During the Battle of the Bulge in WW2 there were German infiltration units dressed in American uniforms. To test whether or not they were genuine they’d make people say squirrel, because Germans have an exceptionally hard time with the word, pronouncing it like “squee-vril”. Also Laurence is from Grimsby
In the excellent 1949 movie "Battleground," American soldiers ask each other how well baseball teams or players have played recently. I don't know whether that actually happened.
@@JPMadden That was a thing that actually happened, though it wasn't just any team. The specific question was Which team won the World Series? and the correct answer was "the St. Louis Cardinals." The reason this was chosen was because the '44 World Series was played by both the Cards, and the St. Louis Browns. Realistically, a German might have intel that St. Louis won, but not the specific team.
Fun Fact. Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny and his men were never taken to a tribunal for the war crime of wearing enemy uniforms. He had evidence the Allies did the same thing during the war.
Lawrence was right that it is the context in which British people say ‘brilliant’ that Americans are amused by. The British usage is well known in America as a stereotypical British saying.
He's from Grimsby but he's definitely had a middle class uprbinging... which explains why he sounds a bit posh. Actors (Sir) Patrick Stewart, Lena Headey and Jodie Whittaker were all raised around Huddersfield but only Whittaker has a very clear and distinct Yorkshire accent in her normal speaking voice.
When I moved to America and started high school, on the first day, a kid heard me talk and said my English accent was terrible and proceeded to show me how an English accent should sound.
I've noticed that OB Dave frequently says, "To be fair." He also says, "I quite like . . ." Both phrases sound very English to my American ears. Cheers!
It's baby Laurence from like 8 years ago! That man has been grinding on UA-cam for years, researching, writing scripts, adding dry British humor, ect. I am so happy for his recent success and pay off to his grind. He had a very small viewership and sub count for years, and never gave up! He deserves any success that comes his way. whether you like or dislike his content, you gotta respect his grind and dedication.
Americans pronounce badminton as "bad mitten." And we generally only use brilliant to describe someone who is incredibly intelligent. I'm not sure if the Brits do this too, but I used to constantly try to get my Irish friend to say words with a TH in them, because they pronounce it with just a plain T sound.
In New York City I think we use the word 'brilliant' sarcastically for the most part.. Someone does something stupid and you say "yeah, fuckin' brilliant".
The lyric You like potato and I like potahto You like tomato and I like tomahto Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto. Let's call the whole thing off Is from the song "Let's call the whole thing off" written by George & Ira Gershwin (George composed the tune while Ira wrote the lyrics). The song was originally sung by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1937 film "Shall We Dance".
For me It's mainly the accent/dialect I like hearing. My favorite thing to hear British say is "Bloody Hell". Depending on area you're from it comes out sounding different. My favorite would probably be the Yorkshire accent or similar to that. First time I ever heard it was from the 1993 film The Secret Garden. Laura Crossley an Andrew Knott (Martha and Dickon) and Ben Weatherstaff (the gardener) had a Yorkshire accent. Way back at that time 8 year old me actually had a crush on Laura Crossley and her accent was one of the main reasons.
Brilliant was a word in a commercial that two old timey British white guys use to yell to each other, I think it was a peanut commercial or something. That's why it's so funny. They want you to say BRILLIANT!
My maternal grandmother spent most of her life here in the US, but she was born and raised in Leigh (Lancashire). She moved to the States after WWII with her American husband and my then-infant mom. So she had lived in the US for over 25 years by the time I was born. While growing up, I figured that her living here for so long accounted for why her accent didn't sound like British characters on TV or in movies - like it was watered down or something. I didn't realize, in my younger years, that not everyone in England has an RP or Cockney accent!
Lmao @ the winnebago bit up front. You guys should do an occasional episode where one of you just tells the craziest story from your youth, and the others can comment and question along the way.
It's simply the accent. It sounds elegant when English people say "Brilliant" and plus they say it more often then Americans. They are pronounced the same in one sense but they still add a flare to it with their accent.
I will use the word brilliant occasionally to describe someone exceptionally smart, but mostly I use it really sarcastically. "I pulled up to the dealership and hopped off my motorcycle and forgot to put the kickstand down", "That's brilliant, dude, what do you do for an encore after that"? I actually had that conversation once.
The number 1 word should have been "aluminum". I've tried to repeat that word in the same way after hearing a Brit say it but I can't. My mouth can't pronounce it.
I've oddly picked u a brit accent thru the years on certain words from the tv & internet. Your pronunciation seems easier than standard american in some cases at least.
