Loading ...Some of the hardest things to learn in another language are those that have a very specific cultural reference. Even for English speakers this can be difficult with other speakers of English who come from different countries – or even the same country. If you have learned English in London for example you might find it difficult or even impossible to understand accents in different parts of the country. Even for those of us who are English teachers going to some of the places in the UK which are a bit further away form London and have strong regional accents can produce these difficulties. Accents from the North East (Newcastle) can be really difficult to understand as can some Scottish accents. It’s not just a question of accents though – some of the actual language in English can be different and therefore potentially difficult. The differences between American English and British English are sometimes very small but sometimes very big and certainly lead to confusions. We all know there are some spelling differences between US and UK English (for example color/colour) and also some grammar differences (it would be unusual for example in the US to say “I’ve got”) but generally these are not problematic. It is much more often the cultural differences, and these may be particularly difficult when a student coming to UIC in London has learned their English from an American or Canadian or Australian teacher.
Here are some examples of expressions you might hear when you are here and also some information about life in London!
Q: What does ‘’TTFN’’ stand for? A: ’Ta-ta for now’’ – but what does that mean? (see you later!)
Q: If you are walking along a quiet country lane, and a stranger passes, they will probably ‘’pass the time of day’’, that is, say ‘’Hello’’, or ‘’Lovely day!’’. In London, this would never happen. What’s going on? A: Think about personal space but I think if someone said this to you in London you’d probably think they were mad or wanted to sell you something.
Q: Nobody says ‘’It’s raining cats and dogs’’ anymore. What do we say instead? A: “It’s p – - – - – g down’’
Q: On what two occasions can you say ‘’(Did you) enjoy your trip?’’? A: Well, one is after they have been on a journey – but what else does ‘trip’ mean?
Q: Why do the British drive on the left? A: Think about driving a horse and cart and using a whip….
Q: Where does the word ‘’loo’’ come from? A: What is the French for ‘’water’’?
Q: Who invented the sandwich? A: The Earl of Sandwich! He was playing cards at the time and wanted a snack so he stuck some meat between 2 bits of bread!
Q: Why did the East End of London develop as the poor area, and the West End as the rich? Why and how has this changed? A: Think about the prevailing wind, and pollution ….. the winds in England usually come from the west – so the smells and the pollution of the city were blown eastwards and the air in the west was usually fresher!
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