Different words for a bread roll across the U.K.

One of the things I really like and am interested in are the different quirks and vagaries of every day life and language. Whilst countries such as France celebrate their regions and differences, too often in the U.K. such things are watered down or ignored leading to widespread ignorance of ancient traditions, foods and cultures.… Continue reading Different words for a bread roll across the U.K.

Do Accents Hold You Back?

 As George Bernhard Shaw commented, ‘It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him.Hello madam, how do you do? or alternatively Aye up Hello madam, how do you do? or alternatively Aye up pet, how’s it ganning like? If you were to meet someone on… Continue reading Do Accents Hold You Back?

U and Non-U

U, or should I say you, might think I am off my trolley with this blog title or maybe my carefully worded prose has finally given way to text-speak.  However U and Non-U is actually a book title from the 1950’s written by a legendary aristocrat Nancy Mitford that was all the rage amongst certain… Continue reading U and Non-U

Was it something I said? – Accents and dialects of the world and Great Britain

Over the weekend it was a revealed in a Time Magazine survey that we British apparently have the most sexy accent in the world.  Whilst not sure how many from Tanzania or Mongolia were surveyed, we sure are grateful to all our English speaking and European friends. I must say though that I find it… Continue reading Was it something I said? – Accents and dialects of the world and Great Britain