Americans React to Top 10 British Words You're Saying Wrong!

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  • Опубліковано 11 січ 2025

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  • @RedcoatT
    @RedcoatT Рік тому +1142

    "English did technically come from England". Sorry but there is no technically about it, English came from England.

    • @cazziefores2183
      @cazziefores2183 Рік тому +38

      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🇬🇧

    • @faithpearlgenied-a5517
      @faithpearlgenied-a5517 Рік тому +89

      Well yes but it's mostly a mix of French and German and other languages. It just all evolved into the mess we call English.

    • @sharonmartin4036
      @sharonmartin4036 Рік тому +36

      Yes, I giggled at that one too. LOL.

    • @ChimpManZ1264
      @ChimpManZ1264 Рік тому +44

      ​​@@faithpearlgenied-a5517 Actually it's Latin. The countries were all dominated by Roman Latin before they went their seperate ways after the fall of the Empire. The Saxons then influenced Anglo language followed by the Normans and it evolved over a millennium. The similarities over Europe are purely Latin.

    • @andrewlaw
      @andrewlaw Рік тому +67

      "There's a clue in the name".

  • @nimwey7701
    @nimwey7701 Рік тому +32

    We in the Netherlands also say Aluminium, because thats the way to pronounce it and how the stuff is called 😂

  • @pamelsims2068
    @pamelsims2068 Рік тому +57

    I am a Chemistry teacher..... all our textbooks and Periodic tables have Aluminium on them.

    • @OutcastSpartan
      @OutcastSpartan 3 місяці тому +3

      As they should, you can't just start removing letters from elements. Americans don't say Helum for Helium, or Lithum for Lithium, or Sodum for Sodium. It just sounds wrong, and is wrong.

  • @teckygeek
    @teckygeek Рік тому +4

    Another good one is "Solder" for electronics.

    • @teckygeek
      @teckygeek Рік тому

      I found this video; apparently, it's more related to the French.
      ua-cam.com/video/mKCz_xXICKY/v-deo.htmlsi=830_fFXvrhhFP4WR

  • @kayenne221
    @kayenne221 Рік тому +12

    How about ‘Vehicle’. Surprised that wasn’t on the list

    • @BonzillesMGames
      @BonzillesMGames 3 місяці тому

      That's the 1 word that when any American says it I feel like screaming they well and truly over pronounce the h and say it it V Hicle

    • @ukbusiness8811
      @ukbusiness8811 2 місяці тому

      And Roof 😢

  • @stuartfitch7093
    @stuartfitch7093 Рік тому +246

    Pronouncing a word in the UK not only often changes from north to south but also by social class. Someone of a higher class will pronounce a certain word totally different to a working class person like myself.

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +20

      I'm in Scotland. What is this "class" system?

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +7

      @lifesbutastumble
      I've never sat in a cold classroom. I did however sit in a few cauld rooms, at school.

    • @spacechannelfiver
      @spacechannelfiver Рік тому +5

      scone is the apocryphal example

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +5

      @@spacechannelfiver
      So, how would you pronounce the Stone Of Scone?
      That Scottish stone the regent sits above as they are crowned?

    • @pjdunnit6753
      @pjdunnit6753 Рік тому

      Stone of Scone? You mean that stone that Scottish nationalists broke, rendering any British monarchs' title illegitimate?

  • @MattMcQueen1
    @MattMcQueen1 Рік тому +210

    In the UK, cilantro is pronounced "coriander".

    • @sharonmartin4036
      @sharonmartin4036 Рік тому +46

      lol. It is CALLED coriander. Like we have turnips or swedes, and they have rutabagas. We have marrows or courgettes and they have zucchini.

    • @StormhavenGaming
      @StormhavenGaming Рік тому +22

      And Aluminum is pronounced "Tin".

    • @deja-view1017
      @deja-view1017 Рік тому +15

      ​@@StormhavenGamingsacrilege! 😮 Cornish and Devon tin has been one of our greatest exports for thousands of years! There aren't any bauxite (aluminium) mines in the UK

    • @StormhavenGaming
      @StormhavenGaming Рік тому +14

      @@deja-view1017 No disrespect intended to the hard-working Cornish tin miners (some disrespect to the Devonians though, simply for being from Devon). It was merely a joke based on the American habit of using Aluminum Can or Aluminum Foil, when everybody knows it should be Tin Can and Tin Foil.

    • @sharonmartin4036
      @sharonmartin4036 Рік тому +2

      @@Ollybus Oh I know. Hence the 'lol' in my response.

  • @joeasher2876
    @joeasher2876 Рік тому +211

    Aluminium was proposed as an element by Humphrey Davy in his 1812 book "chemical philosophy" and was refined to a pure metal by a Dane in the 1830s. Davy named it and called it aluminium on every page except one that was clearly an error. The British press read the book and reported the correct name. The US press took a single quote which happened to be from the erroneous page and called it aluminum. Aluminum didn't even make sense, as metals discovered after the Roman period are suffixed "ium" to denote metal. Americans have made an error and embedded it into their language... Same as they did with phrases like "should of" instead of "should've" which is a contraction of "should have".

