AMERICAN vs. BRITISH expressions & phrases - we won't understand!

Показать описание

Ad - Thank you to Skillshare for sponsoring this video!

MY SOCIAL MEDIA:

Do you want to improve your pronunciation? I have launched my British English (Modern RP) pronunciation course! I’ll train you to read phonetic transcriptions, and produce each sound that comprises modern received pronunciation. I’ll also teach you how to implement the correct use of intonation, stress, rhythm, connected speech, and much more. We’ll compare similar sounds, and look at tricky topics like the glottal stop and the dark L.
Technically, I need to mark this as an AD even though it is my own company so - AD :)

Edited by Connor Hinde

Рекомендации по теме

Комментарии

Amazing idioms! Here are some equivalents in Italian:
1. Mettere i bastoni tra le ruote
6. Toccare ferro
8. Cum grano salis (this is a beautiful idiom borrowed from the Latin language)
10. Scheletri nell’armadio

mauroTSU

I'm American. I've always heard the "grain of salt" instead of the "pinch of salt".

bdominguez

Interestingly; (As an Aussie) To sweep something under the rug makes more sense, since rugs are movable, whereas carpets tend to be affixed to the floor and can't be moved.

BrknSoul

In the US cram and hit the books don't usually mean the same thing. "Hit the books" means to go study. "Cram" is an intense (sometime desperate) study session right before an exam or test.

garymcgregor

American here! I have always heard and said "Say something with a grain of salt" and "A drop in the ocean". I've never heard either "A storm in a teacup" or "A tempest in a teapot". And I've used both "Call a spade a spade" and "calling it as I see it". We also use both "cram" and "hit the books". :)

brandishanken

Hi there Lucy I’m an Indian and I’ve learned a lot from you and I’ve practiced my British accent and your channel really helped me keep up the good work lots of kisses from India ☺️☺️❤️❤️

padmajapunwatkar

You got most of those American ones right. I’m American and all my life, I’ve actually always heard and used; “a grain of salt”; “a drop in the ocean”; “to call a spade a spade”, “to cram”; and “to go pear-shaped”. My parents always used those idioms, as have I, and so have most of my friends throughout my life, (I’m 50 now).

And I’m the only American I know of who has adopted, “swings and roundabouts”. I heard it a few years ago and thought it was wonderfully descriptive and much more posh, and therefore have adopted it.

And because I’ve watched a lot of British television, I’ve also have adopted both “touch wood” and “to have a go”.
I’m still waiting for those wonderful British idioms to catch on here in the states and am doing my part to bring them here! ❤️

Even though I was born in America, and therefore speak fluent American English, and can also speak in a fairly convincing RP English accent, (idioms included), I still absolutely adore your videos!

bendyparanormal

Hi Lucy,
Your lesson provide wonderful information about British and American Idioms and increase the list of idioms.
Thank you.
1 A sandwich short of a picnic - - - A humorous way of saying someone is stupid or is a bit mad.
2 Add fuel to the fire - - - When someone does something to make a bad situation worse.
Thank you

ManishSharma-skzh

Thank you for the video! I'm an American who loves watching British shows. It's fun to hear the different words or expressions and figure out what they mean. Sometimes I just have to Google them. Here's another one: English: Brown bread, American: Toast - meaning
game over or dead. Example: "You failed the test. Dude, you're toast."

daleamberwaldron

Love your videos as always. I'm American, but aside from "swings and roundabouts" I had no problem recognizing the British idioms. And I may use some of the British versions as much as you use American ones. I rarely watch British TV, but I have been known to spend a lot of time in London and refer to it as an honorary hometown.

AllyMcLesbian

6:13 "I'm not superstitious, I'm just... I'm just British." hahaha

VoodooMadMike

Hey! I'm a native speaker. And I'm fond of speaking British English. In this your channel always helps me.
Thank you so much.
'' to blow your own trumpet'' version in hindi is '' khud ke muh miya mitthu banna''
You will not be able to pronounce it.😅

soniyasoni

In Brazil we say "chave de boca" (mouth wrench) as spanner & "chave inglesa" (English wrench) as adjustable wrench. 3-"Varrer a sujeira pra baixo do tapete" (To sweep the dust under the carpet). 6-"Bate na madeira" (Knock on wood). 12-"Fazer tempestade num copo d'água" (Make a storm in a glass of water). 13-"Uma gota d'água no oceano" (A drop water in the ocean).

tigreasiatico

Hi, American here. We use “grain” of salt as well. Some people would say pinch but it’s not technically standard.

finstaacon

I will write bellow Expressions and Phrase of the video to help you guys.

