CrunchBang Linux

userx-bw

#! Die Hard

From: stuck in an unknown reality

Registered: 2013-11-19

Posts: 735

Re: different ways to spell words in english

(at least that's my understanding from Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

One can learn a lot about British people watching Buffy's watcher Rupert Giles, and Spike of course!       

Last edited by userx-bw (2015-06-04 14:18:14)

---

"How can you learn how to fix it, if you don't break it first? :8
"the only way to get away with murder is - by killing time" swp 1997  8o
"A computer is only as smart as the person using it"
"Just plug it in and see if it blows up, if not then take it apart and figure out how it works."

pvsage

Internal Affairs

From: North Carolina

Registered: 2009-10-18

Posts: 13,970

Re: different ways to spell words in english

^ One can learn a lot about New Yorkers trying to sound British by listening to Spike.

As for the differences in accents and dialect, there's the time of separation of course, but there's also the many other European groups that also settled North America, including the Spanish, Dutch, Germans, and French.  I think cultural blending there had a big influence on American accents, at least on the Eastern Seaboard.

I cannot possibly explain or justify what Americans call a "Southern drawl" though; that one's a total mystery to me.

---

Please help us keep your forums manageable.

userx-bw

#! Die Hard

From: stuck in an unknown reality

Registered: 2013-11-19

Posts: 735

Re: different ways to spell words in english

^ One can learn a lot about New Yorkers trying to sound British by listening to Spike.

This one time at an Elvis Costello concert in the states I pulled off a rather good British accent and their were these three (American) girls .. and well ... long story short ... it made for a good night
(but of course I don't remember their names)

Last edited by userx-bw (2015-06-05 02:10:04)

---

"How can you learn how to fix it, if you don't break it first? :8
"the only way to get away with murder is - by killing time" swp 1997  8o
"A computer is only as smart as the person using it"
"Just plug it in and see if it blows up, if not then take it apart and figure out how it works."

userx-bw

#! Die Hard

From: stuck in an unknown reality

Registered: 2013-11-19

Posts: 735

Re: different ways to spell words in english

@pvsage
I cannot possibly explain or justify what Americans call a "Southern drawl" though; that one's a total mystery to me.

the "Southern drawl" is a long drawn out saying of a word. I was in Alabama once, and I met this one person. He went to ask me a question. This person took so long to get just one word out of his mouth I could have taken a 10 minute nap before he finished that one word. It wasn't exactly a Southern drawl because that has a accent to it, but, this dude was the completely opposite of how an auctioneer speaks.

I have never met anyone before or after that that spoke so slowly before in my life.

Last edited by userx-bw (2015-06-05 02:17:57)

---

"How can you learn how to fix it, if you don't break it first? :8
"the only way to get away with murder is - by killing time" swp 1997  8o
"A computer is only as smart as the person using it"
"Just plug it in and see if it blows up, if not then take it apart and figure out how it works."

ohnonot

...again

Registered: 2012-05-22

Posts: 2,205

Re: different ways to spell words in english

^ "P*** off" (or, more vulgarly, "b*gg*r off") also means "go away"

Yes, but I am p***ed off by the car drivers in London

And you can get p***ed up at a party aka "p*** up"

he's clearly pissed:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1O9Px_CVpc[/video]...buzz off!

You forgot "restroom" which in my traveling experience is the most common denomination in the US.

how about bathroom?
once heard a funny story where an american actor, touring germany, asks for the bathroom before the show.
in reply he received a very confused look and: "yes, but it's a 5 min walk away..."

MartinRF

#! Junkie

From: Stockholm, Sweden

Registered: 2009-01-23

Posts: 451

Website

Re: different ways to spell words in english

BBC is on to this:
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/201506 … -is-sinful

/Martin

MartinRF

#! Junkie

From: Stockholm, Sweden

Registered: 2009-01-23

Posts: 451

Website

Re: different ways to spell words in english

Even more from BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pbwjp

/Martin