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +12

      The UK used the aluminum pronunciation first, then changed it. The original pronunciation is the version the USA uses now.

    • @DH.2016
      @DH.2016 Рік тому +7

      I don't know about Americans but certainly a lot of British people have been mis-hearing "should've" and incorrectly write "should of" also (perhaps that should be classed as an "eggcorn" ? I don't know).

    • @awmperry
      @awmperry Рік тому +19

      ​@@DH.2016No, "should have" is correct and is what "should've" is a contraction of. "Should of" is the common but incorrect version.

    • @sillysciben8092
      @sillysciben8092 Рік тому +5

      this is also the story i have heard of how the confusion began, a simple typo that caught on stateside.

    • @stuartfaulds1580
      @stuartfaulds1580 Рік тому +2

      @@Mark-Haddow From what i'd heard Humphrey first used Aluminium, then Aluminum and then again went back to Aluminium.

  • @rayjones2150
    @rayjones2150 Рік тому +12

    😊potasium, sodium, zirconium, uranium, calcium, duterium, plutonium, titanium and aluminium are metalic elements.

  • @MrBulky992
    @MrBulky992 Рік тому +37

    No one on the UK (or anywhere?) says "po-tah-to" except in the song.

    • @TarfuLuke
      @TarfuLuke 8 місяців тому

      They definitely do.

    • @MrBulky992
      @MrBulky992 8 місяців тому +7

      ​​​@@TarfuLukeI am in my 70th year and can tell you categorically from my many years of "lived experience" that no native speaker of British English would ever say "po-tah-to" and none ever has. No English dictionary would cite it as an acceptable pronunciation for the word.
      Where are you getting your information to the contrary?

    • @TarfuLuke
      @TarfuLuke 8 місяців тому +4

      @@MrBulky992 For some reason I read po-tah-to out loud as as po-tay-to I don't know why. Yeah you are very much correct. Po-tah-to is wrong in every sense of the word. I'm from Manchester.

    • @B-A-L
      @B-A-L 3 місяці тому

      Of all the words Americans pronounce incorrectly all they could come up with in that song was tomato, potato and pyjama!

    • @MrBulky992
      @MrBulky992 3 місяці тому

      ​@@B-A-L Shame on Ira Gershwin for missing so many more!

  • @davidmckie7128
    @davidmckie7128 Рік тому +70

    Caramel - In the Uk we say Car-a-mel whilst in the US you say Car-mel seemingly ignoring the a in the middle.

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +7

      Depends on the region and who you ask...we say it both ways in the US.

    • @davidmellish3295
      @davidmellish3295 Рік тому +10

      ​@@reactingtomyrootsyeah BUT WHY would you say it car mel ,when there is clearly an A in the middle. It only has one correct pronunciation, car A mel .

    • @GRAHAM2109
      @GRAHAM2109 Рік тому

      I say Bald the same as you guys do

    • @camriley
      @camriley Рік тому

      ​@@davidmellish3295 do you know of the 'schwa' sound in English? In case you don't, It's where certain vowel sounds are not really pronounced e.g. November pronounced as Novem- buh ( this , the 'er', is not applicable where pronunciation is rhotic such as in Scotland) or caramel said as car-uh-muhl (2nd 'a' and the 'e' aren't fully pronounced)etc. It's a more relaxed pronunciation of vowels in certain cases ( tongue drops back) . Very common. The car-mel is the result of the a vowel , which wasn't fully pronounced (schwa) anyway, becoming barely audible. A natural development with certain accents, perhaps.

    • @Thurgosh_OG
      @Thurgosh_OG Рік тому +6

      @@camriley Middle aged Highlander here and I've never heard a fellow Scot say it as 'Novembruh', always as 'November', so I don't know where your idea came from but it is not correct.

  • @DH.2016
    @DH.2016 Рік тому +81

    One that puzzles me is the modern American trend of pronouncing the word "route" in the same way as "rout" (i.e., 'rowt'). A "rout" ('rowt') is what happens when soldiers flee in a disorganised panic. I've heard "route" being correctly pronounced as 'root' in old American newsreels (as in the French word for road, "La route"). Plus, whatever happened to the lyrics in Chuck Berry's song, "Get your kicks on Route 66" where "route" is pronounced 'root' there? Modern Americans, please explain. 😄

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +6

      Just depends on the region you're from in the US and what you grew up hearing... :)

    • @stufour
      @stufour Рік тому +4

      Australia also use the “rowt” pronunciation.

    • @sallyannwheeler6327
      @sallyannwheeler6327 Рік тому +4

      I just find it amusing! 😁Who’s to say who’s right or wrong! The only word that Americans use that I can’t bear,is “asked”They always pronounce as “axed”😬😂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿❤️🌎🇺🇸

    • @Thurgosh_OG
      @Thurgosh_OG Рік тому +3

      @@sallyannwheeler6327 I haven't notice that way of saying 'asked' by US Americans but I have noticed it a lot from those who originate from the West Indies.

    • @brentwoodbay
      @brentwoodbay Рік тому

      @@sallyannwheeler6327 That is only said by Black Americans, some Hispanic and also some poorly educated, gang wannabees!

