I gather there isn't anything less common that's particular to the American vernacular.
What accent do you really hate? and which one you love?
I dare say there is an equivalent expression in American slang, and it will probably be spread around the globe in no time at all.
Taking the piss is not as common a practice in American culture as it seems to be in British culture, so we don't have a particular "popular" term for it, and I suspect we don't see it in quite the same light.
OKAY - the cliche goes that "Americans" don't get Irony... but perhaps this Antipodean has copped a little too much sun and surf, and just missed the subtle tongue in cheek comic brilliance of a comment like "...My guess is that lower classes also tend to be uneducated classes, and their speech reflects their lack of education, and it is this apparent lack of education that I find disagreeable. This applies to both the actual words they say and the way that they say them..."
IF you ARE serious with such an archaic and elitist opinion, could you furnish us with a little information as to YOUR socio-economic background?! It's only fair. After years spent living in Scotland and working throughout Europe, I'd suggest this comment reeks of another frightened EuroSnob thrashing about in the shallow end of the gene pool. (Not drowning, just waving - at the reposession agents removing another Rembrandt from the family estate).
Perpetuation of the class system in Europe is disgusting at the best of times, let alone through the use of such apocryphal and un-sub-stan-ti-at-ed banter.
I've lived and worked all over the world. As a result, most people struggle to classify me by the way I use language. I've found that trying to use an accent to define someones intelligence, and right to function at a pre-determined level in society, is a past time almost exclusively reserved to isolated pockets of Europe. In my apocryphal and un-sub-stan-ti-at-ed opinion, it simply doesn't translate to most of the rest of the planet.
Nobody else at a cultural level, has been so heavily and carefully indoctrinated into "understanding" what each minute behaviour of an individual is supposed to signify in terms of their "class".
Frankly, it's a waste of oxygen. Especially when you know that so many other cultures prefer to judge the meaning of the words, not HOW they're spoken.
Some of the most intelligent, creative people I've ever met, have gone through life with an accent which makes them "uneducated" according to the rules of your stereotype - still they achieve incredible heights on the world stage, and have done so since the Industrial Revolution.
Wake up to yourself. Gum chewing Texans have been the ruling class for at least the last 50 years.
Fort my lower class money, the pompous overstressed vowels of certain English accents make me cringe. I hate the false impression of being "well educated" it implies.
And I can't believe ICELANDIC has escaped mention as one of the all time sexiest accents in the world?! Possibly a hard one to overhear on the morning train, but take my word for it - every sentence sounds like spring water gently bubbling down a mountain stream.
Sigggggghhhh...
IF you ARE serious with such an archaic and elitist opinion, could you furnish us with a little information as to YOUR socio-economic background?! It's only fair. After years spent living in Scotland and working throughout Europe, I'd suggest this comment reeks of another frightened EuroSnob thrashing about in the shallow end of the gene pool. (Not drowning, just waving - at the reposession agents removing another Rembrandt from the family estate).
Perpetuation of the class system in Europe is disgusting at the best of times, let alone through the use of such apocryphal and un-sub-stan-ti-at-ed banter.
I've lived and worked all over the world. As a result, most people struggle to classify me by the way I use language. I've found that trying to use an accent to define someones intelligence, and right to function at a pre-determined level in society, is a past time almost exclusively reserved to isolated pockets of Europe. In my apocryphal and un-sub-stan-ti-at-ed opinion, it simply doesn't translate to most of the rest of the planet.
Nobody else at a cultural level, has been so heavily and carefully indoctrinated into "understanding" what each minute behaviour of an individual is supposed to signify in terms of their "class".
Frankly, it's a waste of oxygen. Especially when you know that so many other cultures prefer to judge the meaning of the words, not HOW they're spoken.
Some of the most intelligent, creative people I've ever met, have gone through life with an accent which makes them "uneducated" according to the rules of your stereotype - still they achieve incredible heights on the world stage, and have done so since the Industrial Revolution.
Wake up to yourself. Gum chewing Texans have been the ruling class for at least the last 50 years.
Fort my lower class money, the pompous overstressed vowels of certain English accents make me cringe. I hate the false impression of being "well educated" it implies.
And I can't believe ICELANDIC has escaped mention as one of the all time sexiest accents in the world?! Possibly a hard one to overhear on the morning train, but take my word for it - every sentence sounds like spring water gently bubbling down a mountain stream.
Sigggggghhhh...
We "get" irony. We just don't think it's the highest form of wit. If we're not laughing, sometimes that's because it's really not that funny....
I think that all meant that Bruce likes the Icelandic accent, thinks Texans are wonderful, has heard of the Industrial Revolution and dislikes any hint of a class system. Good to know.
"How does "taking the piss" or "taking the micky" translate to American vernacular?"
