Ponky Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Re the one two posts up. What's the difference between a chav and a spiv and a div? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I also find the diversity of accents fascinating. Here in Aus there are discreet differences from state to state and in the US there are huge differences on a state to state basis but in England it almost seems to be people living just a few miles apart can have completely different accents 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Why do the British often seem to create offensive taxonomic names for lower-class social groups? Examples: Yobs, chavs, neds, oiks (passe). From a BBC article a few years ago ... A new book claims the word "chav" is helping to reignite class war. The journalist Polly Toynbee calls it "the vile word at the heart of fractured Britain". Recently a peer caused a kerfuffle when she tweeted about being stuck in "chav-land". So almost a decade after its emergence, is chav really the most divisive word in Britain, asks Tom de Castella. For some it has been a satisfying label to pin on Burberry check-wearing louts. But for others, it's a nasty, coded attack on the working class. And for some commentators the word chav is now at the heart of Britain's obsession with class. It's surely no different to the likes of trailer park trash, po' white trash, redneck, hillbilly, good ole'boy, hick and so on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) Being a bit of an Anglophile, having lived with English people and and being on here every day for the last 10 years, I've definitely picked up phrases and words and use them sometimes with Americans who look at me like I have two heads, or probably think I'm trying to be something I'm not. But when nothing else can describe a situation like "taking the piss" can, it's hard not to use some British terms sometimes. Edited March 20, 2015 by maqroll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I also find the diversity of accents fascinating. Here in Aus there are discreet differences from state to state and in the US there are huge differences on a state to state basis but in England it almost seems to be people living just a few miles apart can have completely different accents It's incredible isn't it? I try to guess the area where [insert talking head here] is from, but if it's not Scouse, Brummie, Cockney, or Southwest where they have rhotic accents, I often struggle. If it's a strong Yorkshire accent I can sometimes guess that one too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Americans mostly don't know what "fortnight" means. For some bizarre reason, I find that really funny. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Why do the British often seem to create offensive taxonomic names for lower-class social groups? Examples: Yobs, chavs, neds, oiks (passe). From a BBC article a few years ago ... A new book claims the word "chav" is helping to reignite class war. The journalist Polly Toynbee calls it "the vile word at the heart of fractured Britain". Recently a peer caused a kerfuffle when she tweeted about being stuck in "chav-land". So almost a decade after its emergence, is chav really the most divisive word in Britain, asks Tom de Castella. For some it has been a satisfying label to pin on Burberry check-wearing louts. But for others, it's a nasty, coded attack on the working class. And for some commentators the word chav is now at the heart of Britain's obsession with class. It's surely no different to the likes of trailer park trash, po' white trash, redneck, hillbilly, good ole'boy, hick and so on. Or the northern city equivalents, like Townie or Guido, or the insidious "Wigger", which is pretty ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Do British people want their empire back? not unless you all move to Mexico first , I doubt we could afford the food bill to look after you all . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted March 20, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 20, 2015 Americans mostly don't know what "fortnight" means. For some bizarre reason, I find that really funny. I use that as much as possible in the office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted March 20, 2015 Administrator Share Posted March 20, 2015 Being a bit of an Anglophile, having lived with English people and and being on here every day for the last 10 years, I've definitely picked up phrases and words and use them sometimes with Americans who look at me like I have two heads, or probably think I'm trying to be something I'm not. But when nothing else can describe a situation like "taking the piss" can, it's hard not to use some British terms sometimes. "word removed" isn't in common usage in the UK (yet). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 The toast rack always used to be the cheapskate option right at the bottom of the wedding present list. I think wedding gifts are graded on the same basis as the guests. You have to have some cheap items for those low-grade guests who are only considered worthy of travelling at their own expense to a distant venue, for the pleasures of getting the cold-shoulder from both sets of relatives, a lousy disco and what remains of the buffet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I also find the diversity of accents fascinating. Here in Aus there are discreet differences from state to state and in the US there are huge differences on a state to state basis but in England it almost seems to be people living just a few miles apart can have completely different accents Black Country and brummie are 2 different accents 10m apart, 50m up the m6 it's different, 50m down the m5 different, 50m down the m40 different, 50m on the m42 different It's pretty mad when you think about it, we must have 20+ accents in the uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Why do Americans say they are going to take a shit when it's literally the opposite of what they are going to do? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 20, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 Do British people want their empire back? If it made travelling easier/cheaper then yea, but apart from that, and using our history to give other countries a bit of stick, I don't think anyone cares [emoji38] In fact a lot of posters on here are against the Royal Family because of what they stand for etc, I don't mind them, they bring in money and people all around the world seem to dig them. Rude American story number 1; I was in London when I think William and Kate were due at Buckingham Palace, we went at the very last minute, just to see if we could see anything/anyone. We met an American family from California (Portland maybe?) man, woman and 3 teenage girls. The man was quite chilled out, the kids weren't interested in standing around waiting to see a car surrounded by police but the woman, jesus christ, was pushing and asking people to move out of her way so she could get to the front of the queue.. Literally pushing people [emoji38] Her husband just looked at us and said "I know, typical Yanks right?" Portland is in Oregon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 20, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 Why do Americans say they are going to take a shit when it's literally the opposite of what they are going to do? It's the US take v. UK have dichotomy. Shits, leaks, showers, baths, breaks, rests, etc. Americans take 'em, Brits have 'em. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 20, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) Why do Americans say they are going to take a shit when it's literally the opposite of what they are going to do? yep, mjmooney answered it! If you go back in English language history though, I think you'll find that the distinction fades. Example from Lewis Carroll: 'Take some more tea,' the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly. 'I've had nothing yet,' Alice replied in an offended tone, 'so I can't take more.' Why do the British often seem to create offensive taxonomic names for lower-class social groups? Examples: Yobs, chavs, neds, oiks (passe). From a BBC article a few years ago ... A new book claims the word "chav" is helping to reignite class war. The journalist Polly Toynbee calls it "the vile word at the heart of fractured Britain". Recently a peer caused a kerfuffle when she tweeted about being stuck in "chav-land". So almost a decade after its emergence, is chav really the most divisive word in Britain, asks Tom de Castella. For some it has been a satisfying label to pin on Burberry check-wearing louts. But for others, it's a nasty, coded attack on the working class. And for some commentators the word chav is now at the heart of Britain's obsession with class. It's surely no different to the likes of trailer park trash, po' white trash, redneck, hillbilly, good ole'boy, hick and so on. It is the same in terms of class, in a way, but I think there is actually a big difference, too. The British terms, from what I can, are often used in a way that present poor people as aggressive and socially out of control. In the US, the terms you mention are more about being a throwback to rural America, a "hayseed," or "yokel." There's definitely a lack of education implied in both US and UK sets of terms. Those terms in the US are very different in how they get used, and some of them (like good ole boy) aren't very well defined. And several of them are simply offensive code for Appalachian people that have expanded. They remind me of English people who use the "p" word to describe travelers. Maqroll's comment about "Guidos" definitely makes a lot of sense as a kind of analogy but it's different, too. That word "guido" is ethnic and extremely offensive, too, at least to the Italian-Americans I know. Edited March 20, 2015 by Plastic Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Why do British people get drunk and then want "a curry"? It just seems like recipe for disaster. Plus, curries are very messy. Wouldn't you rather have a hamburger or a kebab or chips? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 The British terms, from what I can, are often used in a way that present poor people as aggressive and socially out of control. That's because the people they are used to describe often are. A lot of town centres in the UK are completely out of control with binge drinkers at the weekends for example. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) What's the deal with Americans and clapping at the cinema? Edited March 20, 2015 by Mantis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 20, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 Why do British people get drunk and then want "a curry"? It just seems like recipe for disaster. Plus, curries are very messy. Wouldn't you rather have a hamburger or a kebab or chips? So funny ... shared this with lots of people just now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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