  • @jonntischnabel
    @jonntischnabel Рік тому +92

    Here's another list for you:
    You say "creg" for Craig
    "Squirl" for squirrel
    "Meeer" for mirror
    "Laboratory" has the stresses all wrong, as does "library"
    And for some reason, you say Carmel instead of caramel. 😂❤ One thing that also needs to be mentioned, is "toob" for tube, "toosday" for Tuesday "noo" new, "doody" duty etc, yet you actually pronounce the "u" correctly in "music", why don't you say "moosic"?

    • @skeovkp48598
      @skeovkp48598 Рік тому +17

      The 'squirl' for 'squirrel' always makes me laugh for some reason.

    • @Hen71557
      @Hen71557 Рік тому +9

      I thought ‘cregslist’ was an entirely different thing until I realised it was just pronunciation. Squirl is quite amusing but carmel is a no. Where has that ‘a’ got to..?!

    • @DetectiveDeuche
      @DetectiveDeuche Рік тому +4

      all of those make me giggle the moosic thing is so true why do americans say music correctly but not any of the others

    • @elemar5
      @elemar5 Рік тому +10

      Gram for Graham. Mobil for mobile. Semeye for semi. Neesan for Nissan. Turban for turbine, the list goes on.

    • @Yandarval
      @Yandarval Рік тому +6

      Don't forget Graham Crackers being pronounced Gram Crackers.

  • @AJComputerServicesUK
    @AJComputerServicesUK Рік тому +7

    I’m surprised that “Premier” wasn’t in that list? Much Love & hope little’un feels better soon!🇬🇧

  • @clairefalvey6813
    @clairefalvey6813 Рік тому +2

    To me when you say "ball" it sounds like "Boll" which is what he was trying to say. So Bald with an american accent does sound very similar to the UK style to Bowled.

  • @michellecollins290
    @michellecollins290 Рік тому +144

    English technically came from England 😂that’s like saying Spanish technically came from Spain. You guys.

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +2

      *Spanish is an English word. *Española or español
      English wasn't created in the British Isles, it arrived in the British Isles, with different names for the language having different "names" depending on which country you're in.

    • @chucky2316
      @chucky2316 Рік тому

      When we settled America Mark it would have been english as it is today so suck it up snp boy

    • @hardywatkins7737
      @hardywatkins7737 Рік тому +25

      @@Mark-Haddow The English language developed in England.

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +2

      @@hardywatkins7737
      No, it didn't
      The germanic language used in the British Isles developed throughout the regions, not just "England." It has been used in the older nation, Scotland, as long as it has in the regions now called England. Mostly because it arrived there before England was created. Scots is a variation of the Germanic language, the vikings, saxons, normans etc introduced

    • @mistakenot...4012
      @mistakenot...4012 Рік тому +15

      @@Mark-Haddow You said above it wasn't created in the British Isles, and now you're saying it was developed in the 'regions', not England.

  • @22Jeffers
    @22Jeffers Рік тому +29

    Americans use the word “nothing” incorrectly which creates a double negative, which equates to a positive statement.
    E.g. American: “You haven’t given me ‘nothing’”.
    British: “You haven’t given me ‘anything’”.
    To say “you haven’t given me nothing”, means you have in fact given them something.

    • @strawberrydialectics
      @strawberrydialectics Рік тому +8

      umm yeah ive never said this and dont encounter it much but thats just my experience. we're taught about double negatives in school. speaking "incorrectly" or "improperly" isnt exclusive to americans

    • @CrazyInWeston
      @CrazyInWeston Рік тому +14

      There is also 'I could care less' for when they mean couldn't. Saying could care means that they did care about it.

    • @ScratchySlide
      @ScratchySlide Рік тому +2

      ​@@CrazyInWestonYou beat me to it!! 🤣

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +2

      Some do, I suppose. We don't.

    • @hellsbells8689
      @hellsbells8689 Рік тому +2

      @@CrazyInWeston This is the one that makes me shudder. If you "could care less" about something: you must care about it for there being a quantity that could be decreased!
      Just say it like we do in the East Midlands, England. "I cvnt care less" it really is that simple.

  • @thelastpilot4582
    @thelastpilot4582 Рік тому +129

    The trouble is, this is a Mojo video and they nearly always get it wrong.

    • @markparker5585
      @markparker5585 Рік тому +3

      @lifesbutastumbleI guess getting it right would take some effort.

    • @martindunstan8043
      @martindunstan8043 Рік тому +15

      I swear these mojo videos are made to wind peoe up as opposed to educate and inform 🤣

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому

    • @sopcannon
      @sopcannon Рік тому

      Devonshire here and I was taught scon.@@stevey5151

    • @claireengland897
      @claireengland897 Рік тому

      i live in hampshire and we've always said it like 'gone'. they were wrong on 'garage' as well. we all say 'garridge' in the south. @@stevey5151

  • @AJS86
    @AJS86 3 місяці тому +1

    My fave is Buoy the kinda floating water thing.

