If you live in England . . .

by compound complex 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  Gargamel

  Saename said "I loved the British accent."

  
  

  This is a source of mirth for me - like there is one British accent :)
  
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  stan livedeath

  when i first started to attend meetings as a kid--early 60's--i thought they were americans. all the guys chewed gum and talked with american-ish accents.
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  cofty

  We also use the logical phrase "I couldn't care less".

  Americans say "I could care less" which makes no sense at all. If you could care less about something then you obviously care.
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  compound complex

  Well . . . I have had a very good laugh!

  Thank you so much. Will be back later to comment further.

  I never spell theatre as theater. (Spellcheck does not recognize/recognise British renderings.)

  Kick me to the kerb, will ya?!?!?!?

  Behave!

  CC
• 

  stuckinarut2

  The use of hyphens is also different!

  For instance, the mags always say "we are coworkers with Christ". It should be "we are co-workers with Christ"

  What is a coworker? (someone who has cattle?)

  There are many other examples...I just cant think of them now.

  I once read the study WT from the platform and said coworkers (as in cow orkers) just to be silly.
  
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  bemused

  Whether American or UK English, some of the spelling/pronunciation is strange. 'Ough' is a particularly tricky area for non-native speakers. However, as someone once said, it can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.
  
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  stan livedeath

  if the watchtower society can publish magazines in dozens of different languages----then why not in English English ? all that americanese .must really put many UK readers right off ( if there are any UK readers.....)
• 

  nonjwspouse

  Garga

  I have noticed the variations of the British accent. Although I can not identify exactly what they are, I do like the rugby area accent quite a lot. For me it is just more fun to hear the stories and converse with someone that has an accent. Pleasing and occasionally amusing for me.
  
  
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  compound complex

  Thank you, dear friends, across the pond for your great replies.

  This has turned out better than I had imagined it would! I'm an editor for writers in the U.S.A., and these examples are helpful to me. I need to be able to distinguish between ours and yours, although yours is preferable in so many ways:

  if the watchtower society can publish magazines in dozens of different languages----then why not in English English ?all that americanese .must really put many UK readers right off ( if there are any UK readers.....)

  -- stan

  Cheerio!

  CC