Favourite English word or phrase (or Irish or Scottish ....

[Mags 112]

my US hubby was very confused the first time he heard me use Give Over - meaning stop it!! Not sure if this is a Northern English term or not.

Nah, not northern at all, us Southerners say it aswell!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

My favourite has to be sarnie, especially bacon sarnie...

(must be dinner time then...)

[broma25 2]

my US hubby was very confused the first time he heard me use Give Over - meaning stop it!! Not sure if this is a Northern English term or not.

I love Give over! A frequent utterance from G, who is from the Northwest!

I am also from the Northwest, and it was such a common thing for me to say, but I wasn't sure if it was regional or not.

Thanks Mags for clarifying that its used in the south too.

[TimsDaisy 0]

Ah - Bacon Sarnies! (if you're ever in Cali, I can direct to a goodun')

Let's see, some of my favorites:

Ta

for ####'s sake

minge (i don't even know how impolite that is, but it isn't bad in america so i don't mind saying it. probably should though)

brilliant

clever

lovely (the first time my fiance said "you're lovely" i think i turned to butter and went all melty)

gutted

numpty

knackered

can't be asked/bothered

I also noticed that I started saying "quite" along with every sentence like it was a tick or I had tourettes of some kind. but then I realized that i was perhaps misusing it. like saying "quite lovely" wasn't the compliment i thought it was. but then maybe it is. seems to be one of those brit usage things that you either get intuitively or you don't. not sure i do.

And the cockney rhyming slang is a hoot. My favorite: having a steffi (from steffi graff = laugh = having a laugh). Or going for a Jimmy!

As for what I hate: Americans who spend a week or a semester in England and come back saying "cheers" as a response to everything! Argh! Even marrying a Brit I don't feel justified in using it. I've used it at pubs in England, but never here that I can recall. I'd rather say "Ta." I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it makes me CRAZY! And then there was this one guy who signed his emails "chrs" - so not only is he using Cheers, he can't even be bothered to use the vowels. #######?

Does anyone go all Madonna and start slipping into an accent on certain words? (I find myself doing it on words that aren't commonly used here in the US)

BTW: I also recommend highly this book by cultural anthropologist Kate Fox: Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour - http://www.amazon.com/Watching-English-Hid...3543&sr=8-2 (you can get it on Amazon UK too). It's a hoot for Americans and equally interesting for Brits. Adds some social sciences to your "why do you do that?" discussions. I think it's a good gift for future in-laws so they know who's becoming part of the family.

Oh - here's a question: favorite regional accent? My boy is from Essex (not and Essex Boy, though!) but my favorite accent has to be the classic Yorkshire!

[Fandango 1,439]

Ah - Bacon Sarnies! (if you're ever in Cali, I can direct to a goodun')

Let's see, some of my favorites:

Ta

for ####'s sake

minge (i don't even know how impolite that is, but it isn't bad in america so i don't mind saying it. probably should though)

brilliant

clever

lovely (the first time my fiance said "you're lovely" i think i turned to butter and went all melty)

gutted

numpty

knackered

can't be asked/bothered

I also noticed that I started saying "quite" along with every sentence like it was a tick or I had tourettes of some kind. but then I realized that i was perhaps misusing it. like saying "quite lovely" wasn't the compliment i thought it was. but then maybe it is. seems to be one of those brit usage things that you either get intuitively or you don't. not sure i do.

And the cockney rhyming slang is a hoot. My favorite: having a steffi (from steffi graff = laugh = having a laugh). Or going for a Jimmy!

As for what I hate: Americans who spend a week or a semester in England and come back saying "cheers" as a response to everything! Argh! Even marrying a Brit I don't feel justified in using it. I've used it at pubs in England, but never here that I can recall. I'd rather say "Ta." I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it makes me CRAZY! And then there was this one guy who signed his emails "chrs" - so not only is he using Cheers, he can't even be bothered to use the vowels. #######?

1st red bit...shouldn't that be 'can't be arsed'?

second red bit...omG yes!!!!!!!!!

[ajames79 0]

I can't say Cheers either. Occasionally I'll say it at a pub after I order a pint but I can't say it here.

What makes me go all melty and it is silly I know, it is quite commen for everyone to use it but I LOVE when Chris calls me love! Like if I am upset he'll say "What's up love" in a calm voice. Or I like listening to him speak to older ladies in England (he works for council) He calls them Love...

I love hearing him talk to people who work for him all "Cheers Mate" "Sure Pal" etc etc. Okay I am all whiney today.

Walking all over the house trying to find something that smells like him. He suggested I go find his hiking boots! (ha) Not quite what I as looking for!

This week is a whiney week!

HOWEVER...I got the wedding invites out today!

[*julez* 124]

The term of endearment that I always get is "chuck"....we get funny looks from people when he calls me that in public here! The family is used to it now!

G also uses "duck" a lot, even with strangers and my daughter admonished him publicly for it! She's 7. It was so cute!

[Mags 112]

Favourite UK accent? Geordie without a doubt!

[Fandango 1,439]

Favourite UK accent? Geordie without a doubt!

You meant Mackem, right?

[Mags 112]

Favourite UK accent? Geordie without a doubt!

You meant Mackem, right?

You're biased!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I think my favorite phrase of all time is "Duck" as a term of endearment or greeting, as in "eh up duck". I think it's pretty regional and you don't hear it outside Derbyshire/Notts.

[cheeky^Wolf 0]

I like "darlin" in any english accent but with a nice london barrow boy accent it makes my tummy do flips! phwoar!

Dave came in from reading his slang book today n told me to get my alan wickers off I about fell off my chair!

[Mary Lou 681]

I can relate to the word "alright" When Gary and i first started speaking on the phone he would say alright, and im like ummmmmmm hello. So i finally asked him why do you always say alright, lol I also like when he calls his mates from footy "lads"

[msu17 0]

I've definitly picked up "can't be bothered/can't be asked" I love when Paul uses Ta, love (though usually he uses it as an insult which I find hilarious) all his numerous swear words. His mother always uses "they're like chalk and cheese" which I always laugh at. What I find most amusing is where he drops his r's and what the words sound like. For instance pastor becomes pasta. He also tries to pick up US phrases. The other day he said "lets rock and role" in the WORST american accent ever and I must have laughed for 5 min.

I do hate words like minging/smeg/minge etc though. They dont need to get on the plane with him

My fav. accent has to be Yorkshire. I especially love how they start yelling at each other for the most minute insult... Too bad Paul doesnt have it. We call his a "paul accent" since his parents are from Essex, he was raised in the North and he got kicked in the face when playing footie and lost a tooth so he cant make the th sound. All in all it makes for an interesting sound...

[Mags 112]

I've definitly picked up "can't be bothered/can't be asked"

Again, as Lisa pointed out the "can't be asked" thing. It's supposed to be "can't be ARSED"...