  • @John-Incatrekker
    @John-Incatrekker 3 місяці тому +1

    I'm going back 60+ years, but I was taught that the vowel 'e' at the end of a word changes the pronuciation of the previous vowel - EG 'past' and 'paste'. We were taught English pronunciation!

  • @matty007
    @matty007 Рік тому +19

    I've noticed on American cooking shows they say herb like Erb and in Britain we pronounce the her in herb. And lever vs American sounds like leather.

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +2

      Don't tell the Erbivores.

    • @ScratchySlide
      @ScratchySlide Рік тому +1

      Unless you come from Northern England where H's don't exist in our pronunciation.....

    • @MrBulky992
      @MrBulky992 Рік тому

      ​@@ScratchySlideIn parts of northern England but not all.

    • @ScratchySlide
      @ScratchySlide Рік тому

      @@MrBulky992 Yes, there are some exceptions. But we never mention them...🤣

    • @marydavis5234
      @marydavis5234 9 місяців тому

      Herb is French is origin .

  • @emeraldstandardconsultancy5959
    @emeraldstandardconsultancy5959 Рік тому +72

    i love how much it pains americans to say english came from england

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +1

      It doesn't come from England. It has different names depending on where in the British Isles you come from. Or do you think England (founded after Scotland) created a unique language and everyone else adopted that. 🤭

    • @101steel4
      @101steel4 Рік тому +5

      Many of them don't even know, they think it's their language 😂

    • @claregale9011
      @claregale9011 Рік тому +2

      The English language we know today ( with some differences ) pretty much came about between 14th _ 16th century before that you would unlikely be able to understand what they were saying .

    • @rayaqueen9657
      @rayaqueen9657 8 місяців тому +7

      ​​@@Mark-Haddow Err that's precisely what happened. English overwhelmed the indigenous languages of the other four countries and Cornwall almost, or actually, to extinction.

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow 8 місяців тому +2

      @@rayaqueen9657
      Nobody speaks English in Scotland. We speak Scots. Also, Scots Gaelic...

  • @juliecowen3641
    @juliecowen3641 Рік тому +16

    A Tobogan is a kids sledge in the uk for playing in the snow , i think ive heard us people say they go tubeing ,we say sledging.

    • @erickamorillo7164
      @erickamorillo7164 Рік тому +3

      We also say toboganning

    • @sharonmartin4036
      @sharonmartin4036 Рік тому +1

      The hat is called a toboggan (two g's) and is a woollen cloche-like hat, whereas a beanie can be made of any material.

    • @billyhills9933
      @billyhills9933 Рік тому +1

      Sledging can also mean abusive comments made tot a batsman when playing cricket, for some reason.

    • @sharonmartin4036
      @sharonmartin4036 Рік тому

      Don't we say "sledding"? I've not heard many people say sledging to be honest. Also, I am used to calling the item a sled, not a sledge. I suppose it changes with the area one comes from.

    • @juliecowen3641
      @juliecowen3641 Рік тому

      @@sharonmartin4036 well they say it where i come from

  • @davidberesford7009
    @davidberesford7009 Рік тому +1

    I like hearing you start by saying Proberly when the word is Probably. So that's 9 more required.

  • @MrBulky992
    @MrBulky992 Рік тому +28

    In the UK, we say "vital" to rhyme with the word "title" and "vitality" to same way. Well done, Steve's wife, for spotting the inconsistency in the UK with the word "vitamin"!

    • @fordcorsair
      @fordcorsair Рік тому +3

      Yes, but vittles are vital - imagine pronouncing those two words the same....

    • @MrBulky992
      @MrBulky992 Рік тому +3

      ​@@fordcorsair That's a word not much used these days in the UK unless you're going on an expedition to the Antarctic. It's spelt "victuals" here (I hope it is on the States too). We more often use the word "victualler", almost exclusively in the phrase "licensed victualler", the official title of one who is licensed by the local authority to sell alcoholic drinks (intoxicating liquor). The landlord of a pub would be one such.
      The spelling betrays the fact that the word has different roots from "vitamin" but I think you knew that already and are pulling my leg!
      Much happiness in the new year to you and your family!😊

    • @tattycakes2k2
      @tattycakes2k2 10 місяців тому +3

      Yes don’t be fooled into thinking there is any consistency in the way English stuff is pronounced 😂 it’s a mishmash of a variety of language influences!

    • @jomc20
      @jomc20 8 місяців тому +3

      I've never heard an English person say 'vYtamin' - its always "Vit-a-min" ( note: with a 'T' not a 'D'!

    • @MrBulky992
      @MrBulky992 8 місяців тому +1

      ​@@jomc20It's rare but not unknown. As a British person, I have always said "vitt-amin" and not "vyte-amin": it's less effort to say, for one thing (no diphthong, shorter vowel) but it is inconsistent with every other word I can think of in English which derives directly from latin "vita" meaning "life".
      It is consistent with some words deriving from latin "vivo" (I live) such as "vivify" and "vivisection", but not others e.g. "revive", "survival".

