Patrick

Is anyone else prone to the occasional "Brit Moment", a bit like a blonde moment but to with being British?

Every so often I find myself stood at the passenger side door with the key in my hand thinking "shit, I came to the wrong side, how do I get out of this without looking like a dork", of course no one else in the car park cares!

Or find myself thinking "urm chips" when someone mentions chips before thinking "damn they mean crisps"

These brit moments are few and far between but occasionally I still find myself sniggering when someone says "I worked out last night and now my fanny hurts!"

Patrick

nathan barley

I asked my mother-in-law for a carrier bag this evening.

At a (thankfully deserted) traffic light making a right turn, I once pulled out onto the left hand side of the road, due to suddenly thinking I was driving in the UK. (Even though I've never drove in the UK)

elfman

Yep, been here almost 18 months and still occasionally try to get in the wrong side of the car. Also catch myself (as happened today at work) referring to pounds or quid instead of dollars. Can't bring myself to use "bucks" at all.

CitySimon

My favourite one is saying that "I am pissed!" obviously in English English means that I am drunk.... but to many Americans (first encounter with an Englishman) this is a big deal...

"Why???, What happened??"

(Pissed being angry in the US of A)


The crisps-chips-fries thing is a classic!!!

jayr

Don't know if its the same in US, but cars here in Oz generally have the indicator and lights 'stick' on right hand side of the steering wheel with the windscreen wiper 'stick on the left. In the UK they are the opposite way around.

In moments of frustration at some idiot who has just cut me up and I go to flash my headlights I must look a right fool as I instead spray my windscreen with washer fluid.

Similarly when it begins to rain and I start indicating.

jayr

also remember when on a 4 month exchange to a college in New Hampshire many years back and asking for a muffin for breakfast.

"English?" came the reply

"Yes, how can you tell?" was my response

lairdside

I have always used it in both contexts.

Pissed as in drunk - or pissed off - pissed for short - being angry.

British English is contextual. Causes more problems for Americans than the coloqualisms imho. Americans tend to speak very literally by comparison with less complex linguistic structures.

You think that's bad try one of the various forms of Irish English...lol

lairdside

Yes, Yes, Yes!

Drove me crackers that did!

Ray

I still keep using the word Bollocks....fortunately the American have no clue what it means...

CitySimon

I suppose that to be "Pissed off" speaks for itself!


I completely agree with you, but did you swallow a dictionary today? No offense intended!

lairdside

Erm, I ate the dictionary when I was about eleven.

Been munching books ever since

No offense taken...lol

CitySimon

LOL

1skydive

jayr, which college did you go to? I did an exchange in New Hampshire about 12 years ago.

jayr

In Sept -Dec 1989 I spent four months at New Hampshire College (pretty sure that was the name) just outside Manchester

Just checked, they are calling it Southern New Hampshire University now:
http://www.snhu.edu/index.html

PrincessofWales

I was in a meeting the other day and one of the ladies introduced herself to me as Don, "that's an interesting name " I say, "is it an abbreviation of Donna?".

"No" she says and proceeds to spell it for me "D-A-W-N".

I give up! Where did the "W" go between her mouth and my ear?