People are sharing the ‘Britishisms’ that simply don’t travel overseas – 15 words and phrases lost in translation
Reddit user InviteAromatic6124 revived an age-old talking point when they asked:
What “Britishisms” do you regularly use that always confuse people when you go abroad?
For me, it’s saying “cheers” instead of “thanks”. That has especially confused Americans while I’ve been in the USA as they think it’s short for “Cheerio” and I’m saying goodbye instead of thanking them.
Of course, the UK had no shortage of embarrassing misunderstandings to share, usually resulting from our strange commitment to total nonsense which usually slips under the radar of the trained British ear.
1.
I was writing on the whiteboard in a meeting in the States and asked if anyone had a rubber. Cue a very awkward interaction which involved me having to clarify I “didn’t mean a condom” slightly too much.
IndoorCloudFormation
2.
Not sure what this is saying about the English work ethic but when I worked in a US kids summer camp over my summers at university, the phrase “I can’t be bothered” was a real hit! Just like “I can’t be arsed”.
Apparently not said in the US.
Also the phrase “a wide berth”. Boss was in a mood, I told my American colleague I’d give her a wider berth and he was like “you’ll give her a what now?”
onion_head1
3.
Feeling a bit ‘ropey’ when not feeling well
Asking for tap water
How do? (I’m not northern, I just like to say it)
All the various iterations of ‘bollocks’ and trying to explain what each meant and that it can be negative/positive
How we are able to insult people using ANYTHING just by adding ‘absolute’ in front of the word eg you absolute spoon
Late-Champion8678
4.
Apparently in British English we’re very fond of the word “quite”.
BalthazarOfTheOrions
5.
Saying sorry instead of excuse me.
Typical brit shit. Apologising because someone else is in the way.
EitherChannel4874
6.
Drop “cockup” into a convo!
fsutrill
7.
I started studying a masters over in Spain so was one of two native English speakers, the other being American. One time she entered the room and I was like “hiya yalright?” And she was just like “erm…yes, I think so? Do I look like I’m not alright?” I was just like wtf
Quinlov
8.
Saying something is “lovely” when in the US always gets the most bizarre reaction.
I encourage everyone to try it.
scare_crowe94
9.
I grew up in Canada, but my dad was Scottish, and sometimes the phrases he used would make their way into my everyday speech.
I would (and still do, especially now that I’m living in Scotland) say “ta” a fair bit.
I had one friend that thought it meant “goodbye”, and it took us an embarrassingly long time to realise that there was a misunderstanding.
Until we figured that out, she thought I was just being really abruptly ending conversations for no apparent reason. I thought she was brushing me off for no apparent reason.
It was funny when we realised it.
My friends were also shocked when my dad acted his normal sarcastic self around them. He had a Glaswegian accent, and often called me “pet” or “ratbag” which my pals found weird and/or horrifying. Of course, that’s only when they could actually understand him. That was often an issue
sneakerpimp87
10.
Other way around I suppose, but in 3rd grade after freshly moving [to] Canada I heard a teacher say “get your fannies over here” and was so shocked before I realized
1DameMaggieSmith
11.
My gf being German is always confused when I say “Half ten” when telling the time. The Germans mean half TO the hour, whereas we mean half past the hour.
If I told her to meet me somewhere at half ten, she’d arrive there an hour early at half nine.
Len_S_Ball_23
12.
i say cheers duckeh but this is a good one because it also confuses people 10 minutes down the road
Spiritual-Ostrich-97
13.
Apparently I can’t give a straight answer to a yes/no question.
My father in-law is Slovak and learning English from duolinguo. This gives us two problems – the Slovak word for yes (ano) sounds like our word for no. And duolinguo apparently didn’t prepare him for indirect answers.
Would you like a drink?
“I’m okay, thanks” – He hears “okay!”
“ooh, I wouldn’t say no” – He hears “no”.
The funniest part is he seems to be getting his head around this, quicker than I can learn to give him a straight answer.
wosmo
14.
People get very confused when I say “whizzo” about something being very good. I’m in Perth, Western Australia and it makes me feel like a 60s Beano character. And my phone ringtone is the Benny Hill tv show.
bollockstoreddit
And finally, one from Bertie Wooster:
15.
Whenever I shriek ‘Tally-ho, pip-pip!’ into a packed diner, everyone looks at me like I’ve lost my fucking mind.
JackDrawsStuff
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/