  • @Kerazzy.
    @Kerazzy. Рік тому +30

    Lovely to see your wife again. Love seeing how Lindsey's confidence is growing in front of the camera.
    Just about to put my Christmas tree up when I finish watching your video. Have a great week ❤

    • @kdog4587
      @kdog4587 Рік тому +5

      ​@@charlesjames799what a rude, weird reply to someone you don't know? I've had mine up for 2 weeks now, you get it girl!! Have a great time putting it up :) ignore this negative buffoon

    • @Kerazzy.
      @Kerazzy. Рік тому +5

      @@charlesjames799 Bah Humbug to you too. We've had a really hard year and my kids could do with a bit of sparkle. We can't put it up at the weekend due to commitments... not that I owe you an explanation. It doesn't cost anything to be kind and respectful to others.

    • @Kerazzy.
      @Kerazzy. Рік тому +4

      @@kdog4587 Thank you 🙂 Some people just get a kick out of being nasty. Maybe they need a hug.

    • @jettser17UK
      @jettser17UK Рік тому +1

      ​@@kdog4587 Exactly so, I've had mines up for two weeks now too, my first for November so why not! Funnily a Xmas movie came on TV at random shortly after I've sprung it up lol! 🎄

    • @jettser17UK
      @jettser17UK Рік тому

      ​@@kdog4587...p.s I'm unusually away right after Christmas Day for a whole week so it works out best having a festive cheer just a little earlier.

  • @patriciakeiller955
    @patriciakeiller955 Рік тому +12

    Route is another word that’s pronounced differently in the U.K. Here in the U.K. we pronunce it like the word ‘root’ whereas in the U.S. it sounds more like ‘rowt.’ I always notice this word when it’s used in American films or TV shows because it sounds so different to how we pronounce it here.

    • @MrVisualHigh
      @MrVisualHigh Рік тому +4

      Except with Route 66 for some reason, even Americans seem to pronounce it the British way in this case.

    • @MrJoegurung
      @MrJoegurung Рік тому +2

      'Route' was definitely on my list - why is it pronounced 'rout'! Are they routing the enemy or the rodents!? Please add this to the American dictionary... Eye-Raq versus E-Raq (IRAQ)! Hai-maas instead of Hamas! 😅😁

    • @ianmacfarlane1241
      @ianmacfarlane1241 Рік тому +1

      While that's true, the woodworking tool, the "router" is the same as the American pronunciation.
      Yet the thing that sends our WiFi around the house, the "router" is pronounced the English way.
      What a crazy language.

  • @daveofyorkshire301
    @daveofyorkshire301 Рік тому +31

    In the UK we used S instead of Z in almost all cases.
    Randomised, customise, advise, disguise, supervise, revise, televise, franchise, exercise, clockwise...

    • @user-gx9xr4mw7e
      @user-gx9xr4mw7e Рік тому +3

      Laser

    • @martinwebb1681
      @martinwebb1681 Рік тому +3

      Westernised.

    • @strawberrydialectics
      @strawberrydialectics Рік тому

      half of these dont have a Z spelling in the US either^

    • @daveofyorkshire301
      @daveofyorkshire301 Рік тому +2

      @@strawberrydialectics Well, I'm not American so I wouldn't know...

    • @kosigan1948
      @kosigan1948 Рік тому +4

      ​@@user-gx9xr4mw7eSpelling "laser" with a Z would be plain wrong, as it's an acronym - Light Amplification by the Stimulation of Emitted Radiation.

  • @secondtimearound2539
    @secondtimearound2539 Рік тому +3

    Thanks for the video both, enjoyable as always and I love your enthusiasm for the UK 🍅

  • @ezzy600
    @ezzy600 Рік тому +1

    Vital and vitality is said as you say it. Vittels is an old english word for food. We also say Caribbean differently to you putting the emphasis on 'be' rather than the 'rib'

    • @catgladwell5684
      @catgladwell5684 6 місяців тому

      Younger people seem to use the American pronunciation. Same with aristocrat, which for me will always have the emphasis on the first syllable but for a lot of younger people is on the second.

  • @tacitdionysus3220
    @tacitdionysus3220 Рік тому +62

    Aluminium is spelt and pronounced that way in all except American/CanadianEnglish. About 30 elements end in 'ium', whereas only a couple end in 'um'. It was the British that named it (originally as "Alumium", then changed to Aluminium). Americans got it wrong. - The one which annoys me the most though is 'buoy', pronounced like 'boy' but with a longer and rounder vowel sound in all but the USA. How Americans got "boo-ey" out of that is a a mystery, especially as they pronounce derivative words like 'buoyant' and 'buoyancy' like the British. - And don't get me started on 'ass' vs 'arse'.

    • @CatholicSatan
      @CatholicSatan Рік тому +7

      Have to agree about _buoy,_ it's a Spanish derived word from _boyar,_ - to float.

    • @stevebagnall1553
      @stevebagnall1553 Рік тому +1

      Especially as a major historical figure was Jim Bowie who the late David Bowie had as his rebel hero hence taking his name.

