Strange American sayings from an English Perspective
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Did you watch the video? I've only heard "could care less" said by Americans.
That's not the correct expression. It is "couldn't care less."
Because most Americans don't actually think about the words coming out of their mouth, unfortunately.0 -
Not so much about American sayings, but forum censorship... The weirdest I ever saw was on Petfinder's forums, where instead of replacing "bad words" with ****, they had alternate word replacements, which might have been alright, but some of the words they deemed "bad" were just bizarre. I can appreciate that some people take offense to the b-word used in certain ways, but when you really are talking about a female dog, it shouldn't be a problem.
The worst, in my opinion, was the word "anal," which was replaced with "rear end." Any questions about someone's dog's impacted anal sacs got changed to "impacted rear end sacs." So you post something trying to sound educated and informed, and you sound like a squeamish 10 year old. :ohwell:
They replaced the forbidden words with "I have a potty mouth" on Petfinder forums. It was too funny!0 -
Did you watch the video? I've only heard "could care less" said by Americans.
That's not the correct expression. It is "couldn't care less."
Then you're hanging out with uneducated Americans. The expression is "couldn't care less"0 -
Where 'Muricans and Everyone knows... We like big butts and we can not lie, you other brothers cant deny when a girl walks in with and itty bitty waste and a round thing in your face ... You know she squats
Ah. Bitty. That always gets me.
http://youtu.be/AOfI48IWESo
Dust? Anyone? Dust?0 -
That's not the correct expression. It is "couldn't care less."
As for the other American expressions, we are far more colorful in the South.
"That dog won't hunt."
"Sweating like a *kitten* in church."
"Well, aren't you a pretty thing."
"Bless your heart."
Good ones! but you forgot "Happier than a pig in *kitten*"0 -
Did you watch the video? I've only heard "could care less" said by Americans.
That's not the correct expression. It is "couldn't care less."
I'm happy to see that you're learning so much about the U.S. from a British comedian.
Yes. I watched the video, and I have seen it before.
The people using "could care less" are uneducated.
And, by the way, I am an American.0 -
Ahhh some more(not as good):-
"You don't know squat"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!!
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math"
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday!
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk
"You don't know squat" - No one says that anyway. It's "you don't know *kitten*"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!! - No one below the age of 70 would either wear or purchase one of those hideous things, so pretty much not a real staple of American life.
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math" - Ummm.....no. It's math.
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday! - No, Christmas is a holiday. Thanksgiving is a holiday. Going to Disneyland or Vegas is a vacation.
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk - Drunk people can be pissed. Pissed people can be drunk. They work well together.
Thanksgiving aint a holiday or a vacation
As for no one under 70 wearing a bum bag then you ain't seen many runners matey boy
Wrong. I AM a runner. We don't wear fanny packs. There are some who wear hydration belts to hold water bottles and you'll see the occasional Spi-belt as well, but runners aren't wearing fanny packs. And Thanksgiving is a holiday. Sorry matey boy.0 -
Ahhh some more(not as good):-
"You don't know squat"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!!
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math"
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday!
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk
"You don't know squat" - No one says that anyway. It's "you don't know *kitten*"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!! - No one below the age of 70 would either wear or purchase one of those hideous things, so pretty much not a real staple of American life.
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math" - Ummm.....no. It's math.
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday! - No, Christmas is a holiday. Thanksgiving is a holiday. Going to Disneyland or Vegas is a vacation.
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk - Drunk people can be pissed. Pissed people can be drunk. They work well together.
Thanksgiving aint a holiday or a vacation
As for no one under 70 wearing a bum bag then you ain't seen many runners matey boy
Hehe, but if you get the day off from work to celebrate something, like Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Independence Day, then it is called a holiday. If you ACTIVELY go somewhere on those days off and take a trip, then it's a vacation. :-)
And yeah, my mom has been wearing a fanny pack to exercise since I was about 5 years old. Hehehe, I make fun of her all the time.0 -
Yeah, I'm not suggesting that no Americans understand the expression. I could be wrong, but I think it's been an expression over here (UK) for a lot longer, and maybe crossed the Atlantic relatively recently through British film/tv & got a bit lost in translation? Believe me, plenty of British people say stupid ****, just never heard a Brit say "could care less".
Did you watch the video? I've only heard "could care less" said by Americans.
That's not the correct expression. It is "couldn't care less."
Then you're hanging out with uneducated Americans. The expression is "couldn't care less"0 -
OK, I just asked because I thought you misunderstood the point of the original post, ie. that Americans have this expression "could care less". My mistake. :ohwell: And don't worry, I've learned plenty about the US from real life. No offence meant.