I'm American and, literally, no American I've ever spoken to has ever referred to anything on a car as a "boot, bonnet, or windscreen". Trunk, hood (I'm assuming from context clues), and windshield, are what we say (in my experience). Also, his American voice sounds like Kevin Spacey to me.
Americans don't use a word like 'brilliant' for anything ordinary. It is reserved for special things, bright things, or a very intelligent person. I have to say though, it is wonderful to hear it applied in daily life the way British people do. It makes everything seem more special. In addition, I think the only other time I can think of is when someone is describing diamonds. Thanks Office Blokes for all your videos.
I honestly don't care how Brits or other ethnicities say things. I think maybe cause I got older and more desensitized but just figured people just say things differently based on where they're from and no big deal. I don't know. Don't think it's the most amazing thing ever or something. Just is what it is.
Americans pronounce garage as a French word. It is derived from French garer. I doubt many Americans are aware of that , so I don't know why we chose that pronunciation over the British pronunciation.
Older Canadian here. We still say Mum instead of Mom. I like it. But, in 1960 first grade, we'd have to stand and sing God Save the Queen. We sang it and hour before Kennedy was shot in '63.
Americans use the word brilliant, I think we’re just more selective as to how often we use it. If someone does something ingenious, we may say, it was brilliant.
It may be freer, but it isn't better. Tens of thousands of Canadians cross the border every yr for medical procedures. Did the truckers lose their health care too, or just their money?
I think Americans love hearing a Brit say "brilliant" because it's really complimentary. Americans usually say it sarcastically.
Brits say it sarcastically too, not sure I've ever said brilliant and meant it as a compliment
Us Americans use it to mean "smart" mostly
@Hope British? I think Americans would probably say genius instead of brilliant lol idk though
concur
When I first started watching BBC America e.b. said brilliant. Now I notice a lot more of them are saying awesome.
During the Battle of the Bulge in WW2 there were German infiltration units dressed in American uniforms. To test whether or not they were genuine they’d make people say squirrel, because Germans have an exceptionally hard time with the word, pronouncing it like “squee-vril”.
Also Laurence is from Grimsby
In the excellent 1949 movie "Battleground," American soldiers ask each other how well baseball teams or players have played recently. I don't know whether that actually happened.
@@JPMadden That was a thing that actually happened, though it wasn't just any team. The specific question was Which team won the World Series? and the correct answer was "the St. Louis Cardinals." The reason this was chosen was because the '44 World Series was played by both the Cards, and the St. Louis Browns. Realistically, a German might have intel that St. Louis won, but not the specific team.
@@DaSoda70 Interesting
Fun Fact. Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny and his men were never taken to a tribunal for the war crime of wearing enemy uniforms. He had evidence the Allies did the same thing during the war.
Lawrence was right that it is the context in which British people say ‘brilliant’ that Americans are amused by. The British usage is well known in America as a stereotypical British saying.
I want to hear Mike say, "I'll have a 12-piece bucket with mashed potatoes, cole slaw and more chicken." 🐔🍗😬
I would like to hear that too.
I want to hear him say “oh god, hear comes the whopper!”
“Yeaaa”
Love Dazs face when he heard Grimsby... He was momentarily speechless like he didn't know what to do with this information
He's from Grimsby but he's definitely had a middle class uprbinging... which explains why he sounds a bit posh.
Actors (Sir) Patrick Stewart, Lena Headey and Jodie Whittaker were all raised around Huddersfield but only Whittaker has a very clear and distinct Yorkshire accent in her normal speaking voice.
My favorite word to hear Brits say is "aluminum". I love to hear it that.
Same, but for some reason it sounds super pretentious when an American pronounces it the British way.
When I moved to America and started high school, on the first day, a kid heard me talk and said my English accent was terrible and proceeded to show me how an English accent should sound.
😂
Ignorant Americans love exposing themselves.
And how good was it, 😂
😄
Laurence is from the town of Grimsby
I've noticed that OB Dave frequently says, "To be fair." He also says, "I quite like . . ." Both phrases sound very English to my American ears. Cheers!
love hearing british saying "innit" xD
Got Him! He said indictor! We Americans in the south say blinker! Lol
It's baby Laurence from like 8 years ago! That man has been grinding on UA-cam for years, researching, writing scripts, adding dry British humor, ect. I am so happy for his recent success and pay off to his grind. He had a very small viewership and sub count for years, and never gave up! He deserves any success that comes his way.
whether you like or dislike his content, you gotta respect his grind and dedication.
I think he's pretty funny in the most British, dry way possible. I've seen loads of his vids.
Yea I used to see him when he was at luke 30 40 k
I love asking them to speak English.
