To demand that my son does not say "candy"?

[Heqet]

I rather suspect I am. He says "cayndy" in a very american accent. I HATE it. I snap that he is not american and the word is SWEETS, or CHOCOLATE

erm, depending on whether he is talking about sweets or chocolate

It drives me up the wall, this fake american accent.

Oh, I loved my prom, too. I got a great meal out, we showed up to take pictures so both sets of strict parents thought we'd behaved, then I got to spend a night in a hotel getting stoned and rodgered till I saw stars!

It was a memorable night, indeed.

I'll also never know all these English-isms and idiosyncrasies, as DH and the children are jocko to the core and Scotland will always be home.

Had a fantastic ten minutes of crossed wires when pg with DC1 (in the US) and asked my OB/GYN if I should be taking pre-natal vitamins. He thought I was asking him about amphetamines.

I have been on the receiving end of a shower. Twas almost the most embarrassing afternoon of my life. The concept is still alien to me.

Expat! You naughty girl!!

I find it really interesting - all the old words and pronunciations from England long ago that haven't changed in the US and Oz.
Also really interesting the way children try on other cultures. My mum admitted to me the other day that as a teenager she started pronouncing 'records' as 'recuds' in the American way, because she thought it was cool!

All my Barbie dolls had US accents too, but I never had the nerve to use it in normal speech .

BTW we do say TV in the UK!

I should have my friends post on here-whenever I've been mumsnetting with a vengeance I start dropping words like "poncey" into my conversation. I can't count the times they've said "You're not British!"

America has so many different regions (as you do I'm sure) it's hard to pinpoint certain things. I'm in Minnesota, and even a state as close as Wisconsin has words we don't use at all. (Bubbler etc.) I've never heard anyone use "brought" for "bought" and my son is always told to say "may I..." I do say "suck it up" and "awesome" and "candy" because of course, I am American.

I love the way you (and by you I am sweeping the whole of the UK) talk though and I would hate it if you didn't! So keep correcting those kiddos of yours.

My sister and parents loved in when they went to the US last year because of the reaction they got in shops whenever they opened their mouths

The locals really loved the british accent, so much so that my sister got a top for half price just because the shop assistant was mesmorised by her voice!

That said, if i hear my daughter call a squirrel a "sqwerl" once more, i will scream!! There are no bleedin sqwerls in Croydon!!!

And if trousers are pants, what are pants?

We call pants underwear. Or panties sometimes. We almost never say trousers.

And (this irked me because a supposedly American character just said it in a book) No yank would say "They could do us a table in the corner."

Maleeka I know, we are mesmerized by the Brit accents! I think it's because we don't see nearly as much of your TV as you do of ours so it's more exotic?

Ah, i giggle like a schoolgirl when i hear the word "panties"

They are pants or undies in our house

This is another one I have fallen into - I call DS's shorts or trousers 'pants' a lot of the time because he doesn't yet wear underpants (still in nappies) and 'pants' is used the same way in Australia as in America.

However, we use grundies for undies in this house - not sure where that comes from originally!

I always think of some tiny little flimsy things made of lace and spiderweb when I hear/see the word "panties" - certainly doesn't apply to my coveralls!

Thumblebells I am in NZ and we say "grundies" for undies too. Have no idea why! It makes me and my DCs laugh though.
Interesting about the high rising terminal...it's endemic in NZ, particularly with teenagers...not sure whether it's an American import or not.
maleeka your story reminds me of when I was pulled over in the US for supposedly speeding...I got off because of my English accent (the cop probably couldn't understand me as I had a Brummie accent...)
I particularly dislike the fake accent thing too btw...my DCs are always doing it and it drives me nuts.

