|
MAKE ME FIRM:
saru-san - 2005-01-11 09:15:21
So, without benefit of a slatted fence, you look like... a gay geography teacher? Or are the effects not cumulative?
-------------------------------
mousemilk - 2005-01-11 10:05:43
No, saru-san, I don't - an anomaly I address within the entry, although you may understandably have fallen asleep or cut out your own eyes by that point.
-------------------------------
albannach - 2005-01-11 10:50:31
So; having noted to myself over the course of time how many instances you raise the topic of american vs. british speech I simply MUST ask the question:
Exactly when WAS it that an american girl broke your heart? Do I sense the not-so-minute stirrings of rage everytime the topic arises?
-------------------------------
twobaddogs - 2005-01-11 10:51:33
OK, you're weird. I understood the whole paragraph about the engine falling through the roof, though, so I guess I should just shut up.
By the way, I never say "pocketbook," I say "purse." I don't say "aluminum wrap," I say "tin foil."
I believe you'd look more like a priest on a weekday or a gay Math(s) teacher without the fence.
-------------------------------
Anisettekiss - 2005-01-11 10:54:07
i "HEART" Albannach. MouseMilk - REAL men wear PINK. Dammit.
-------------------------------
JuddHole - 2005-01-11 11:17:52
Yer a freak, you talk funny, and I would happily ram a fast-food burger and a beer down your throat before ever listening to you refer to anything so blatantly gay as "a jumper."
You're also bloody brilliant, and had me spitting flecks of donut frosting well across my desk this morning.
Cheers.
-------------------------------
saru-san - 2005-01-11 11:43:02
I never was very good at paying atten... what?
-------------------------------
Comma-Abuse - 2005-01-11 12:07:12
Uh. Am I the only one here who says "aluminum foil" (My mother cannot pronounce any English words to save her life, really, so she always says "alyumyinyum fyoyal?" and then grumbles something in German about how stupid Americans are)? And really... there is a bit of rage there. I'm a bit worried that my "american but not american" (as it has been called) accent thingy will make you punch me if I ever happen to run into you. And let me tell you right now, I am weakly. Oh, and the fence thing made me laugh. You should see my ugly ugly striped sweater. It's uh, wait... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/Comma-Abuse/100_0007_2.jpg (There)
That. Yes. And by the way, I like the, uh, jumper. It's odd, but nice. And only real men would wear that sort of thing, so feel proud. Back to the speaking and my saying "jumper." The thing is that I figure my already having the American tone would ruin it if I actually tried to use words generally not used by Americans. That would be even more annoying. Deep down, that's me sparing you. If the absolute worst happened and both was declared intolerable, I could just start speaking in German, and that would solve nothing.
Ranting stops now.
-------------------------------
Comma-Abuse - 2005-01-11 12:09:30
Also, I say "uh" a lot and can't type or properly place commas. But my name should have told you that already.
-------------------------------
saru-san - 2005-01-11 13:04:51
I work with English and Irish persons, and have several English friends, so when I'm talking to them I'll say things like, I threw it in the bin instead of I threw it in the garbage, aluminium instead of aluminum, kitchen roll instead of paper towels, crisps instead of potato chips, biscuit instead of cookie and jumper instead of sweater... for example. All my friends and co-workers (or colleagues) seem to appreciate the effort to "speak correctly."
I also pronounce mirror bisyllabically*, so I may be atypical.
*Not a real word.
-------------------------------
saru-san - 2005-01-11 13:23:35
And how... how... did I not finish that last paragraph before entering my first comment? Because I am a gunjumper. I jumped the gun. (Also, my boss... one of the English persons of whom I spake... came into the room before I could finish reading, and then I went right to comments. The dangers of Diaryland at work.)
-------------------------------
Comma-Abuse - 2005-01-11 15:55:45
Yeah, well, saru-san, when I have tried they just looked at me funny. See there.
-------------------------------
twobaddogs - 2005-01-12 07:35:04
Yeah, I'm kind of agreeing with Comma-Abuse, I think. Although people might ALWAYS look askance at Comma-Abuse after speech, I don't know. When I try to Anglicize my America-speak, the people I work with just look at me like I'm either patronizing them or trying to fool them. Although I have recently found a lot of use for the word "rubbish," which is more fun to say than "garbage." I also like "manky."
-------------------------------
mousemilk - 2005-01-12 07:48:56
Then you are all my brave footsoldiers operating deep in enemy territory. The tide of Yankspeak has already crashed unremittingly over these shores - I have to reply with stern emails when my countryfolk send me a 'heads up' or describe what they've been doing '24/7'. Stick with it. Class project: this week use 'bollocks' and 'telly' at least three times each.
-------------------------------
Comma-abuse - 2005-01-12 14:55:34
Well, actually, only non-American English speaking people (British, Irish, so on so forth) look at me funny when I speak. They say "You have a sort of American accent I cannot place" or something to that effect. I think it mystifies them. If my accent is so offbeat, I wonder why no actual Americans have ever noticed it. I mean, maybe it's just that they're stupid. Okay, probably it's just that they're stupid. But then, I live in a place where "cut it out y'all, I'm fixin' to cut off the light" is actually a sentence. It's, uh, bollocks? (Sad attempt, sorry.) I've commented a lot on this entry. I should probably stop.
-------------------------------
twobaddogs - 2005-01-13 09:08:16
OK, C-A, which part of the States are you from with your mysterious, vaguely inbred, rednecky example? Do you know the difference between "y'all" and "all y'all"?
MM, my US boss constantly tries to use Brit-speak and does it with unintentionally hilarious consequences. If she asks me to "Call her up on the telly" one more time...
-------------------------------
saru-san - 2005-01-13 10:14:16
I never really have a problem when I use "Brit-speak" because 1) I always make sure I know what I'm saying, 2) unlike a lot of Americans who try to use British phrases, I do NOT affect a fake accent (which anyone who has ever been to one of those Medieval festivals knows how irritating that is... or, I suppose if you've ever seen Mary Poppins - Dick, I love you, man, but that is the worst faux accent ever!) and 3) everybody always assumes everything I say is a joke anyway, so I can basically say whatever I want. It's a gift.
-------------------------------
saru-san - 2005-01-13 10:19:57
As always, however, results may not be typical.
-------------------------------
mousemilk - 2005-01-13 11:54:43
Ooh, I love that people are chatting on my comments. I feel like a relieved barbecue host. What British phrases do Americans try and fail to use, saru-san?
-------------------------------
JuddHole - 2005-01-13 14:46:22
Presenting... Rupricht the Monkey Boy with Genital Cuff!
Thanks for the idea. Our show will consist of me swinging a "telly" by the cord, and kicking you in the "bullocks."
Thank you, and good night.
I mean, "cheers."
-------------------------------
Comma-Abuse - 2005-01-14 16:28:50
I'm not American. That's the entire point. I'm from Germany, and I learned to speak English from ten thousand Americans from ten thousand regions when I was around 6 years old, stuck on an Army base. Sad days. And I live in Georgia, have for a few years now. It's god-awful here, someone get me out. I mean it. I'll pay.
-------------------------------
Say the thing that you are thinking:
back to the entry - Diaryland
|