    • @martindunstan8043
      @martindunstan8043 Рік тому +5

      🤣🤣You sound as angry as me when it comes to 'American English' which is an oxymoron as far as I'm concerned, perhaps we should pity them and allow the annoyances as they don't have a language of their own 🤣👍

    • @johnmc128
      @johnmc128 Рік тому

      Lol good one it's def arse or should be, didnt jesus ride on an ass easter sunday in the bible , some thing like that I'm not that good on the bible but there's a big difference riding an ass or an arse. Ass has always been a type of donkey or mule.

    • @richdiddens4059
      @richdiddens4059 Рік тому +2

      No, it was a Dane who first named it Alumium then changed it a few times before settling on Aluminum. It was a British council that renamed it Aluminium. Americans and Canadians adopted the Danish discoverer's term while the Brits changed it to fit their sensibilities. Both are considered correct.

  • @lincliff663
    @lincliff663 Рік тому +4

    You're right about the different accents we have here in the UK. Taking a selection from my neighbourhood there are 6 different accents from the same number of houses close by. RP (Received Pronounciation), Cockney, Estuary English, Welsh, Irish, West Indian Patois. That's London for you. They say that you only have to go a few miles until you hear a completely different accent & even London accents differ from each other.

  • @GSD-hd1yh
    @GSD-hd1yh Рік тому +16

    A lot of the variations between English and American English occurred partly as a result of the invention of the telegraph system and partly as a way of the USA showing cultural independence from its mother country.
    The original telecommunications companies used to charge per letter for messages sent, so the practice grew up of missing out letters to make it cheaper. When Webster created his dictionary these changes became the norm in the USA even though in the UK the correct spellings continued to be used. So aluminium dropped a U, as did words like colour, honour, mould and so on. English words like anaemic lost the A, and many words that had a double letter lost one ( cancelled, jeweller etc), words ending in -ogue such as analogue lost the UE to become analog.
    Funnily enough, one of the most mangled UK words is "burgled" with Americans using "burglarized".

    • @nilocnolnah6788
      @nilocnolnah6788 Рік тому

      The first time I heard an American speak I thought everyone in America was a butcher.

    • @captvimes
      @captvimes Рік тому

      Aluminium was a scientist argument between the US and Europe as to what name to use noting to do with that

    • @Thurgosh_OG
      @Thurgosh_OG Рік тому

      @@captvimes No, it wasn't between the US and Europe, as the discoverer himself was British and wanted it to be known as Aluminum but other scientists from both Britain and countries within and without Europe wanted it to be spelt Aluminium, to fall into line with an existing group of metals. There was no 'US argument' here.

    • @captvimes
      @captvimes Рік тому

      @@Thurgosh_OG Yes it was only one page of Davvys document had it spelt that way Webster basically went against Europe with the whole dictionary fallout any excuse to spell a word differently the scientists including US went with the british spelling originally

    • @captvimes
      @captvimes Рік тому

      @@Thurgosh_OG to add it was a typo on one page which a newspaper repeated that webster went with for some reason

  • @sachaclulow9288
    @sachaclulow9288 Рік тому

    Route and vehicle always gets me you seem to add in letters lol

  • @littlebum2009
    @littlebum2009 Рік тому +1

    In Ireland, it's spelt and pronounced Aluminium with 2 i's. And that's what's written on the box when you get buy it in the supermarket....Aluminium Foil. But we all call it "Tin Foil" in Ireland.

  • @bill-wd7zs
    @bill-wd7zs Рік тому +6

    I live in the West Midlands England and find it amusing that I can understand you two much easier than I can understand people who live only a few hundred miles north of here. I mean the American pronunciation of tomato for instance is easy to follow and is obvious. When the word changes completely its more tricky and needs to be learnt.

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +1

      That is very interesting! :)

    • @bobanob1967
      @bobanob1967 Рік тому +1

      As a Londoner I once had to ring up a farmer in Norfolk. He was an old-timer and spoke real old Norfolk accent. Three times I said "sorry can you say that again, I didn't quite catch it." To this day I still don't have a clue what he said!

    • @annlander
      @annlander Рік тому +2

      As you live in the West Mids, you may know that Cannock is less than 10 miles from Stafford but the difference in the accent is huge!

    • @fordcorsair
      @fordcorsair Рік тому +3

      Was once invited to a fancy dress party in Birmingham and the host told me over the phone that the theme was Spice - I was the only one who turned up dressed as an astronaut....

    • @JayneDragon
      @JayneDragon 7 місяців тому +1

      Yeah I'm I'm from the West Midlands too and Southern US uses so many of our sayings and pronunciations

  • @Sloal
    @Sloal Рік тому +9

    The word that always gets me is Oregano. You say O-rag-en-oh. We say O-ree-gah-no

    • @DebraElias-uc6yz
      @DebraElias-uc6yz Рік тому +4

      I am a Brit and I say
      O rig gano not O ree gano.

    • @martinwebb1681
      @martinwebb1681 Рік тому +2

      @@DebraElias-uc6yz ... I'm also a Brit and I say O-ree-gah-no.

