British Expatriate Network

it's OK, Ellie, calm down -this is a British expats forum, not an American voice recognition system -once is enough ;)

The refusal to speak American when in America is arrogance, not snobbery. If you went to live in a country with a completely different language, you would learn enough of that language to communicate, or would you expect them to speak your language?

I know that Americans and Aussies get a hard time in the UK for not learning "English as she is spoke there". So, is it the right of the English to have everyone else adapt to them regardless of location?

I am bi-lingual, I can communicate with Americans, but I switch to English spelling, word selection and syllable emphasis, when speaking,to other English. I post on a forum in England and someone remarked on the fact that I was educated in England, Had lived in the States for a long time but wrote in English english. It does screw me up when i'm in mixed company though.

I'm a Londoner, and if I went to stay in, say Newcastle or Glasgow, I would not expect everyone there to adapt to me, I would have to adapt to them. Or perhaps I should insist that my London pronunciation was the only one that is acceptable, and that they must adapt to me. Yeah, right.

Have to say I agree in the main......

Well, I've tried using 'd's for 't's such as when ordering 'water', and its even a worse mess than usual. (

I agree, although I have to admit to referring to sidewalk instead of pavement as the last thing I want my 6 year old to do is walk on the road. So the poor brit kid is growing up american and I have to change a few of my words around for him otherwise I am me with hubby.

Words I hate

Pants instead of trousers
Fanny instead of bum
Sneakers instead of trainers
Pumps instead of heels
Y'all
Ma'am


I am used to people not understanding me as I too am accused of talking to fast, yet they say they want to listen to me talk all day. I had a salesman call up one day, he went silent after the first question and said 'Ma'am I could listen to you talk all day', he completely forgot his train of thought and we ended the call! Another time a business call came through at my hubby's old company and I answered for them, the big client was so taken by my accent he asked if he could come by the office for another meeting so he could meet me!' The sad thing though is when I have to repeat myself time and time again for my eldest son to understand me, that makes me sad (

Are you really suggesting that we must change not only our words but our accents too? I agree that we must do our best to be understood but an accent is personal. I can easliy slip into any British accent - put me in Scotland and I'll be imitating the natives in no time - simultaneously apologising in case they think I'm taking the mickey! If I put on an American accent it would be fake, not accidental.

I hate it when my American husband includes British pronunciations in his American speech.

I hate it when my Scottish husband and kids try to do a 'london' accent, mostly because I have worked very hard to get rid of it. However, after talking to my parents or sisters, for the next couple of hours, it comes back in full force.

Must admit I have pick up the odd American word for things like 'sidewalk' 'pants' but as I rarely see anyone apart from my family for weeks on end, I still sound very British. That will probably change if I ever get a job.

I fought the change of accent for a long time, but after almost 4 years in England I was using an English pronunciation for most words simply to facilitate communitation. (And get my morning tomato and cheese croissant in a timely fashion!) I never felt I really sounded English anyway, it was all so forced and fakey. Luckily slipping back into standard middle American was easy.

I am another one who lets spouse take all the phone calls. As well as people having trouble understanding me, everyone always thinks I'm female! It gets very embarassing sometimes. Voice recognition phone systems can never understand me either.

I work for a software company and last week at church this guy who has just moved her from CA was asking me about my job. He couldn't understand "software" at all but instead of just asking me to repeat it he insisted on saying what he thought he was hearing each time, some of which were extremely bizarre. This went on for six or seven attempts.

I don't advocate changing for change's sake, but if people don't understand you, you're the foreigner it's up to you to make yourself understood. If you can do that just by changing a few words, fair enough but if means adopting an American accent, that's what you have to do. You don't have a right to be understood when speaking English simply because you were born in England/Britain and know how to do it properly. :roll:

(And I don't mean you personally Kentgirl :) )

KG I reckon you're pretty lucky not needing to change your accent to be understood, but I understand that the accent over your way is much more British-sounding in general and more British slang and phrases are used, so perhaps that is why?

try bottom, often raises a few eyebrows, certainly gets attention. Kind of almost rude. Say it with a smile, a cheeky one :mrgreen:

I'll try to respond to the replies to my post, without doing multiple quotes.
First though a little explanation. I came originally on a short contract but extended for various reasons. This longer stay got me on the ladder and at some point I would be given responsiblility for liaisson with clients and fabricators so I had to be able to communicate.

In all honesty, that was not a problem. I had done the same as a child when I started school. My mother was from Somerset, but had worked as a childrens governess (think upstairs downstairs) and had picked up a standard English accent and wouldn't have us speak Cockney. But in activities in school and out playing, we had to sound cockney or be different. My wife was from Hull, so the first daughter started with a Yorkshire accent, as she got older and spent more time with me, she developed a Southern English version as well and at the same time started in playgroups and developed a third version.

I didn't mean to infer that one should sound like an American, but to make the necessary adaptations. I haven't changed my vowell or consonant sounds except that I use a cross between a "t" and a "d", a sort of a soft "d" if that makes sense. I have changed the syllable emphasis, as in "garage", with the load on the first syllable in English, and the second in American. I have changed word selection, I will say "Do you have any?" here, and "Have you got any?" in England. The result is a "Mid Atlantic" accent that is understood on both sides of the pond. It soon disappears on visits, even though I wish it would stay, then I might avoid the strange looks at an Englishman who doesn't understand his own currency.

I think, from some of the other posts, that a job, or some other enforced interaction is the driving force for making the change. I don't know if it can be done in a vacuum. I didn't force it, but I did help it along a bit. I can see how it would be frustrating

I think that a six year old is smart enough to understand the pavement deal, and some of the other differences, Could make a show and tell diagram. Pavement was the road originally, I don't know why it changed in UK. The material used is concrete or bituminous paving, here and there.

When I first heard "trainers" on a British programme, I had no idea what they were on about, when I left, we wore sandshoes or plimsoles or tennis shoes.

This brings up a thought. In some of the other threads, people have shown sorrow at not being able to make good friendships. Without researching the point, I wonder if lack of comfort in communication might part of the problem. Along with not having the many interactions that go with a job that involves other people.

I really do hope that those of you having these difficulties find relief from the isolation soon.

Well yes my 6 year old is now smart enough to understand, I didn't make myself clear, he has been under American influence for almost 5 years now and I had to change in the beginning because he was being taught one thing and I did not want to confuse him. For me it has now become habit. I think some of the other words like trainers may possibly be a regional thing?? I personally have no problem making friends, the people I know enjoy learning new phrases from me and vice versa. I think your post was little harsh as many here I think are just having a moan about pet peeves.

Couldn't agree with you more, pet peeves and a little considered whining helps us come to terms with with this enormous, crazy, fascinating country! I love it here and quite often think about the people "back home" who always moan and complain about where they are and never go or try to get anywhere new, and how I'm happy i'm not one of them. 8)

I can't remember the last time someone asked me to do my accent or I had real difficulties in ordering something but it used to happen all the time.

I did make a conscious effort about 4 years ago to "fit in" a bit more and re-learned a few pronounciations of "difficult" words.

It does amuse the friends and family back home when I go back, when I am transitioning back into English english.

I almost got away with my acquired American accent last month when I read at my sister's wedding but the word "chaotic" (describing the world, not my sister or her new hubby!) came out American-style and I was well and truly rumbled by those who had not realised I'd gone native.