Britishisms and the Britishisation of American English

BBC News ^ | 27th September 2012 | Cordelia Hebblethwaite

[the scotsman]

'There is little that irks British defenders of the English language more than Americanisms, which they see creeping insidiously into newspaper columns and everyday conversation.

But bit by bit British English is invading America too.'

[cripplecreek]

I watch BBC America all the time.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

My favorites are “bender” and “sod off.”

[jimtorr]

I sometimes hear the word “gormless” in British TV and movies, but I have yet to meet anyone who knows what “gorm” is.

[yldstrk]

I cringe when I hear “went missing” yech

[Strategerist]

I always liked “Going pear shaped” for something that’s turning out disastrously.

[Daveinyork]

We’ve been using Britishisms since Sean Connery became 007. We thought it would help when chatting up the birds. It didn’t.

[MamaTexan]

But bit by bit British English is invading America too

Guilty as charged!

My personal favorites are bloody and wanker.

As in: Obama is a bloody socialist wanker!

[SoftwareEngineer]

Our entire frigging language is a “Britishism” :)

I don't see the point of complaining about a few new words.

After all, we could have all been speaking German.. if a few things had turned out different (as the myth goes)

However, I will agree on this: “Bespoke” is unbearably pretentious

[N. Theknow]

As in: Obama is a bloody socialist wanker!

Oh, I say. Jolly good old thing. Carry on.

[secret garden]

Brilliant ping.

[Disambiguator]

This thread has me chuffed.

[PGR88]

I try and use the words “chancer” and “likely lad” every chance I get.

[matginzac]

Meh, the Brits need to stop getting their knickers in a twist over the Americanization of britishisms...
British English is hugely influenced by FRENCH, thanks to William the Conqueror...so it’s the French who should be pissed...

[yldstrk]

another one is “told him off”

[Celtic Conservative]

I've always been partial to the British version of"you're pulling My leg" which is a look of disbelief followed by "pull the other one!"

CC

[Fresh Wind]

A British friend of mine once used the expression “I’m going to take a whiz around”. I had to explain that it had quite a different meaning in this country.

[Gamecock]

Years ago I was in a pub somewhere in the Midlands and an enchanting redheaded lass came in. She was just chattering away. After a few moments I realized every other word coming out of her mouth was a curse word. Somehow it didn't sound as vulgar with a British accent.

I have several Brits that work in my office. When they speak they seem to get extra credit. It's seems that their accent gives them an automatic increase of 10 points in their IQ. When we Southerners speak people automatically take away 10 points.

[matginzac]

Yep...our cousins across the pond do have some great phrases...
How about “I’m fagged...”!?

[yldstrk]

not in my book, I can’t stand the British accent, it seems vainglorious to my ear, I would way rather hear a southern accent