NC Penguin

For those who are living in the US, how do you handle British and American spellings?

What I do is if I'm writing to an American or a group that is mostly American, I'll try and spell in American English. So, when I write to British friends/family or those educated in the UK, I'll use British English spelling.

Pronounciation's a different matter. I've found it harder to remember to use British pronounciation and terminology when speaking to friends and relatives in the UK.

I guess it's because spoken language is used more frequently than written language as a form of communication.

At least I haven't picked up an American accent!




NC Penguin

Rockgurl

Can't deal with the aluminium/alooooominum thingy...it just annoys me! I do use humor as opposed to humour and I'm sure there'll be many more that creep in to dilute my literacy!

I am absolutely convinced I'll have an unpenetrable American accent within about 2 months!

RoB1833

I find it really difficult to write AmericaniZed!!!

As far as the language goes, I find I have to use other terms or phrases to be understood...... even by my wife!

I don't think my accent has been affected yet, but I've only been here 3 months, I really don't want to talk with an american twang!!!!

NC Penguin

How unintelligble you become depends on whereabouts in the US you end up living and how much of the local vernacular you pick up and use!!




NC Penguin

PrincessofWales

Whether you adopt the accent or not has been "proven" to be dependent on your age.

Under the age of 14 the brain is still developing its speech cognitism, hence if you relocate, your children are more likely to pick up the accent than you are.

For the rest of us, conscious of our accents, some work to use American terminology (except perhaps for words like aluminum, bro-sure and wota), others I notice don't give a toss!

Pimpbot

When writing emails home to family and friends, I use the English spelling. But when I email my American friends, I try to use the Americanised spelling. But because I cannot spell worth a crap, no one probably notices anyway.

I cannot get out of the habit of asking for pounds instead of dollars when at the bank. Twice now I have written "pounds" instead of dollars on a withdrawel form and just this last week I asked the lady at Wells Fargo for 230 pounds lol. Petrol has already become gas though, as have many other Americanised sayings that baffle my parents when I talk to them.

Yosser

I have to say that bloody ALOOOOOOOMINUM word atleast 10 times a day, it really gets on my tits!

that and the word "premier'.....prounced "premeeeer". Argh it drives me up the wall.

lins77

I'm trying ot keep as British as I can with most things no matter who I'm talking/writing too.

One word that I have picked up, though, is depot. I now say deepot - its all Home Depot's fault!

Writing dates the wrong way round still has me confused after 6 months here - I have to pause every time I write a cheque (not check!)

I've also found problems on the internet - I've kept my settings on my PC as UK settings, for dates, clock, spellchecker etc, but a lot of websites redirect me to their UK versions because of this. I got caught in an endless loop at INGDirect - the .com redirected me to the .co.uk site. There I could click on a link to go the the US site (the .com) which automatically sent me back the the UK site again!

ArsNo2

[QUOTE]Originally posted by NC Penguin
For those who are living in the US, how do you handle British and American spellings?[QUOTE]

Sorry - too old and too much of a londoner to change - as far as my neighbour is concerned - I remind her that it's "Bin" day on Tuesday's etc. etc.

The one I hate most is Graaahge

ladyofthelake

Oh my God! I've being saying it like that and hadn't even realised!

mattbutt

Generaly at work how I spell and say things causes a lot of amusement. Think the yanks seem to find it funny, though I keep reminding them that its called English for a reason!

Jan Alaska

I was talking to an english pal on msn the other day and accidentlaly said humor ..... OMG she went mad !!
So from now on i'll try and be a bit more careful. I only use american pronounciation when i'm around folks who woundnt understand otherwise. Usually to do with taking the bin (trash can) out.

dum de dum ... Jan

Pulaski

It also depends on the person as well, on whether you tend to pick up accents, or not.

I left Sheffield whan I was eight years old, lived in Gloucester for ten years, and London for fifiteen, and I still have an accent that is identifiably a Sheffield accent, and has not a hint of a Glawster, or Landan accent!

On the other hand I have adopted American spellings, and most pronunications and words, though Englishisms like "cinema" and "car park" still slip out occasionally. Tomayto, aluminum, gas, and zee came fairly easily, but it took me a little while to get used to saying "gar-rahge", which sounds horribly home-counties, to me at least.

BritSteve99

I have decided to try and spell and pronounce words in the American way. My children will be much less confused if they see and hear the language expressed in a consistent manner.

Besides, it can be tough to get Americans to understand you if you don't use 'their' words and pronounciation.

I am used to the date differences now, but that was tough for quite a while when working in an office!

Pulaski

Exactly!

My mother complained that she wasn't being understood when she visited here last Christmas. She insisted that she was speaking "proper English". I asked her whether she adopted local pronunciation of Italian (which she can speak quite well) when she visited Italy or used some other pronunciation of the local language? It only makes sense to speak the same version of a language that the locals speak if you want to be understood.