Depending on whether I'm talking to my parents or my friends, I either or "give someone a hard time" or "give someone shit." "Taking a piss" is done only in the bathroom, of course.
As for the best accent, no one has said it yet, but to me nothing demonstrates friendliness, down-to-earthness, and modest intelligence like Minnesotan (not like in the movie Fargo, it is actually much more subtle)--although I am biased because that is where I'm from. I love Texan, most British accents, and any foreign accents. I dislike the American "midland" of Kentucky--sorry, I know you all are great people.
Depending on whether I'm talking to my parents or my friends, I either or "give someone a hard time" or "give someone shit." "Taking a piss" is done only in the bathroom, of course.
As for the best accent, no one has said it yet, but to me nothing demonstrates friendliness, down-to-earthness, and modest intelligence like Minnesotan (not like in the movie Fargo, it is actually much more subtle)--although I am biased because that is where I'm from. I love Texan, most British accents, and any foreign accents. I dislike the American "midland" of Kentucky--sorry, I know you all are great people.
One expression I like which means the same thing is "having a lend of"; it's not quite the same if you correct it to "having a loan of".
And I'm not extracting the urine either.
And I'm not extracting the urine either.
This is fun, I see from both Damians and Candys point of veiw, although i am Scottish.
Don't you Scots find it alot easier to speak Spanish than French? I think that the Scottish tounge is more suited to Spanish and likewise English to French.
I agree with Damien, about the amount of English that look down on Scots and Welsh, of course there will always be something between Scotland and England, but hardly anyone pays much attention to the Welsh, and i think it should be them complaining too!
About what Candy said about us having to respect the English, how much respect do you want really? I have alot of time for English people, but when it comes to silly things like making us look small on the weathermap to create some sort of feeling of superiority, it just seems a little silly to me. Things seem to be getting better but i think SOME English think that Scotland is just a little place stuck on the top of them that they forget about half the time, unless planning their holidays.
Saying that, our scenery IS amazing :-)
xx
Don't you Scots find it alot easier to speak Spanish than French? I think that the Scottish tounge is more suited to Spanish and likewise English to French.
I agree with Damien, about the amount of English that look down on Scots and Welsh, of course there will always be something between Scotland and England, but hardly anyone pays much attention to the Welsh, and i think it should be them complaining too!
About what Candy said about us having to respect the English, how much respect do you want really? I have alot of time for English people, but when it comes to silly things like making us look small on the weathermap to create some sort of feeling of superiority, it just seems a little silly to me. Things seem to be getting better but i think SOME English think that Scotland is just a little place stuck on the top of them that they forget about half the time, unless planning their holidays.
Saying that, our scenery IS amazing :-)
xx
<<About what Candy said about us having to respect the English, how much respect do you want really?>>
I didn't say anything about 'respect' and certainly nothing about 'having' to respect 'the English'. I said this:
<<You say we should appreciate each other's differences - agreed 100%, but how often do Scottish or Welsh people appreciate Englishness? Why is it only the English who have to make an effort?>>
I didn't say anything about 'respect' and certainly nothing about 'having' to respect 'the English'. I said this:
<<You say we should appreciate each other's differences - agreed 100%, but how often do Scottish or Welsh people appreciate Englishness? Why is it only the English who have to make an effort?>>
I'd love to have a geordie accent or a yorkshire accent. Most of my family live in Yorkshire and I visit them about 4 times a year thats the only time i can but my cousin always says I sound posh (I live in Berkshire, south england) I think I can do a geordie accent but it annoys some of my friends.
The most annoying accent i can think of is Alabama sorry duddes but my friend can do this accent and its awful!! Very annoying
The most annoying accent i can think of is Alabama sorry duddes but my friend can do this accent and its awful!! Very annoying
"About what Candy said about us having to respect the English, how much respect do you want really? I have alot of time for English people, but when it comes to silly things like making us look small on the weathermap to create some sort of feeling of superiority, it just seems a little silly to me. Things seem to be getting better but i think SOME English think that Scotland is just a little place stuck on the top of them that they forget about half the time, unless planning their holidays. "
I think the Scots always need to respect the English, otherwise the English will just cut off Scotland's annual £10 billion subsidies.
I don't think we should subsidise people who don't respect us.
Remember - if a kid is cheeky to its parent, the parent will just stop the pocket money.
I think the Scots always need to respect the English, otherwise the English will just cut off Scotland's annual £10 billion subsidies.
I don't think we should subsidise people who don't respect us.
Remember - if a kid is cheeky to its parent, the parent will just stop the pocket money.
"SOME English think that Scotland is just a little place stuck on the top of them "
It is. Scotland's not a big place, and it's not underneath us.
It's half the size of England and has less than one-tenth her population.
It is. Scotland's not a big place, and it's not underneath us.
It's half the size of England and has less than one-tenth her population.