoken in Normandy and Brittany back in the 17th century.

Much the same with Spanish. The Spanish spoken in Mexico sounds nothing like the lispy sounding Spanish of Spain,

Nations divided by a common language
Another point also is the national heritage of Americans. Germany is by far the predominate country, followed by the Irish, with the British a distant third. Americans who can trace their ancestry to Germany is almost twice that of Britain. A non-English speaking German tourist to America would have every right to be a little miffed at what we have done to his language.
 
Old May 14th 2016 | 11:04 am
  #71  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by robin1234
Ah OK! I'm going through elephants, tree trunks, subscriber trunk dialling, didn't think of the car one! Maybe because we've always owned hatchbacks ...
Trunk you put things maybe?

a large, sturdy box or chest for holding or transporting clothes, personal effects, or other articles.

Last edited by johnwoo; May 14th 2016 at 11:07 am.
 
Old May 14th 2016 | 11:10 am
  #72  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by johnwoo
Trunk you put things maybe?
Steamer trunk, cabin trunk? I think that's the origin of the American word for the storage area at the rear of a car. In early cars, it was actually a steamer trunk or similar, attached to the car...

Why the British call it a boot, I don't know.

DO the British call it a boot? I'm now starting to doubt my distant memory...
 
Old May 14th 2016 | 11:15 am
  #73  
 
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by robin1234
Steamer trunk, cabin trunk? I think that's the origin of the American word for the storage area at the rear of a car. In early cars, it was actually a steamer trunk or similar, attached to the car...

Why the British call it a boot, I don't know.

DO the British call it a boot? I'm now starting to doubt my distant memory...
Boot and bonnet, analogous to a person, one end of a person to the other.
 
Old May 14th 2016 | 11:17 am
  #74  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by robin1234
Steamer trunk, cabin trunk? I think that's the origin of the American word for the storage area at the rear of a car. In early cars, it was actually a steamer trunk or similar, attached to the car...

Why the British call it a boot, I don't know.

DO the British call it a boot? I'm now starting to doubt my distant memory...
Yes, it is still called a boot in England and the lift up cover over the engine is called the bonnet 😃
 
Old May 14th 2016 | 11:22 am
  #75  
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Default Re: WATER

Originally Posted by kimilseung
Boot and bonnet, analogous to a person, one end of a person to the other.
Like many things British, that make sense in a rather convoluted way that very few people know, or could even guess at.

Last edited by johnwoo; May 14th 2016 at 11:25 am.
 


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