Video: Learn to Speak Like An American

[Garry Russell]

Brian?

Whay when someone is telling a story and the listener gets interested does the listener say "Shut up"

[Tomliner]

Paul,now you've started me off!Like,like,like Sitting on a bus or in a cafe near to youngsters drives you mad.A couple of girls were talking (loudly) in a cafe and I swear it was 'like' every third word,mixed in with occasional 'cool' 'wicked' and 'OMG' and would say that they weren't uneducated. EricT

[FlyTexas]

Brian?

Whay when someone is telling a story and the listener gets interested does the listener say "Shut up"

Typically the listener would be saying/meaning "really?" or "OMG".

Example

Joe Bob - My sister Sue Bob just got married to a dude who owns two pickup trucks!
Billy Bob - Shut up!


Brian

[Paul K]

Paul,now you've started me off!Like,like,like Sitting on a bus or in a cafe near to youngsters drives you mad.A couple of girls were talking (loudly) in a cafe and I swear it was 'like' every third word,mixed in with occasional 'cool' 'wicked' and 'OMG' and would say that they weren't uneducated. EricT

Eric. And I bet at some point in the conversation, someone said 'Oh my god, thats so annoYYYYing'. Everything less than 'awesome' or 'sick' is annoyyying, you know. Don't know why the Y gets so emphasised.

I hope this thread veers off towards Railway Catering: Then and Now.

[airboatr]

I don't use either phrase Paul, but that's because I'm a caring person.


Yes, I'll admit I'm not perfect in my use of the English language. But you ought to see how well I use it on a cue ball!



.....
<wanders off muddling>
Now let's see, what was that my friend told me about speaking proper English? It's all in the pronunciation of the vowels.

a e i o u...
again
a e i o u
again

AE, I O U -

[Garry Russell]

I don't get trouble with my vowels...not since I've been on this latest medication


* * * * *

Why is it they ignore 'Y' as a vowel...it is often used as one

When we were at school we were taught A E I O U and sometimes Y, but I never see that now

I must say that I've spoken to Joe on many occasions and his English is very good without the over used words we've mentioned here

[airboatr]

Hey Garry... just a quick note to Ben before I continue..

Hello Ben,
You'll make sure you get this in your backup of the site.? Just as a matter of public record you know...

I must say that I've spoken to Joe on many occasions and his English is very good without the over used words we've mentioned here

cheers mate, I'll toss a few bob in the offering plate come end of the month.


..... Thanks Garry

Why is it they ignore 'Y' as a vowel...it is often used as one

I wondered if any one would catch that.

[nigelb]

The "like" business startd with the Valley Girls in California, but unfortunatly it spread like a virus to the rest of the country. Regarding the English language, I always remember that line from "My Fair Lady.' "Well in America, they haven't used it for years!"

Nigel²

[aeroart]

Wasn't it Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady" who asked, "Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?"

Art

[airboatr]

Well Nigel, It's a weel known fact that amongst the many things the British kept the settlers from having, like, iron and other shite, was the English language.

I read that somewhere ...yeah

They we like, OK if you're going to start a new country, you'll have to do it without our language.



....

That'll go over like a lead balloon!