How to fake an American accent:
It is not only specific words that are different, but the way you say things that mark the difference between an average fake American accent, and a legit accent.
I mean there's the obvious - items of clothing are probably the most different (sweater, pants, button down, romper...) Then there's stop-lights, beets, rutabaga (turnips - I was confused on Thanksgiving), trash, gas, trunk...the list goes on...
But subtle differences include:
1. 'You want a ride?' not 'You want a lift?'
You ride a horse not a car.
2. 'He's named Trent' not 'He's called Trent'
Just sounds a bit weird to me.
3. 'I'm going to go study' not 'I'm going to go and revise'
Study = revise. Revision would be revising over a paper, editing it.
4. 'It's 8.30' not 'It's half 8'
(Ok so we say this too, but the abbreviation of half 8 is met with baffled exchanges)
5. 'It's October 3rd' not 'It's October [the] 3rd'
Ref. Cady Herren (Mean Girls; 2004)
6. 'Let's take shots!' not 'Let's have shots!'
If you said 'take', I would just hold the shot. Not consume it.
And if you want to be understood, steer clear of the following phrases:
- 'Can't be bothered'
- 'Taking the piss' (a friend once said, so I could say, 'I'm just taking a piss'?....no. No you can't.)
- 'Give me a buzz', you know, a call ... on the phone
- 'Nip to the loo'.. it's the restroom/ bathroom
Then there's the writing. Fellow Brits suddenly assume a great sense of pride in writing 'grey', 'colour' 'aluminium', 'aeroplane' (airplane - what?)... the list goes on.
I tried to explain Cockney rhyming slang to a friend. I may as well have been speaking gibberish.
Language barriers hey, who would have thought, we are speaking the same language but it's just a different kettle of fish.
xoxoxoxoxo
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