    • @lukespooky
      @lukespooky Рік тому

      reh gano not ree gano

  • @AP-Reacts
    @AP-Reacts Рік тому +13

    In northern england we say Spuds instead of patatoes 😊

    • @jmillar71110
      @jmillar71110 Рік тому +2

      Totties in Fife, Scotland. Tatties elsewhere😂

    • @freethinker--
      @freethinker-- Рік тому +3

      In East Anglia we also say Spuds.

    • @Forhergian
      @Forhergian 8 місяців тому

      i mean down south i hear spuds too

    • @JohnDoe-ez2ex
      @JohnDoe-ez2ex 6 місяців тому

      My girlfriend stuffed her mouth with spud😂.... No, no that just sounds wrong. 😂

  • @kemipue
    @kemipue Рік тому +1

    I always find it funny how Americans pronounce compost with 2x different o sounds.

  • @sooskevington6144
    @sooskevington6144 Рік тому +2

    It's nice to see both of you in your video again. I can thoroughly empathise with Lindsey'slove love of words and their etymology.
    I do hope your little girl, Sophia is well again very soon

  • @BillySugger1965
    @BillySugger1965 Рік тому +45

    Nice video guys, I am always amused by our different uses of the language. Many Americanisms used to be common in the UK, centuries ago. But your use of the French pronunciations of _herb_ and _fillet_ still crack me up. Speak English, dammit 😂!

    • @jenniferfox301
      @jenniferfox301 Рік тому +3

      Yes, when most of their English is influenced by Spanish from Mexico, why are they hanging onto French pronunciations? That's our prerogative 😂. What annoys me is when they come up against a word containing a prefix, usually, which has the same few letters and don't do what we do. If it comes to us from a different language it is going to be pronounced differently, probably e.g. "schedule". Every other word in English is said with a "sk" sound, like scheme (skeem) but schedule is shedyule. It is my most hated difference of pronunciation.
      Friend is pronounced frend, so why is leisure pronounced leezure? If it followed a rule is should be lizure; also ceiling which is sealing comes from French "ciel" meaning sky. I could go on but I'd be here all night 😂. ❤ from UK 🇬🇧

    • @aodhanmonaghan1268
      @aodhanmonaghan1268 Рік тому +1

      @jenniferfox301 why would an ie word and an ei word need to rhyme?

    • @jenniferfox301
      @jenniferfox301 Рік тому

      @@aodhanmonaghan1268 they don't rhyme, but probably their roots come from different languages which pronounce combinations of letters differently than others. As many times England/Britain invaded other countries we were invaded many times by our closest neighbours hence the English language contains many contradictory "rules" for pronunciation, being derived from many other languages.

    • @aodhanmonaghan1268
      @aodhanmonaghan1268 Рік тому +1

      @jenniferfox301
      ceiling is from the Latin celo (keh-loh) meaning "to hide", as a ceiling hides the roof. Celo is the same origin of conceal. Middle English had celing pronounced like say-leeng and meant wooden panels to cover the walls (and the roof).
      Leisure is from Latin licet (lee-ket) meaning "to be allowed", via the intermediary Old French loisir (lwah-zeer) meaning "permission, respite, free time". Middle English leisir was pronounced like lie-seer. Not the modern leh-zhur.
      Friend is from the Old English frēond and was pronounced like freh-ond. Middle English frend was pronounced as frend. Just like the modern word that has an unnecessary i added in.
      The language has gone through a number of vowel shifts over the centuries, each covering most but not all of the dialects on the island.
      I'm confused why you think 2 graphemes, i.e. two clusters of letters that are spelt differently, would rhyme/be homophones. It's far more understandable to think the same grapheme would rhyme in instances it doesn't, like friend and science (again, the late addition of the letter i to frend is helping nobody).
      The Americans use French pronunciations for a lot of words because they more often than not came from England or its conquered lands, and the English were using French pronunciations. After all, from 1066 to the 1400s, the Kingdom of England was ruled by nobles in what's now France who merely saw England as an overseas territory. It's only after the conclusion of the Hundred Years War when most continental lands are lost that the monarchs start to see England as their primary land, and shift from using French to English as the language of governance within England.
      This is why we say literature instead of bookcraft, amorous instead of lovesome, port instead of haven, dictionary instead of wordbook, and cause instead of ground/sake (we do still say on what grounds, but most other usage has been replaced).
      As for schedule, both pronunciations are as right and wrong as each other. For most of English history, the word was pronounced sejuul or sedyuul. Until the 1700s it referred to a piece of paper. It's from the Old French cedule pronounced sedyuul. In turn it's from the Latin scheda pronounced skeda, which is in turn from Ancient Greek skhédē which is pronounced with a combination of S and the CH of Loch. The current shedyuul and skedyuul pronunciations are pretty new and both influenced by the spelling and the etymology. It's why you pronounce Greek ch words with a k today, like chiropractor and psyche, even when we often had an intermediate time of pronouncing those as ch.
      This is why the Americans still retain the Middle English fall, as Britain changed from using harvest to fall and later to autumn, the colonists just kept using fall and didn't make subsequent change to autumn as much. A lot of so-called Americanisms are actually features of Old English and Middle English that the UK has moved away from but other parts of the former empire retained.

