k3n

Then there's New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, Canada plus all the regional variations that exist within those countries...! :shock:

Thanks for that link Loretta, it's really interesting, do I sense that you're a language enthusiast like me? For example, I'm always looking up words in the etymology to see their origin.

:-D

mumtoliam

Yes there is Australian English! Just Aussie slang with the way things are spoken. I will tell you the story of an Australian lady who went to a "pot luck dinner", we use that term here for when you have not much in your cupboard and you get what ever is left... think the term originated here during rationing and canned food without labels was the norm and so you got "pot luck". So my friend went to the dinner empty handed thinking that she would get whatever they had on offer, was very embarassed to discover everyone cooked and had a bit from everyone's pot. LOL

k3n

I love all the regional and international differences and permutations with English - it only enriches the language IMO! As the French say - 'vive la difference!' :-D

k3n

Oh yes! We've got a book of English sayings and the French equivalent that a friend bought us and there are some great ones. For example 'tomber dans les pommes' which literally means to fall into the apples means to faint; :-D

BellaBoo

When I read forums I don't look for grammar mistakes, it's like talking to friends. I know I use bad grammar in talking sometimes, like using double negatives, and as soon as I say it I think now that sounded bad to others.
To learn lots of American slang and what it means listen to Country Western songs!

kwhite

Maksi you are doing wonderfully. I have had three Japanese exchange students and it will be little sayings that throw you the most. I like the time I told our student we were having tacos for lunch. She about fell over. She said she was not eatting taco. I ran to my dictionary to see what she thought I meant. OCOTOPUS. Yes I see why she did not want to eat taco. But it was a totally diffrent taco. Just ask and there are threads about sayings that are puzzling. It may make some things clearer and it may make things more confusing. You might like to look anyway.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-30554-1.htm

Maksi

Thanks for this link. I now understand that in Britain our house have a ground floor but in US that is called the first floor.
So our house is 2 floors high in the Netherlands or in Britain and in US 3 floors high.

kwhite, thank you for the link. Some of the slang there is in that topic is way to difficult for me to understand, I can hardly understand what is written in some of the messages. I have a lot to learn :)

gaigai

Maksi, some of the slang there is difficult for ME to understand, and I've lived all over the US!

:shock: :P

Just relax, you are doing VERY WELL!

patricej

American English is confusing even to Americans. :lol:

Our country is so big we don't even use one standard version of English! One phrase can mean several different things as you travel from one region to another. The same word or phrase can even mean different things in different parts of just one state.

On top of that, we have made many words from other languages part of our own. (We know a good thing when we see one. ;) :lol: )

i agree with all the others. your command of our language is not only very good, it's better than many who have lived here all their lives.

as to the employees at the French Quick ... i'm certain they knew exactly what you needed. they were pretending to not understand in order to entertain themselves and embarrass you. the fault was theirs alone. they should have been ashamed of themselves. :hunf:

k3n

I was discussing this only the other day with some English friends who live here. This happens a LOT! I think it's our duty to make an effort to speak French, since we live here BUT it's also the locals' duty to make an effort to understand us - communication is a two way street! :D