Turning American

[topogigo]

When in Rome do as the Romans, they say.
When i move to the US, i have got to adapt somewhat. For starters they can/t understand my Brummie accent, they really can't if i talk fast.
Thing is, i just cannot say ter-may-doze, my grandad, black country man as he was, said tumartus. I am sticking with that, there are other such as zucchini for courgettes i am prepared to go with, even diapers at a push, but not straight alternative pronunciations, i will just feel like a berk. And they can stuff "Aloo minum" and Bayda (Beta) .

[Octavius]

Why would you want to change?

They will just irritate you by endlessly calling you quaint, and then continue to irritate you for the rest of your stay.

Dare to be different.

[pastafreak]

Haha!! topo...I have been in the UK for almost 19 years-OMG..will be this Sat I think!!.......and I still say 'elevator'.....keep your accent-they will love it over there!

When are you going,and where are you moving to??

[Eve]

I got enough stick moving from Shropshire to Manchester because of the way I said things lol :)

[topogigo]

It is not that i want to change it is that as yet they struggle to understand me so i find my self translating, (They are always right don't you know?)

[Jugglering]

You are going to have trouble getting a proper cup of tea..... boiling water poured into a cup or mug, served up with a teabag on the side, ready to be dunked in, does not make *tea* by any stretch of the imagination....lol..

Getting a curry will be difficult too, unless you are in one of the really larger cities... and as for a full english.... well, just give up there !

However, on a positive note, you can now look forward to brilliant service, nothing is too much trouble, anything you want you can achieve...so long as you can pay for it !

[Rosetta]

Providing you don't talk like Eli and Enoch they will adjust LOL

[cazzz1975]

where are you in brum topo?

[topogigo]

I am going to Traverse City, Michigan, i came back 3 weeks ago, i go back for a month in a month then i go for good after xmas.

[ChuckFickens]

You'll find yourself changing the way you talk without even noticing anyhow, after a little while people in America will understand you fine, then you come back to visit somebody in the UK and you will get the pee taken for sounding like a American :)

[topogigo]

I have found an Indian spice shop (Store) in the area run by folks from Delhi, so curry is on the menu.
God the meals are massive, i am like a zeppilin after 3 weeks.

Cazz i live in Penkridge near Stafford a littleish Village, but not for long.

[topogigo]

I have just had an email from the mall at Traverse city, probably just want tp say hi, they are very nice i must admit the folks over there, saying that i wasn't in the hood. I have been told Detroit where i landed is a different story.

[saxy_jag]

ChuckFickens, that's exactly what happened to my aunt. After fifty years of living there, she's still definably English to everyone in her town, but to us, she's an American, no argument (although technically, she's still British).

What is funny is listening to my cousins. They speak like any other American most of the time, but then will come out with some British swear word or expletive that they've picked up from 'Mom', all dropped 'h's and everything.

[funnygirl]

I remember the first time I went to New York and the ribbing I got over my accent.

I was endlessly asked to repeat things!

Also made a few boobs too, as I can remember the look of horror on their faces when my Mum asked for a fag!!
Apparently a fag, then was a gay person!!! Lol.

[pastafreak]

When my Brit ex was over there many years ago, he had to do undergraduate teaching. He referred to an erasure for the ba lckboard as a rubber(condom)...they fell about laughing,needless to say. When he went to his first Thanksgiving dinner, he was offered squash (the veg )...his response was "squashed what?? "..lol!

[topogigo]

Yes it will all be very amusing at times, they do ask some dumb questions though like do you have campfires?
I told them" we had one"

[topogigo]

Incidentally the way that Americans say tt as a mostly dd as in latter, sounds like ladder, is called a flap, i know not why/

[ChuckFickens]

LOL @ fag funnygirl,

I got caught out by that one the first time I went to the states and asked somebody if they would like a fag :)

after explaining the error they were most amused when I then pointed out that in the UK (well some parts) if you wanted to get a ciggie from somebody else the phrase "can I bum a fag" could be used.