Did you watch the video? I've only heard "could care less" said by Americans.
That's not the correct expression. It is "couldn't care less."
I'm happy to see that you're learning so much about the U.S. from a British comedian.
Yes. I watched the video, and I have seen it before.
The people using "could care less" are uneducated.
And, by the way, I am an American.0 -
Ahhh some more(not as good):-
"You don't know squat"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!!
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math"
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday!
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk
"You don't know squat" - No one says that anyway. It's "you don't know *kitten*"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!! - No one below the age of 70 would either wear or purchase one of those hideous things, so pretty much not a real staple of American life.
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math" - Ummm.....no. It's math.
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday! - No, Christmas is a holiday. Thanksgiving is a holiday. Going to Disneyland or Vegas is a vacation.
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk - Drunk people can be pissed. Pissed people can be drunk. They work well together.
Thanksgiving aint a holiday or a vacation
As for no one under 70 wearing a bum bag then you ain't seen many runners matey boy
Wrong. I AM a runner. We don't wear fanny packs. There are some who wear hydration belts to hold water bottles and you'll see the occasional Spi-belt as well, but runners aren't wearing fanny packs. And Thanksgiving is a holiday. Sorry matey boy.
don't think you've quite grasped the light hearted aspect of this post .....0 -
That expression has been around in the US for as long as I've been alive, at least.
Yeah, I'm not suggesting that no Americans understand the expression. I could be wrong, but I think it's been an expression over here (UK) for a lot longer, and maybe crossed the Atlantic relatively recently through British film/tv & got a bit lost in translation? Believe me, plenty of British people say stupid ****, just never heard a Brit say "could care less".
Did you watch the video? I've only heard "could care less" said by Americans.
That's not the correct expression. It is "couldn't care less."
Then you're hanging out with uneducated Americans. The expression is "couldn't care less"
There are just a lot of people who don't understand it. I've heard peopel actually argue in favor of "could care less" and insist it's the correct phase with some very roundabout reasoning.
People here also write suppose to instead of supposed to. It's because they hear something wrong and think they heard it correctly and then it takes off with a life of its own.
No American who actually KNOWS things like this says "could care less."0 -
Ahhh some more(not as good):-
"You don't know squat"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!!
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math"
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday!
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk
see, I never understood calling it "maths" instead of math. Why is it plural? Now, "doing the numbers" that fine. But not maths. It just looks wrong to me.0 -
Thread moved to a more appropriate section. Just make sure to watch the language and innuendos guys, dont want to have to send out any warnings or blocks. Have fun!0
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Probably from "mathematics."Ahhh some more(not as good):-
"You don't know squat"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!!
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math"
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday!
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk
see, I never understood calling it "maths" instead of math. Why is it plural? Now, "doing the numbers" that fine. But not maths. It just looks wrong to me.0 -
Brits say "I'm going to Hoover the carpet". Literally I thought it meant "going down", but found out it meant that they were going to vacuum their house.:laugh:
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
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Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Ahhh some more(not as good):-
"You don't know squat"
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!!
"I'm doing the math" ....it's "Maths" not "Math"
"Vacation" .... no it's not it's a holiday!
"He was pissed" ..... In England this would mean he was very drunk
see, I never understood calling it "maths" instead of math. Why is it plural? Now, "doing the numbers" that fine. But not maths. It just looks wrong to me.
because its short for mathematics0 -
"Fanny pack" ..... that ones ssooo funny!! - No one below the age of 70 would either wear or purchase one of those hideous things, so pretty much not a real staple of American life.
It's not Americans wearing fanny packs that is funny. It's the name fanny pack. A fanny means something completely different in the UK. My Brit friend delicately calls it a "lady's front bottom," and the word fanny is apparently almost as offensive there as the c-word is here. And the c-word is used pretty casually there.0 -
OK, I just asked because I thought you misunderstood the point of the original post, ie. that Americans have this expression "could care less". My mistake. :ohwell: And don't worry, I've learned plenty about the US from real life. No offence meant.
Did you watch the video? I've only heard "could care less" said by Americans.
That's not the correct expression. It is "couldn't care less."
I'm happy to see that you're learning so much about the U.S. from a British comedian.
Yes. I watched the video, and I have seen it before.
The people using "could care less" are uneducated.
And, by the way, I am an American.
No offense taken. We make fun of those idiots just as much as David Mitchell.
My own experiences with the English and Welsh are mostly from working with upper-class solicitors while living in Asia, so I understand that my own perspective is also probably skewed a bit. Good drinkers though. lol! :drinker:0 -
I've never heard "doing the maths"! Hahaha.0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7O0MFkmpw
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