10 Things Americans don't realize are offensive to Brits
The V-sign is restricted to the UK and Ireland. It's increasingly archaic in Australia and New Zealand so I'm told, and would probably be considered rather endearing in the U.S. considering its nature as a very British insult.
The V-sign is often used to mock people light-heartedly though.
Here in Oz we've used the middle finger for the last 30 yrs at least.
If you want to impress a native while in Albion, brush up on your geography and general knowledge of Britain. I think we're easily impressed by U.S. Americans especially who make the effort. But of course, one notable error like thinking Cornwall's a city will mean you're back to square one. Perhaps learn a dozen or more cities in the British Isles if you don't know that many already, and similarly with our counties.
Another source of respect would be correct pronunciation and stressing of place names and I'll throw down some examples because it's 2am and this is what I do:
Birmingham = Burr-ming-UM (not Burr-ming-HAM/-HAYUM)
This same rule applies for most "-ham" towns. Durham = DUH-rum.
Scarborough = SCAR-bur-UH (not Scar-BRO)
This same rule applies for most "-borough" towns, including cases like Middlesbrough and Edinburgh.
Cheshire = CHESH-uh (not Che-SHY-uh)
This same rule applies for most "-shires" despite "Shire" being pronounced "SHY-uh", although examples like CHESH-eer, SHROP-sheer and WUSS-ter-sheer are also used.
Leicester = LESS-ter
This same rule applies for examples like Worcester (WUSS-ter) and Gloucester (GLOSS-ter).
Plymouth = PLIH-muth
This same rule applies for examples like Portsmouth (PORTS-muth) and Cockermouth (Cock-UH-muth).
Then there are other strange variables, eg. Southwark = SUTH-uk, Keswick = KEZ-ick, Norwich = NOH-rich, Salisbury = SOLS-bury.
I've forgotten what I was attempting to achieve with this or why, but that should make anyone well-prepared and leave us natives appreciative.
Middlesbrough is Bruh NOT buruh. That is how to offend a teessider.
Ha fair shout, in honesty I pronounce them all "bruh" but despite that thought they were mainly "buruh" in standard pronunciation. I'll retract that.
If you want to impress a native while in Albion, brush up on your geography and general knowledge of Britain. I think we're easily impressed by U.S. Americans especially who make the effort. But of course, one notable error like thinking Cornwall's a city will mean you're back to square one. Perhaps learn a dozen or more cities in the British Isles if you don't know that many already, and similarly with our counties.
Another source of respect would be correct pronunciation and stressing of place names and I'll throw down some examples because it's 2am and this is what I do:
Birmingham = Burr-ming-UM (not Burr-ming-HAM/-HAYUM)
This same rule applies for most "-ham" towns. Durham = DUH-rum.
Scarborough = SCAR-bur-UH (not Scar-BRO)
This same rule applies for most "-borough" towns, including cases like Middlesbrough and Edinburgh.
Cheshire = CHESH-uh (not Che-SHY-uh)
This same rule applies for most "-shires" despite "Shire" being pronounced "SHY-uh", although examples like CHESH-eer, SHROP-sheer and WUSS-ter-sheer are also used.
Leicester = LESS-ter
This same rule applies for examples like Worcester (WUSS-ter) and Gloucester (GLOSS-ter).
Plymouth = PLIH-muth
This same rule applies for examples like Portsmouth (PORTS-muth) and Cockermouth (Cock-UH-muth).
Then there are other strange variables, eg. Southwark = SUTH-uk, Keswick = KEZ-ick, Norwich = NOH-rich, Salisbury = SOLS-bury.
I've forgotten what I was attempting to achieve with this or why, but that should make anyone well-prepared and leave us natives appreciative.
once heard an American pronounce Loughborough as 'LOOGA-BAROOGA'
One of my favourites was a few old Dutch women who stopped me on a run and asked me for directions to "Kylie." They ended up having to point to it on a map for me. They meant Keighley (KEEF-lee). I pronounce it "Kylie" now quite often as an inside joke that only I get.
They are mainly buruh. Middlesbrough is the exception as is spelt brough rather than borough like the others.
Kicking myself at that one really. It's like I call it "Ed-in-BRUH" as well. I guess the confusion arises with the football fans going "up the boro," or is that just me?
They are mainly buruh. Middlesbrough is the exception as is spelt brough rather than borough like the others.
Kicking myself at that one really. It's like I call it "Ed-in-BRUH" as well. I guess the confusion arises with the football fans going "up the boro," or is that just me?
Possibly. I always find it ironic that they are nicknamed BORO.
Im confused by Ricky Gervais.
I thought it was Americans who were notorious for using profanity. Not the British.
The American character in British movies is always the one the says "Its friggin hot today..its friggin this...its friggin that".
Probably the way it goes is that americans use the words more often- but figuretively- as expetives. But Brits are the one who actually talk about bodily functions more openly and often.
I thought it was Americans who were notorious for using profanity. Not the British.
The American character in British movies is always the one the says "Its friggin hot today..its friggin this...its friggin that".
Probably the way it goes is that americans use the words more often- but figuretively- as expetives. But Brits are the one who actually talk about bodily functions more openly and often.
You obviously haven;t met an Australian before
Biscuitman
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He is from my town, in fact he grew up quite close to where I live (though is older). He used to often drop in comments about the Whitley estate into his jokes in the early days which is where he grew up, and is not the nicest part of town!
csb
Another source of respect would be correct pronunciation and stressing of place names and I'll throw down some examples because it's 2am and this is what I do:
What?! That's too much work! We'll pronounce it the way we like (Americans are the only people on Earth who speak English correctly, anyhow), and if the Brits don't like it, we'll bomb them back into the Stone Age and install a corrupt government!
I saw this the other day, were you joking or did you actually mean what you typed?
I got ripped into one time for using the term "Britishers", which I thought was just another pluralism for people from England. I don't even know if there is some offensive meaning attached to that particular term, as the guy I was talking to was being kind of a dick generally, but I've avoided it anyway just in case.
_________________
“The totally convinced and the totally stupid have too much in common for the resemblance to be accidental.”
-- Robert Anton Wilson
I don't think it has any particular meaning. It just comes across as stupid and dismissive.
Don't confuse England and the United Kingdom.
And, like I say, Britishness in the UK itself is controversial, violently so in Northern Ireland. Also in Scotland, but less savagely so.
The plural of british is british! which is probably why you got ripped into (though that sounds a bit extreme to me), Britishers is not technically a real word.
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Autistic dad to an autistic boy and loving it - its always fun in our house
I have Autism. My communication difficulties mean that I sometimes get words wrong, that what I mean is not what comes out.
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