Discussion » Questions » Language » Tomayto, tomahto, potato, potahto...
Benedict Arnold

Tomayto, tomahto, potato, potahto...

GBS once said that Britain and America were two nations separated by a common language. I've listened to a few audio books recently recorded -- nay, performed -- by the mega-talented Susan Ericson and quite a few differences come up.

One that stands out is thorough which she pronounces thurrow but we in Oz pronounce thurrah. Then there's the  well-known limerick about the young lady from Boston Mass simply doesn't work with British pronunication. 

Can you think of a few words that have different pronunciation (or meaning) in British and American English?

Posted - March 16, 2017
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Responses


  • Tomacco
      March 16, 2017 11:49 PM MDT
    4

  • A vegetarian bull?
      March 16, 2017 11:52 PM MDT
    3

  • Is there any other kind?

    Please don't tell me Australia has been working on carniverous bovine.
      March 16, 2017 11:59 PM MDT
    3

  • Now that you mention it...
    Sheesh I stuffed that.

    I started learning to fly a hang glider at age 60 and on one occasion landed in a paddock where a bull stood grazing. There was I, strapped into a technicolor glider with no chance of making a quick escape, and he just ignored me. Whew!

    It would have made for an interesting session in the Coroner's court.

      March 17, 2017 12:06 AM MDT
    2

  • Actually Didge,   there are a few places in the US East where hearing people say thurrah isn't uncommon.


    The one that comes to mind immediately is arse and ass.
      March 16, 2017 11:54 PM MDT
    2

  • That was my Boston reference. 

    A lady from Boston Mass
    Had an adorable ass.
    Not rounded and pink
    As you probably think
    It was grey, had long ears, and ate grass.

    Doesn't work in British English where a donkey is called an ass but a butt is called an arse.
      March 17, 2017 12:01 AM MDT
    2

  • To be honest I can't tell the difference very often when Brits say arse.   Sounds like ass with a lot of their accents on my ears. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at March 17, 2017 6:26 AM MDT
      March 17, 2017 12:13 AM MDT
    3

  • 7683
    I thought I will upload this pic Didge!
      March 17, 2017 12:04 AM MDT
    2

  • That covers a lot of them, Veena. Thanks. 
      March 17, 2017 12:19 AM MDT
    1

  • 322
    We wear thongs (flip flops) on our feet over here, not up our bum cracks. This post was edited by BabyDol3o4 at March 17, 2017 6:27 AM MDT
      March 17, 2017 12:07 AM MDT
    3

  •   March 17, 2017 12:11 AM MDT
    2

  • This one time ...at band camp .... Some dude did a bad bad thing with A PURPLE flute .... I said purple .. Soz didge :)


      March 17, 2017 12:10 AM MDT
    6

  • Playing the purple flute sounds like a dirty innuendo.
      March 17, 2017 12:12 AM MDT
    4

  • Responding to me gets you no points;) I have 2 purple :) 
      March 17, 2017 12:15 AM MDT
    3

  • A few of my favourites...

    in England, the diaper is the nappy,
    the bathroom is the loo
    and instead of being hungry, you are a bit peckish.
      March 17, 2017 5:37 AM MDT
    2

  • We have nappies here too as well as napkins for the table. 
    And I once worked on the 27th floor of Sydney's Amex Building. There were little porthole windows above each of the urinals. It was a loo with a view. 
    Americans are hungry, Brits are peckish, Australians are bloody ravenous.

    Thanks, Virginia.
      March 17, 2017 1:56 PM MDT
    1

  • 44604
    It all sounds Australian to me? This post was edited by Element 99 at March 17, 2017 3:39 PM MDT
      March 17, 2017 10:43 AM MDT
    2

  • If I had to describe Australian speech in one word it would probably be "informal". If Henry Higgins had included Australia in his "Why Can't the English?" he'd have been scathing. :(
      March 17, 2017 2:00 PM MDT
    0