Sunday, March 27, 2011

What I shoulda said...

Photo: Google Image Search
I sometimes forget I'm an American living abroad.  Well, that is until I'm laughed outta town when I say something super American.  I do try not to sound so American.  I do my best to avoid using typical American phrases and terms like "awesome" and "yeah, man." But, it sneaks out like verbal diarrhea and finds itself in the air and in the ears of my new Irish friends.  Even some words I don't realize are uber-American actually are and I'm certainly made aware of it because once they pass my lips, the incessant laughter that fills the room makes me very aware.  Don't get me wrong, no one laughs at me in a mean way...it is just for a bit of fun and it is definitely a learning experience for me.

Just to spread the laughter, I'll give you a few examples.

What I said: Cash register  What I should have said: Till

What I said: I have to run errands. *sidenote: I was actually asked if I was speaking a different language when I said this.* What I should have said: I need to go a wee message.

What I said: Do you want some candy?  What I should have said: Do you want a wee sweet?

What I said:  You want a dollars worth of those penny sweets? *sidenote:  I totally knew better here but, ya know...old habits die hard.*  What I should have said: You want a pound worth of those penny sweets?

Having said all of that, there have been times when hubbers has told me that I'm picking up a Derry accent.  For example, yesterday, we were examining our new curtain rods and discovered we would need to drill new holes in the wall to hang our newly acquired rods.  I asked him if he knew anyone that had a drill we could borrow.  Except, I didn't say "borrow"...I said "barra." And I was told it was a "barra" in a typical Derry accent.  So there ya go. 

Okay, now I have a date with Sky TV which we just had installed and can I say...hallelujah!  We get all my favorite American shows with a special hallelujah for the HBO shows. So...see ya later!

17 comments:

  1. So glad you don't have to miss out on all of the amazing tv shows we have here! Ha! Enjoy!

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  2. I loved this. Go "wee a message" ? What? Now, that is another language! :)

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  3. I love the sound of 'wee bit of sweet'...sounds better than 'do you want some candy'!!!

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  4. Haha, I just think of going to the bathroom when I hear 'wee'. So I might be giggling lots there :) This sounds like conversations that my husband and I have all the time. Those Canadians pick up the British/Irish things all the time. I think you should just not conform, and stay your good ol' American self! :)

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  5. I am not from America but dere is no way I cud hav evn imagined calling a Cash Register Till!!!
    Have a good time figuring out stuff!

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  6. *nvr evn imagined

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  7. @Jodi--huge relief!
    @Rachel--it so does!
    @Melody--has a nicer ring to it.
    @Texa--I think I may just do that.
    @Nabo--yep...hard to get used to.

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  8. Haha, I love all the "wee"s! I'm going to start using them here in America just for the fun of it. ;)

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  9. Haha oh my gosh! How funny! It's so interesting to see how weird we American's can be :) What makes sense to us makes no sense at all to someone else! What fun adventures for you :)

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  10. Too funny! I find it doesn't take me long to pick up accents if I am spending significant amounts of time around people who have them. My husband's family is from rural Missouri and have a bit more of a country accent than I do. By the end of a weekend with them, I have picked up their accents, accidentally of course :)

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  11. Well done, girl! The Derry accent is lovely! My Cork accent came back a bit when I was there recently. I like that...:)

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  12. HAH! Too funny! My younger (American) cousin is learning the same things since she's teaching over there. She made little baskets for each student to put their work in at the end of the day. One little guy proudly brought her his paper and she praised him, "Fantastic! Now go put it in your bin." Poor little guys face fell! Bin = garbage can!! HAHAHA!

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  13. Haha, this is cute! I love how they say "wee". My overseas friends always laugh about Canadians saying "aboot", however I've never actually said that before.

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  14. Oh & my Mom says it all the time - when I was young we would go over & I used to come back with a bit of a lilt. For some reason I mostly took it from the Scottish family than the Irish side, but I think it's because it's a heavier brogue. Don't worry about it. :)

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  15. When I was in Japan I determined that I could never move outside of the US because I would miss my shows too much. They are seriously my life. Good to know there are ways around that, not that I anticipate such a move anytime soon. Also when I was over there, I insisted on reading prices as dollars (to my family) because it was just easier for to say $1 instead of 100 yen.

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  16. "Verbal diarrhea"- HA! That cracked me up, too funny! You are so lucky you get to learn this new verbage:-)

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  17. @Shalyn--yes, I'm told its English...but I'm not so sure lol.
    @Lauren--Yep that'd be a mouthful lol...I say dollars here too...then I get laughed at.
    @Erin Dawn--ya know...I've never actually heard a Canadian in person saying aboot...just on tv...but I'd love to hear it!
    @Dancy--aww...poor guy...yes I'm trying to change from using the word trash can to bin.
    @Susi--I like the Cork accents too!
    @KT--gimme a few months and I'm sure I'll have an Irish accent mixed in with my West Virginia accent and NO ONE will understand me haha.
    @Courtney B--yep don't realize it til someone call you out lol.
    @true story--you should...you may make people wanna pee when they hear it too hahahah

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