The common language still divides - but not necessarily us from them. Sometimes them from each other.
Today I took the Girl round to her friend's house, and the friend's dad ushered us inside, eager to seek our bona fide British advice on a couple of linguistic issues. First:
"OK. 'Bob's your uncle!'...what is the correct response to that? As a British person? Because I was just speaking to another American on the phone and I said, 'And Bob's your uncle!' and he said, 'And Tilly's your aunt - that's what British people always say.' But do they?"
I replied that I had never heard a British person say that.
"Yess!" said the friend's dad in triumph. "And here's another one. What do British people call a person who works in a store, you know, the one who takes your money?"
"Err - a cashier?" I suggested.
"How about something like...a clerk?"
"Well, if we did, we would pronounce it clark,"I explained.
"I told you so," said his wife, appearing from inside the house.
"Nnnggg," growled the dad, "I was sure she was wrong about 'clark'. Nnnggg."
What other Britishisms do you suggest I share, to further fuel this rivalry?
I'd say "And Charlie's your grandfather" in reply to " Bob's your uncle".
ReplyDeleteYou could try to get the correct reply to "How do you do?"
ReplyDeleteTilly is valid re Uncle Bob
Never heard the Tilly response before. Thats a new one on me.
ReplyDeletetbh, you are asking the wrong person, as I am Scottish person living in England - definitely divided by language!
I like getting American folks to say 'herb' and 'oregano'.
Well, I don't know what to say about all these unknown relatives that have come out of the woodwork, I really don't.
ReplyDelete"Basil" is another good one.
I have some vague recollection of the response to 'Bob's your uncle' being 'Fanny's your aunt'. Perhaps you'd better stick with Tilly.
ReplyDelete