New chap on the block
Good morning. I’m new to this community, so I thought I would just say hello. I’m Stephen, a Brit who has lived in California for twenty years - egad!
I remember that most of the culture shock of living among Americans, in the early days, was in the details. For instance, much British humour is very earthy. I was often told “You can’t say that,” by offended natives. I thought they were a bunch of namby-pambies, but now I’m as squeamish as they are. I must say that I find Americans friendly and welcoming, especially when they hear that I have an accent. I've lost count of the amount of times I've heard, "I just love to hear you talk." I then want to come over all Bertie Wooster, but manage to resist.
Otherwise, the biggest differences are the taxation system, the health care system (do NOT get me started) and the banking system. I quickly got used to saying freeway rather than motorway and truck rather than lorry. And I learned to use some jolly pithy Americanisms that I would rather not trot out here.
I still enjoy using certain Anglicisms to confuse and disarm the occasional offensive person, who doesn’t know I’m a foreigner. A milder one would be the ever-popular, “Up yer bum, mate.” By the time they gather their scattered faculties and close their mouth, I have moved on. Ah, the language of Milton and Shakespeare (incomprehensible nerks, both): lethal in the right hands.
I remember that most of the culture shock of living among Americans, in the early days, was in the details. For instance, much British humour is very earthy. I was often told “You can’t say that,” by offended natives. I thought they were a bunch of namby-pambies, but now I’m as squeamish as they are. I must say that I find Americans friendly and welcoming, especially when they hear that I have an accent. I've lost count of the amount of times I've heard, "I just love to hear you talk." I then want to come over all Bertie Wooster, but manage to resist.
Otherwise, the biggest differences are the taxation system, the health care system (do NOT get me started) and the banking system. I quickly got used to saying freeway rather than motorway and truck rather than lorry. And I learned to use some jolly pithy Americanisms that I would rather not trot out here.
I still enjoy using certain Anglicisms to confuse and disarm the occasional offensive person, who doesn’t know I’m a foreigner. A milder one would be the ever-popular, “Up yer bum, mate.” By the time they gather their scattered faculties and close their mouth, I have moved on. Ah, the language of Milton and Shakespeare (incomprehensible nerks, both): lethal in the right hands.