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In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas speaks with Lynne Murphy, a linguistics professor and author, about the fascinating differences between British and American English. Lynne shares her journey from the US to the UK, her experiences documenting language differences, and the cultural implications of these variations. They discuss common myths, embarrassing language moments, and the impact of technology on language evolution. Lynne offers insights into navigating linguistic and cultural differences for those moving between the two countries.
Links
- Separated by a Common Language Blog
- The Prodigal Tongue Book
- Lynne on Facebook
- Lynne’s Substack Newsletter
- Lynne’s Linktree
Takeaways
- Lynne Murphy has spent over two decades studying language differences between Americans and British people.
- She started her blog ‘Separated by a Common Language’ to document her experiences with language differences.
- The idea that British English is older than American English is a common myth.
- Both British and American English have their own superiority and inferiority complexes.
- Language is constantly evolving, and there are always new differences to explore.
- Lynne’s book ‘Prodigal Tongue’ delves into the history and social forces behind language differences.
- Cultural perspectives greatly influence how language is perceived and used.
- Embarrassing language moments can happen when switching between British and American English.
- Technology and social media are facilitating the exchange of language between the two cultures.
- Being humble and curious is key to navigating linguistic differences.
Soundbites
- On British superiority complex: “I don’t call myself an Anglophile. I know the English too well.”
- On language myths: “British English didn’t exist until American English existed. You know, that term came up much later than the term American English because, you know, it wasn’t until the British had an opposite side, that they became one thing.”
- On the herb/herb debate: “Where Americans say herb and the British say herb, it’s actually older not to say the H… But the British added it back in, in the 19th century.”
- Cultural misunderstanding moment: “My husband said to my goddaughter, ‘Get away from me, you slutty child.’ So that was embarrassing.” [In British English, ‘slutty’ historically meant sloppy/untidy]
- On American grammar obsession: “Americans care more about grammar than about things like accent, whereas the British are very attuned to accents.”
- Her daughter’s revelation: “When my daughter was two, she said ‘daddy says bath and you say bath.’ And I said, ‘what are you going to say?’ And she said, ‘bath.’ …she realized that I was wrong. Everybody else was right.”
- On relationship communication: “If I ever say ‘sure’ to answer a question, I get a lot of pushback… he’ll say, ‘shall I make chicken for dinner?’ I’ll say ‘sure.’ And he’ll say, ‘all right, I’ll make omelets instead.'”
- On endless discoveries: “I’ve been here 25 years… This week I blogged about American ‘in the fine print’ versus British ‘in the small print.’ I had never noticed that before somebody pointed out to me this week.”
- On language persistence: “For nine years, I did a difference of the day every day [on Twitter] and I hardly ever repeated… there are that many differences to talk about.”
- Advice for expats: “Don’t try to use the naughty words because you won’t do it right… So many Americans will come over and they’ll want to say bloody and wanker. And they will not use them in the right places.”
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction to Language Differences
- 05:47 The Birth of a Blog
- 09:41 Exploring the Book’s Origins
- 14:27 Myths and Misconceptions in English
- 18:17 The Evolution of English Language
- 20:25 Personal Anecdotes and Language Gaffes
- 22:15 Navigating Self-Doubt in Communication
- 23:02 The Evolution of Spelling: Center vs. Centre
- 25:08 The Divergence of British and American Spellings
- 26:45 Pronunciation Differences: Vase vs. Vase
- 27:16 Code-Switching: Adapting Language in Different Contexts
- 28:18 American Expressions in British English
- 30:08 Personal Integration: Language and Relationships
- 32:02 Parenthood and Language Perception
- 33:32 Appreciating British English: Embracing Differences
- 34:41 The Impact of Technology on Language Convergence
- 35:26 Understanding Humor Across Cultures
- 36:41 Adopting British Cuisine: A Culinary Journey
- 37:37 Future of Language: Convergence vs. Divergence
- 38:53 Advice for Navigating Linguistic Differences
- 41:24 anglotopia-podcast-outro.mp4