Please tell me you are not actually a qualified Doctor!
Why not? I don't see that being a doctor (of medicine or anything else) requires one to be able to speak a foreign dialect.
if you consider the fact that you could probably fit all of the UK into north america hundreds of times, it isn't surprising that some people don't find their way overseas, in which case, why would it be incumbant (did i spell that right?) on someone to know that in the uk, it is called a flat, a fag, a lift, a queue, braces, suspenders, lemonade, chips, crisps etc???
it doesn't mean that they are stupid, just that they haven't had the exposure to other dialects of the language. the fact that they are now in a position to experience these things shouldn't be cause to laugh at them!
Yep, dialects, variations on a theme... can be a wondrous, fun and fiddly thing.
After two wandering trips in the US, on top of years and years of watching US stuff, movies, soaps, listening to the music, etc, my "English" sometimes takes on a life of its own - sprouting other forms, playing on certain slants... which I'm not always alert to, OR if I were, I'd let go - absorbing some of the 'differences'. (Thus, the inconsistencies! )
Cheers...................!
While I agree with you, I do find it fascinating that many americans seem to think that non-americans should automatically know their
little language and cultural idiocyncracies as if by some god-given right! And to be honest we usually do because US language and culture is exported so extensively via TV and film. It's good to see the reverse in action and a little mild ribbing doesn't hurt.
Just to be fair, I've got to point out that such amusing ignorance is not limited to Yanks
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Jade's wit and wisdom
Spencer: "No, I work in Cambridge."
Jade: "I know I'm from Bermondsey and I know that's London, but where is Cambridge?"
Spencer: "It's in East Anglia."
Jade: "Where's East Angular [sic] though? I thought that was abroad."
"The Union Jack is for all of us, but the St George is just for London, isn't it?"
"I knew Lynne was from Aberdeen but I didn't realise Aberdeen was in Scotland."
Tim suggested Jade move to the US, to which she replied: "They do speak English there don't they?"
"Rio de Janeiro, ain't that a person?"
"Do they speak Portuganese in Portugal? I thought Portugal was in Spain."
its beggars the question why they are actually called "flats"? considering the building in question is actually a high-rise of more than one floor it would appear the building is in fact quite the opposite to flat ? im not surprised our american brothers ae somewhat confused
I suggest we start looking for "Tall" shares or "Long" Shares si as to provide more clarity