{"id":3430,"date":"2015-06-08T12:43:10","date_gmt":"2015-06-08T16:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/?p=3430"},"modified":"2020-10-01T14:52:28","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T18:52:28","slug":"boots-blokes-and-bucks-is-it-bringlish-or-ameringlish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/2015\/06\/08\/boots-blokes-and-bucks-is-it-bringlish-or-ameringlish\/","title":{"rendered":"Boots, Blokes and Bucks: Is it Bringlish or Ameringlish?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Itchy<\/a><\/p>\n

This one\u2019s for all you non-native English speakers out there.<\/p>\n

Whenever I run into someone learning English, I can immediately tell whether they\u2019ve learned it out of a textbook or simply by absorbing the media. That\u2019s because if you learn English in the classroom anywhere outside the U.S. of A, chances are it\u2019s going to be British<\/em> English (or \u201cproper\u201d English, as they prefer to call it). If you learn it from TV, movies and music, however, nine times out of ten you\u2019ll be learning American<\/em> English (even if the band is British, they\u2019ll probably speak all Americany. See: the Rolling Stones, Blur, Mumford & Sons\u2026). Your word use will give you away, even if you haven\u2019t nailed the accent yet.<\/p>\n

Although you\u2019ve probably dipped your linguistic toes in both the media and classroom pools to top up your English, I figured it might be useful to give you an informal and possibly stereotype-enforcing education on what English words come from which side of the pond. If you\u2019re already fluent (as you most likely are, since you\u2019re reading this in English), you can test your own knowledge, since it\u2019s Monday, and you desperately need a distraction from the dreaded beginning of the week.<\/p>\n

Is it Bringlish or Ameringlish?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Boot<\/em> \u2013 let\u2019s start with a trick question. Both, sort of. In both dialects does this refer to a large shoe. In Britain, however, you\u2019ll also hear it in reference to the back compartment of a car, or trunk<\/em> in Ameringlish.<\/p>\n

Bin<\/em> \u2013 Bringlish, when talking about what Americans crassly call the trash can<\/em>. I say \u201ccrassly\u201d because I, as an American, have actually been laughed at, to my face, for calling it as such.<\/p>\n

Y\u2019all<\/em> \u2013 firmly Ameringlish. More specifically, southern Ameringlish. Used as the otherwise long-gone second person plural form, a contraction of \u201cyou all.\u201d Made famous by cowboys and hillbillies everywhere, but actually quite common anywhere east of El Paso, Texas.<\/p>\n

Pants<\/em> \u2013 both again, but beware. In Ameringlish this simply means the things you wear on your legs. In Bringlish this likely refers to your more delicate undergarments. Use trousers<\/em> when speaking about your leg-sheathes.<\/p>\n

Torch<\/em> \u2013 Bringlish if talking about an electric hand lamp, or flashlight<\/em> in Ameringlish. Ameringlish if talking about what a medieval knight might need to carry to light his way in a dungeon or a tomb.<\/p>\n

Holiday<\/em> \u2013 in Bringlish you can go on holiday<\/em>, which in Ameringlish would be on vacation<\/em>. A holiday<\/em> in Ameringlish is an official day off, like Christmas or Flag Day.<\/p>\n

Lorry<\/em> \u2013 firmly Bringlish. Large, four-wheeled vehicle, termed truck<\/em> in Ameringlish.<\/p>\n

Flat<\/em> \u2013 in Ameringlish, an adjective meaning \u201cnot bumpy.\u201d In Bringlish, a noun referring to a smallish living space, or apartment<\/em> in Ameringlish.<\/p>\n

Queue<\/em> – a very Bringlish word for a line of people, which Americans cleverly call a\u00a0line<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Chips<\/em> \u2013 another trick question, and one that still to this day can cause great confusion between myself and my Bringlish-speaking friends. Chips<\/em> in Bringlish is what they call French<\/em> fries<\/em> in Ameringlish (or Freedom fries<\/em> if you\u2019ve just awoken from 2003<\/u>). Chips<\/em> in Ameringlish are crunchy, salty snacks made famous by such health-conscious companies as Doritos and Pringles, known in Britain as crisps<\/em>. If you extend this discussion into other languages, the deep-fried rabbit hole goes even deeper<\/u>.<\/p>\n

Flapjacks<\/em> \u2013 Ameringlish all the way. Means pancakes<\/em>, which is also used in both dialects, but in Bringlish flapjacks<\/em> are some bizarre kind of baked oats.<\/p>\n

Knackered<\/em> \u2013 Bringlish, meaning \u201cvery tired.\u201d Americans would say beat<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Bathroom<\/em> \u2013 in Bringlish, the room where the bath is. In Ameringlish, the room where the toilet is. The toilet<\/em> or loo <\/em>in Bringlish is bathroom<\/em> in Ameringlish, but toilet<\/em> in Ameringlish just means the pot itself. Pointlessly confusing, I know.<\/p>\n

Bloke<\/em> \u2013 Bringlish for guy<\/em> (used in both). Bringlish speakers might also say chap<\/em> or fellow<\/em>. Ameringlish equivalent would be dude<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Football<\/em> \u2013 let me just say yes, I agree with you. It\u2019s stupid for Americans to call this sport soccer<\/em> just because football <\/em>was already taken by a sport in which you mostly use your hands<\/em>. They still use the English system (feet<\/em> and inches<\/em>, which the English, incidentally, have all but abandoned), so what do you expect?<\/p>\n

Bucks<\/em> \u2013 Ameringlish slang for money. Bringlish equivalent would be quid<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Gobsmacked<\/em> \u2013 as Bringlish as they come, meaning \u201csurprised.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rubber<\/em> \u2013 careful with this one. In Bringlish it means something to erase pencil marks, or eraser <\/em>in Ameringlish. In Ameringlish, when not used in the context of the tree\u00a0which produces a spongy white substance used in bouncy balls, tires and elastic bands,\u00a0rubber<\/em> refers to a condom.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s it for this round of Is it Bringlish or Ameringlish? <\/strong>Next time we\u2019ll examine spelling changes (color<\/em> vs. colour<\/em>), letters (\u201czee\u201d vs. \u201czed\u201d), and expressions (\u201call mouth and no trousers\u201d vs. \u201call hat and no cattle\u201d).<\/p>\n

What about you? What Bringlish or Ameringlish words do you have to contribute to the list? Mention them in the comments below and I\u2019ll add them above.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

This one\u2019s for all you non-native English speakers out there. Whenever I run into someone learning English, I can immediately tell whether they\u2019ve learned it out of a textbook or simply by absorbing the media. That\u2019s because if you learn English in the classroom anywhere outside the U.S. of A, chances are it\u2019s going to…<\/p>\n

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