Good luck with that
Ive always loved the ole' "Ello Govna" lol
"Arse" is another one! We Americans prefer the alternative word for donkey over "arse"! "He's a real pain in me arse!" 🤣
The cute way mike said hi🥺
Brilliant in the US usually means intelligent, or a very bright light. Like, "This scientist was brilliant." or "The Sun this morning was brilliant."
His American accent is impeccable
It's not hard...
A word that I hear Brits say a lot that is entertaining is "Mental"
Watch his “Why do British Bash Americans”
When a British man calls you luv. I "luv," that.
"garage" is one that sounds so different. Brits put the R on the first syllable, Americans put it on the second.
I think he said he's from the northeast coast, Grimsby I believe. I sub to his channel too.
Grimsby is the most British sounding area I think there is
@@philmickelsonscalves7585 It seriously is. Lol
@@blakerh Ok, but that’s my name so…
Herb is an old French word. No Heich pronunciation. Sounds like erb
Americans pronounce badminton as "bad mitten." And we generally only use brilliant to describe someone who is incredibly intelligent. I'm not sure if the Brits do this too, but I used to constantly try to get my Irish friend to say words with a TH in them, because they pronounce it with just a plain T sound.
I’ve noticed that “th” sounding like “t” usually Irish and maybe Jamaican. 🤔
I think it’s more of a d or f sound for brits so “them” would be pronounced “dem”, “mouth” would be “mouf”
In New York City I think we use the word 'brilliant' sarcastically for the most part..
Someone does something stupid and you say "yeah, fuckin' brilliant".
I was born in Glasgow Scotland, but raised in America. My favorite word is aluminum to hear the difference
At my continuation school our math teacher was a bloke and we always had him saying skittles and water bottle. God bless you Mr. Turner
WHAT!? This whole schedule vs schedule debate broke my mind.
I had a tennis coach that was English and he would always say “off you go” oaff yeuu goaw
Wow he's perfected his American accent haha. Impressive.
I love to hear the British say "Sort" ! Like to sort something out !
The lyric
You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto.
Let's call the whole thing off
Is from the song "Let's call the whole thing off" written by George & Ira Gershwin (George composed the tune while Ira wrote the lyrics). The song was originally sung by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1937 film "Shall We Dance".
My favorite made the list hearing a Brit say vitamin makes me smile every time
For me It's mainly the accent/dialect I like hearing.
My favorite thing to hear British say is "Bloody Hell". Depending on area you're from it comes out sounding different.
My favorite would probably be the Yorkshire accent or similar to that. First time I ever heard it was from the 1993 film The Secret Garden. Laura Crossley an Andrew Knott (Martha and Dickon) and Ben Weatherstaff (the gardener) had a Yorkshire accent. Way back at that time 8 year old me actually had a crush on Laura Crossley and her accent was one of the main reasons.
9:56 In my native accent, I pronounce "Tomato" as '2-may-toe' and "Potato" as 'Poe-tay-toe' Lol.
Brilliant was a word in a commercial that two old timey British white guys use to yell to each other, I think it was a peanut commercial or something. That's why it's so funny. They want you to say BRILLIANT!
Aluminum ... Thats my Favorite to hear
My maternal grandmother spent most of her life here in the US, but she was born and raised in Leigh (Lancashire). She moved to the States after WWII with her American husband and my then-infant mom. So she had lived in the US for over 25 years by the time I was born. While growing up, I figured that her living here for so long accounted for why her accent didn't sound like British characters on TV or in movies - like it was watered down or something. I didn't realize, in my younger years, that not everyone in England has an RP or Cockney accent!
Laurence is from Grimsby, he has stated in several videos, you were talking about where he was from.
Americans sometimes use the word brilliant in the place of the word bright...ie shiny, white.
Lmao @ the winnebago bit up front. You guys should do an occasional episode where one of you just tells the craziest story from your youth, and the others can comment and question along the way.
Bloody hell! He left off Graham Norton. Love his show. Has anything we have here in the states beaten by MILES.
Ten Lammy Bammies and a Purple Burglar Alarm
I coulda sworn ive heard mike say "shedwul" at some point lol
I use brilliant.. because it's an amazing fn word!! But I also use a few French and Spanish phrases..as well as German
"Squir-rel" is what I hear Brits say. It's that second "r" where Americans say "squirr-el" ignoring that second "r" emphasizing the "e".
It's simply the accent. It sounds elegant when English people say "Brilliant" and plus they say it more often then Americans. They are pronounced the same in one sense but they still add a flare to it with their accent.
According to the internet Laurence was born in Grimsby.
Lawrence Brown is from Grimsby, UK
In American, it is rare to accent any syllable, other than the first. Hence, TOE-may-toe, VY-ta-min.