1-
B) To throw a spanner in the works
A) To throw a (monkey) wrench in the works
Means: to do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding)
Example: The intern threw a spanner in the works by ghosting the client on Tinder.

2 -
B) To blow your own trumpet
A) To toot your own horn
Means: to boast, to praise your own abilities and achieves
Example: I don't mean to blow my own trumpet but I read the Oxford dictionary three times before the age of five.

3-
B) To sweep something under the carpet
A) To sweep something under the rug
Means: to deny or ignore something that is embarrassing, or might damage your reputation.
Example: As one of the most controversial Youtubers on the platform. I have swept many scandals under the carpet.

4-
B) Peaks and Troughs
A) Peaks and Valleys
Means: the mixture of good and bad things in life.
Example: Having lovely like Skillshare helps my business through the peaks and troughs of the year.

5-
B) To not touch something with a bargepole.
A) To not touch something with a ten-foot pole.
Means: to avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something.
Example: My father would not touch trifle with a bargepole.

6-
B) Tough wood
A) Knock wood
Means: used when mentioning a way in which you have been lucky in the past, to prevent bringing bad luck.
Example: I'm not a great driver but I've never been in a serious car crash - tough wood.

7-
B) To flog a dead horse
A) To beat a dead horse
Means: to waste energy on something that has no chance of succeeding.
Example: You're flogging a dead horse trying to make my dad eat trifle.

8-
B) To take something with a grain of salt
A) To take something with a pinch of salt.
Mean: to view something with scepticism or to not take something literally.
Example: If I offer you a tequila, take it with a pinch of salt, and a slice of lemon. Just joking, that's proof that you should take everything I say with a grain of salt.

9-
B) Swings and roundabouts
A) Ups and downs
Means: situations where there are as many gains as there are losses.
Example: In the UK we pay high taxes, but it's all swings and roundabouts because we have a great national health service.

10-
B) Skeletons in the cupboard
A) Skeletons in the closet
Means: a secret that would cause embarrassment if down
Example: I could never run for Prime Minister because I have far too many skeletons in my closet.

11-
B) To have a go at someone
A) To tear into someone
Means: to attack someone with either force or language.
Example: A teacher once had a go at me for faking an illness when I was genuinely very unwell.

12-
B) A storm in a teacup
A) A tempest in a teapot
Means: Great outrage or excitement over a trivial matter.
Example: I don't think the apocalypse is coming. I think it's a storm in a teacup.

13-
A) A drop in the ocean
B) A drop in the bucket
Means: a very small or insignificant amount compared to the amount needed.
Example: I saved 33p by doing my shopping online, which is a drop in the ocean compared to what a need to save for a house deposit.

14-
B) Hard cheese
A) Touch Tiffy
Means: used to express somewhat sarcastic sympathetic over a petty or a trivial matter.
Example: You miss your exam because you stayed up watching Birdbox? Hard cheese!

15-
B) To bang on about something
A) To rant and rave on about something
Means: to talk about something for a long time, especially in a way that is boring to others.
Example: I know I bang on about Skillshare but it really is a fantastic service.

16-
B) To call a spade a spade
A) To call it as one sees it
Means: to speak honestly and describe something as it really is
Example: My mother calls spade a spade. If I'm being out of order she will put me right.

17-
B) To cram
A) To hit the books
Means: study intensively over a short period of time right before an examination
Example: I relied heavily on cramming thought my university degree. I wouldn't recommend it, but I did get a first class degree...

18-
B) To get itchy free
A) To seek new pasture
Means: to start to want to travel or do something different.
Example: After 14 years of schooling. I got itchy feet and started to plan my move to Spain.

19-
B) To go pear-shaped
A) To go south
Means: to go on, or badly
Example: The party was great but after they handle out tequila shots it started to go a bit pear-shaped.

20-
B) To queue up
A) To wait in line
Means: To take one's place in a queue
Example: As a Brit I can honestly say there is nothing I enjoy more than queuing up and silently judging those who try to break the queue rules

I hope you enjoy!

allanlealdacosta