B2 : The Britishisms that Americans love

What do “bonkers”, “dicey” and “shambolic” have in common? Our language correspondent, Lane Greene, delves into the Britishisms that Americans love

Quiz 1

1 - The first recorded Britishism was recorded in the 18th century,

a. True

b. False

c. Didn't say

2 - Britishisms brought to America after the First World War, these words traveled from the British Tommy to G.I joe and from there into the mainstream

a. True

b. False

c. Didn't say

3 - Author __________ calls this the first recorded Britishism to make it in America and has compiled a list of many more it includes bespoke brilliant chat up non-starter and ginger

a. Ben Stiller

b. Ben Hill

c. Ben Yagod

d. Ben Netanyahu

e. Ben Franklin

f. Ben Affleck

4 - Which British words thrive stateside, there are a few sounds that appear particularly popular, adjectives ending in Y. Which 2 words weren't mentioned in the video?

a. Flaky

b. Smarmy

c. Cushy

d. Dodgy

e. Jittery

f. Cheeky

5 - even in madeup words bumbershoot is a word many Americans mistakenly believe is a British term for umbrella

a. True

b. False

c. Didn't say

6 - Insults and naughty bits are especially successful words like knob, shag, wanker, a spirit of playfulness and the silliness of sounds means that Americans use these a lot and tend to underestimate just how rude they are

a. True

b. False

c. Didn't say

7 - Linguistic exchange in the other direction Americanisms to Britain) is regarded much more positively

a. True

b. False

c. Didn't say

8 - The narrator in the video stated " instead of being snobbish towards Americanisms perhaps the British should take heart that the superpower across the ocean still rather fancies their culture"

a. True

b. False

c. Didn't say

Answer Key

1 - B ---> False ---> The first recorded Britishism was recorded in the 19th century,

2 - B ---> False ---> Britishisms brought to America after the Second World War these words traveled from the British Tommy to G.I joe and from there into the mainstream

3 - C ---> Ben Yagod

4 - A & E ---> Flaky & Jittery ---> Which British words thrive stateside there are a few sounds that appear particularly popular adjectives ending in Y like cushy and smarmy imported a while back and more recent words like dodgy cheeky and easy peasy b and P

5 - A ---> True

6 - A ---> True

7 - B ---> False ---> Linguistic exchange in the other direction Americanisms to Britain) is regarded much less positively

8 - A ---> True

Audio Transcript

why do Americans love British English so much? What do bonkers dicey, shambolic, and piece of cake have in common? They're all Britishisms brought to America after the Second World War. These words traveled from the British Tommy to G.I joe and from there into the mainstream. These aren't the earliest British words to make it in America. Awfully is noted as far back as the 19th century. Author Ben Yagod calls this the first recorded Britishism to make it in America and has compiled a list of many more. It includes bespoke, brilliant, chat up, non-starter, and ginger. No one knows whether that one came from ginger spice or the ginger Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter books. Wizarding worlds aside, which British words thrive stateside. There are a few sounds that appear particularly popular adjectives ending in Y like cushy and smarmy. Imported a while back and more recent words like dodgy, cheeky, and easy peasy. B and P sounds also do well even in made up words. Bumbershoot is a word many Americans mistakenly believe is a British term for umbrella. Insults and naughty bits are especially successful words like knob, shag, & wanker. A spirit of playfulness and the silliness of sounds means that Americans use these a lot and tend to underestimate just how rude they are. But linguistic exchange in the other direction is regarded much less positively. The BBC once asked British readers to send in the Americanisms that annoyed them the most. It was flooded with thousands of replies. Linguist Lynn Murphy found that Americans framed Britishisms positively while Brits usually viewed Americanisms more negatively. instead of being snobbish towards Americanisms perhaps the British should take heart that the superpower across the ocean still rather fancies their culture.

Review what you perhaps missed

Adjectives that end in -ly

Awfully

Bonkers —-> Crazy, mad, insane

Dicey —-> Unpredictable & possibly dangerous

The economic situation right is quite dicey.

Shambolic —> Chaotic

Ginger —-> It has two meanings depending on the context of the conversation

– Root of a plant

– Color

Poshy ---> Fancy

In British slang, "posh" describes something that is expensive, high-quality, and/or upper-class, like a posh restaurant or a posh accent.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Meaning:

"Posh" is an informal adjective used to describe something that is smart, elegant, fashionable, and exclusive, often associated with the upper class.

Examples:

You might describe a restaurant as "posh," or someone's accent or mannerisms as "posh".
Synonyms:

Other words that convey a similar meaning include "classy," "fancy," "swanky," "exclusive," "high-class," and "luxury".
Origin:

The word "posh" is thought to have evolved from the obsolete slang term "posh" meaning a dandy.
"Port Out, Starboard Home":

While some sources suggest "posh" is an acronym for "Port Out, Starboard Home", this is not accurate.

Non Starter —-> Set up for failure —-> No chance of succeeding

In British slang, a "non-starter" refers to something, like a plan or idea, that has no chance of success or is immediately rejected as impractical.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Meaning:

A "non-starter" is used to describe a proposal, plan, or idea that is deemed unworkable or doomed to fail from the outset.

Origin:

The term originally referred to a horse that was entered in a race but failed to run.
Examples:
- "That proposal is a complete non-starter; it's never going to happen".
"The idea of a new tax is a non-starter, it will never pass".
Synonyms:

Other words that can be used to express the same idea include "no-go," "dud," or "not a chance".

Chat up —-> Flirtatious conversion with a woman

In British slang, "chat someone up" means to talk to someone in a friendly or flirty way, often with the intention of making them interested in you romantically or sexually.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Meaning: "Chat someone up" implies engaging in casual, often flirtatious, conversation with someone, usually someone you don't know very well, with the goal of making them feel attracted to you.

Context: This phrase is commonly used in social situations, such as at parties, bars, or clubs, where people are trying to meet new people and potentially find a romantic partner.
Example: "He spent the whole evening chatting up a girl at the bar".
Synonyms: You could also say "flirt with someone" or "hit on someone"

Knob --->

n British slang, "knob" or "knobhead" is a derogatory term used to describe a person who is considered stupid, unpleasant, or contemptible.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Meaning: The term is used to insult someone, suggesting they are foolish, annoying, or otherwise undesirable.

Usage: It's a common insult, often used in informal settings and among working-class or lower-middle-class people.
Synonyms: Other similar terms include "knobber" and "knobhead".
Example: "Don't be such a knob" or "He's a right knobhead

Shag --->

In British slang, "shag" is a vulgar term meaning to have sexual intercourse with someone.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Meaning: "Shag" is a British slang term used to describe the act of having sexual intercourse.

Context: It's considered a vulgar or informal term and should be used with caution, as it can be offensive to some people.
Usage:
- Verb: "He shagged her" (meaning he had sex with her).
Noun: "They had a shag" (meaning they had sex).
Other meanings: Shag can also mean to exhaust or tire something
Example: "You're going to need a new fridge, mate. This one's completely shagged!"

Wanker ---> Wanker is slang for "one who wanks (masturbates)", but is most often used as a general insult. It is a pejorative term of English origin common in Britain and other parts of the English-speaking world (mainly Commonwealth of nations), including Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Snatch Movie - Cousin Avi

Man 1 : a bookies got blagged last night

Cousin Avi : blagged, speak English to me Tony, I thought this country spawn the fucking language and so far nobody seems to speak it

External Links:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DH8KfGPsk-0/?igsh=ZzVzMmM1NnY4Z2dm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6hOo1HXRv4