One word I noticed from the vid, was the word "perhaps" Dude said it as "p haps". This from a Canadian observation.
Yeah, we Americans use the word brilliant to mean very smart and in that case usually sarcastically.
I believe he's from "Grimsby" (Due East of Manchester).
Squirrel rhymes with Earl in American.
I live to hear Brits say "water", "aluminum", the letter "h", and "squirrel".
I will use the word brilliant occasionally to describe someone exceptionally smart, but mostly I use it really sarcastically. "I pulled up to the dealership and hopped off my motorcycle and forgot to put the kickstand down", "That's brilliant, dude, what do you do for an encore after that"? I actually had that conversation once.
Chuffed. Americans don't say it. But it is fun to hear someone say it.
He is from the Watford Gap!
I like the way British people say aluminum
I love to hear Brits say “kettle”, it’s like there are no ts. 🤣
I think that may be a south London accent that does that? It's cute anyway!
American English is mostly Germanic influenced, whereas British English is mostly Romance influenced.
My BM is from the Uk, so I kinda started to use “nob head and fuckin hell” lol
Lawrence Brown is from Grimsby
When a Brit says ''debris'' I gotta laugh.
I can't believe he didn't bring up aluminum. Long live Jeremy Clarkson, Richard and James Top Gear!
This is brilliant.
The number 1 word should have been "aluminum". I've tried to repeat that word in the same way after hearing a Brit say it but I can't. My mouth can't pronounce it.
Had to do a quick search which turned into a moderately long search - he's from Grimsby. I'll bet you hear it now that I've told you....
Americans: Bottle of water
Brits: Boh’oh uv woh’uh
I've oddly picked u a brit accent thru the years on certain words from the tv & internet. Your pronunciation seems easier than standard american in some cases at least.
I'm American and, literally, no American I've ever spoken to has ever referred to anything on a car as a "boot, bonnet, or windscreen". Trunk, hood (I'm assuming from context clues), and windshield, are what we say (in my experience). Also, his American voice sounds like Kevin Spacey to me.
Some say tomoto, some say tomato, I'm from northeast Tennessee, we say 'mater, or for potato we say 'tater. 😁
Americans don't use a word like 'brilliant' for anything ordinary. It is reserved for special things, bright things, or a very intelligent person. I have to say though, it is wonderful to hear it applied in daily life the way British people do. It makes everything seem more special. In addition, I think the only other time I can think of is when someone is describing diamonds.
Thanks Office Blokes for all your videos.
To clear up your discernment of Lawrence's origins, Lawrence is from Grimsby so he is a Northerner, or more like a Northeasterner.
Lawrence is from Grimsby.
UA-cam Sensation Lawrence Brown is from Grimsby
I honestly don't care how Brits or other ethnicities say things. I think maybe cause I got older and more desensitized but just figured people just say things differently based on where they're from and no big deal. I don't know. Don't think it's the most amazing thing ever or something. Just is what it is.
Purple Burglar Alarm
Laurence Brown is from Grimsby.
Yep, Laurence is from Grimsby
Vitamin stands for "vital mineral". It's properly pronounced ' vītamin '
Laurence is from Grimsby!
"fook off" is always popular
Two countries separated by a common language.
Before I get into the video, my vote is for "here". Gets me every time.
He was born in Grimsby, UK... but I don't think he was raised there. I don't remember what video where he described it.
I think he's from a place called Brimley.
Americans pronounce garage as a French word. It is derived from French garer. I doubt many Americans are aware of that , so I don't know why we chose that pronunciation over the British pronunciation.
I use “brilliant “ but I have UK friends and grew up with Monty Python. And we do say “bad- mi-in” with a glottal T and no “n”
Laurence is from Grimsby.
Older Canadian here. We still say Mum instead of Mom. I like it. But, in 1960 first grade, we'd have to stand and sing God Save the Queen. We sang it and hour before Kennedy was shot in '63.
I think he said once that he's from Grimsby.
Americans use the word brilliant, I think we’re just more selective as to how often we use it. If someone does something ingenious, we may say, it was brilliant.
Knight, say like Monty Python... lol
start reviewing "edbassmater" starting with his vampire in Philly video.?
I just looked it up he’s from Grimsby
He's from Grimsby!
Canadians are just Americans with better health care and colder weather.
And less guns
@FourFish47 Actually Canada has more guns
@@stevenpollastri3877 The US has ~400M guns. Even per capita it wouldn't work out.
It may be freer, but it isn't better. Tens of thousands of Canadians cross the border every yr for medical procedures.
Did the truckers lose their health care too, or just their money?
This guys channel is awesome i 've seen a bunch of his stuff