Have you ever noticed how funny language can be? A common phone greeting in Japanese is a naughty word in German. Oops. The differences jump out at me in blog land.
Fag. In the US? An ugly word for a homosexual. In the UK? I think it is a cigarette? Maybe?
Jumper. In the UK it is a sweater I think. NOT in the US
I was very short on sleep. Traveling internationally with 3 small children, I was walking around the air port in a daze. A desperate looking lady ran up to me and asked, "where is the loo?" My mind just could not grasp what she was asking? It is funny looking back on it but I was absolutely puzzled by her request. We were both speaking English but apparently not the same language.
Sorry my English friends. I don't speak the queens english. Far from it.
That is one of the things that bugs me about the 50 shades books. The language. If she is going to write a book based in the US, get it right! Side light? OK. I know I am picking on one word. But I had to laugh at it. Side light? What the heck is that? LOL. How about calling it what it is? A Lamp?
Even here in the US we have a language barrier from one region to another. The way we speak and the way we write is so different. If you have a Jersey accent, I am NOT going to understand a word you say. Nope. And if you are from the mid west and say A? I am probably going to say B.
In the same house there are differences. When a wife says, "do what you want." That isn't her giving permission or letting you have your way. Oh no. It is a DARE. When my husband says, "are you sure you want to go there?" He isn't asking a question. He is issuing a warning. "Hey, you really don't want to do that. That will get your bottom spanked and fast."
It has been a long Monday and it is time for me to get back to work. I had to take a time out and laugh a little. Yes, laugh. At all the language missteps I have made. I need to get a wiggle on.
Chat latter blog land!
You got me to laugh. In this country, most of us speak English (American) but the different accents and colloquialisms make it seem that it is a foreign language. Then there's the words that can drive your crazy like here & hear, or affect & effect, their & there, air & heir and on and on.
ReplyDeleteNow you get an idea how difficult it is for a Dutchman like me, to blog in the English language.
ReplyDeleteTHE English language? Which English language? I even have to wonder if I need to use male or female English!
Yeah, that book bugged me a lot. I live in the area where the book is supposed to be, and the geography didn't work out. Nobody calls it a freaking motorway, but I-5, not interstate 5. Jeez.
ReplyDeleteFunny. I guess that's why you're supposed to write what you know, eh? :)
ReplyDeletethankfully i have no idea how accurate or inaccurate the references in the book are.
ReplyDeletealready it was bordering on painful to read. i can't imagine if I actually HAD a working knowledge of all the geographical references.
also the UK/US differences go by unnoticed by me too cos in schools we learned UK english, but our media is largely influenced by americanisms - TV programs, movies etc are largely bought from US stations, so I have a good idea of BOTH versions of the language and often don't worry about which is from where.
=) lucky me eh?