My dgm was always knows as mom by her children and grandchildren none of whom had ever been to the u.s and tis long before our telly was international (was still black and white) my ikle sister who was little when my dgm died referred to her as gran the other day and i was like ha who? She said she'd googled 'mom' and it says its traditionally what americans call their mil... Dono bout that... but it did drive me up the wall when ds1 started copying da telly and callin me mom, tis mama in this house

lol expat!
shamefully I can barely understand the scottish accent. I struggle every time I call tiscali for help with our connection (which is far too often).

I've told this story before but 5 years ago, DH and I were travelling through uk and europe and we were on a bus in Scotland and dh was having this long conversation with a Scottish man (probably in his late 40s). DH was talking about Austin Powers and the Scottish man was talking about Alton Towers.... it was hilarious

YABU. come on guys (like the americanism?), don't be so uptight. I kind of like some cultural exchange, it won't hurt you; I'm even getting used to 'going to the washroom' for the toilet.

Remember, your kids are different from you, they won't sound exactly like you, nor say the same things. They're growing up in a world that's changed, as yours did from your parents. And change and exchange are good. And BTW the best way to impart language is to model its use, not instruct kids, so let's hear you talking to them about 'sweets' and whatever as often and as interestingly as they hear on the box....

YANBU, I hate that for some reason! That said, I was very much into the prom thing when my school did it, only 4 years ago though! We all got limos and pretty dresses lol

The thing is, real American and Aussie accents, I ADORE! I swear, I'm probably going to end up marrying either an American or Aussie, I could just listen to you lot talk constantly!

The pants thing confused me too, as does the school system, I don't get the elementary/middle/high school business, but I know that what you call college, we call university, and I think that what I called college, would be the last 2 years of school?

ahh, another one of these 'americanism' threads .

i'm from Ohio and DH is from Manchester but DD1 (4) has a non-descript British accent. I'm slightly disappointed, but the only thing I've heard her say with an american accent is 'pah sta'. oh, and scone/yoghurt with long o's. they pick things up from their peers, school, television. language is always developing/changing so I'm sure I won't understand my children when they are teenagers. sigh.

I haven't changed my accent (though I do say 'to mah to') but have changed my glossary as others here would give me a funny look. however, I do adapt my accent/vocab whenever i'm on the phone to family in the US.

a bit off OP but related subject: one thing I don't understand is 'I'm good'. Isn't that just bad grammar and not an americanism? I hear so many people of different ages saying it including on radio, by school teachers, etc., is it now becoming acceptable?

Just from our point of view.

It is only candy...not sweets in this house!
Only mom...not mum...I have changed this on my kids essays before when they have used "mum"
I will not say rubbish...especially in public.

Just to piss y'all off[grin} It seems to work

@ anamerican

It's all so silly isn't it? And yet, I get worked up about it too. Me and DP watch so many american shows, and the one word that always results in me yeeling at the screen (every time ) is "route", pronounced "r-oow-t"

I couldn't expelain why it annoys me so much, it just does.

I don't even remember or know what some things are called in American anymore, particularly certain stuff related to children, because I never had children in the US.

It's yearly visits for us because of my folks' health, but after they pass on, I don't see myself setting foot there again unless by chance the children wish to live there.

I couldn';t care less about Americanisms, to be honest, dd comes out with all kinds of shit after watching Zach and Cody (a programme to be avoided if there ever was one) but to be honest she comes out with as much crap UK slang from school as she does crap US slang from watching TV.

Please don't let this turn into one of these threads where it is a compeition to find the crappest american word which somehoe turn into American bashing threads

Absolutely, "I'm good" is just poor grammar.

Let us not forget "gotten" and my favorite is "druthers".

If I could have my druthers...

What does druthers mean?

It means if I could have whatever I wanted.

m-w.com/dictionary/druthers

Oh dear....I am forever using "Im good" in restaurants when asked if I need something

Druthers means preference...

As long as we are at this, whats the deal with the way y'all pronounce schedule?

It's okay, some of the British people use bad grammar too.

My Brummy DH says:
Where's me tea?
Give it him.

Drives me batty.