dinksdalton

Karma: 1051

Has anybody in the US ever found the language used in British films difficult to understand?

Have you ever noticed slang or swear words in them which aren't in common use in your home country?

Answer this

0 Views: 1091 Answers: 5 Posted: 14 years ago

Tags: language

5 Answers

mycatsmom

Karma: 393700

oh YES ! When I used to get roped into watching " Upstairs , Downstairs ''...or " Are YOu Being Served " ---- with my parents, I couldn't wade thru the thick accent of the actors . Somehow, my parents seemed to be enjoying it.
But I love the Scottish accent like Sean Connery. You go, Sean!

14 years ago. Rating: 0
Comment this answer

nomdeplume

Karma: 190185

the word 'fanny' has a slightly different meaning UK/US.
Another one is 'fag'.

14 years ago. Rating: 0
Comment this answer

Ms Sinclair

Slightly? No, they're very different.

commented 14 years ago

Nene43

nomdeplume, Just what is the definition of "fanny" and "fag" in UK?

commented 14 years ago

Shootah

What does fanny mean in UK? I never realized it meant something different there than in US.

commented 14 years ago

nomdeplume

'fanny' in UK English means vagina specifically. In the US it appears to mean the butt area in general.
A 'fag' in the UK is a cigarette, in the US a homosexual.

commented 14 years ago

PEOPLELOVER

Karma: 157299

As an Aussie I have often said the Brits were the only people in the world to invent a language and then not be able to speak it.
Cross the road and they speak differently, but then so do Yanks from different states.
In The Great South Land we all speak the same so no one can understand us.
Did you know Australia is the only continent on earth where you can travel the entire area without a passport or visa and use the one currency and speak the one language use the one drivers licence and pay taxes to the one government. There are no border post except at international airports, way to go.

14 years ago. Rating: 0
Comment this answer

eggplant

Too right. Hooray for Australia! And we don't have a TSA feeling us up at the airport. If they did, there would be a riot.

commented 14 years ago

Ms Sinclair

Karma: 29545

Yes. That's what subtitles are for (-:

14 years ago. Rating: 0
Comment this answer

mycatsmom

They don't have English subtitles on English films, duh

commented 14 years ago

Ms Sinclair

Actually they often DO have subtitles for the hearing impaired on English language films. Have you ever bothered to check? Duh.

commented 14 years ago

dinksdalton

Karma: 1051

One example of a word which can have a different meaning in the UK is 'shag'. In America it refers to a bird, but in the UK it can be used as a verb with a completely different meaning altogether.