    • @timarmstrong3251
      @timarmstrong3251 Рік тому +3

      @@jenniferfox301 Don't get me started on 'quinoa'

  • @RETR0JOE
    @RETR0JOE Рік тому +9

    I can 100% confirm we in the UK say Bald with an A (like Balled)...wtf is Mojo taking about?

    • @thesushifiend
      @thesushifiend Рік тому +4

      The quality of the a in bald is subtly different... In England it's BAWld whereas in the U.S. it's BAHld

  • @maxmoore9955
    @maxmoore9955 Рік тому +50

    American is officially known as simplified English.

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому

      Good to know!

    • @keit99
      @keit99 Рік тому

      So like Chinese? English (Traditional) and english(simplified)? And what about your Former prisoner colony?

    • @maxmoore9955
      @maxmoore9955 Рік тому

      @keit99 Which one .we had to send the thieving Little Bastards all over the World.

    • @Jay-Leigh
      @Jay-Leigh Рік тому

      @@keit99🫣

    • @marydavis5234
      @marydavis5234 9 місяців тому +1

      American is NOT a language.

  • @chrisdbris
    @chrisdbris 8 місяців тому +3

    You mention the variation across Britain. I live in the City of Bristol and there are so many differences in the city alone that is possible to guess what district they are from.

  • @PatrickCresswell
    @PatrickCresswell Рік тому +1

    in the UK we say "Yorkshire" as "York Sher" or Lancashire as Lanca sher"

  • @zenithtb
    @zenithtb Рік тому +7

    Interested to see a video about why many Americans replace 'T's in words with a 'D' when they say the word. And adding random 'Y's ("And" becoming "Aynd" for example).

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +1

      I'm sure it's just a regional accent thing, depending on where you grew up.

    • @captvimes
      @captvimes Рік тому

      T and D is interchangable in many languages over time for instance Deutschland in some old texts is spelt Teutschland. Same for Tag and Dag (day) Danke Thanks. A lot of Americans originate from german and low german countries too. Then it starts to make sense. Its speaking english with an accent in a way, same as how a lot of our regional accents originated.

  • @jakeoliver9167
    @jakeoliver9167 Рік тому +13

    Vase is pronounced with a z in the same way basil is pronounced with a z. S makes that sound in many words.

    • @mrfill9999
      @mrfill9999 Рік тому +4

      Its not the S that changes, it is the A. In the two cases you cite, it is said with a short vowel sound in English (var-se, ba-sil) as in the word ham, but with a long vowel in American (vay-se, bay-sil).

    • @Phiyedough
      @Phiyedough Рік тому +6

      Yes, that was nonsense about Americans pronouncing words as they are written. Solder is a typical word they pronounce differently to the spelling.

    • @mrfill9999
      @mrfill9999 Рік тому

      @@Ollybus 'a' as in ham or 'a' as in way?

    • @auldfouter8661
      @auldfouter8661 Рік тому

      @@mrfill9999 There's no R in vase though. Why English people insert Rs where there are none ( draw-ring ! ) and mostly miss them out elsewhere ( doctor , harm ) defeats me.

    • @MrVisualHigh
      @MrVisualHigh Рік тому

      @@auldfouter8661 No one pronounces drawing with an R in it, what are you talking about? As for the dropping of R, most English accents are non-rhotic, like the American Boston accent. As for Vase, we got it from the French so we pronounce it closer to their word for it, simple as that.

  • @ollwynaspinall1991
    @ollwynaspinall1991 Рік тому +3

    Hope Sophia feels better soon 🤧 poor girl bless her 🤗 sending a hug to her from across the pond 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🦄✨🦄✨🦄

  • @davidbrooks2375
    @davidbrooks2375 Рік тому +1

    pee-can nut vs P'kaaaaahn nut always surprises me

  • @laurelward2297
    @laurelward2297 10 місяців тому +1

    Yep it sounds like you're saying bold when you're saying bald. 😂

  • @christinepreston8642
    @christinepreston8642 Рік тому +3

    As someone who used to visit the US a lot for work, it amazed me how often I wasn't understood. I'm English, so its my first language, and I don't have a strong regional accent! So, tomato could genuinely not be understood, even in context, and they weren't even being awkward!!
    Add to the list of differences, semi, US sem-eye vs UK sem-ee. Iran (and Iraq), US eye-ran, UK ee-rahn.

    • @lesliedavis2185
      @lesliedavis2185 Рік тому +1

      Had the same problem here. Kiwi living in Oz, sigh.

  • @TheWoodlandhoBo
    @TheWoodlandhoBo Рік тому +3

    Even in England we pronounce words differently from one side of the country to the other. In the east of England we pronounce castle as “carsel” where as in the north they say “caasel”. There are a lot more words we pronounce differently here to other brits.

  • @steveheywood9428
    @steveheywood9428 Рік тому +19

    To add to the pot, there's Uranium, Radium , Rubidium, osmium , plutonium all with IUM endings just like Aluminium.

  • @SteveP-x6o
    @SteveP-x6o 5 місяців тому +2

    Hi Steve and Lindsay, I'm a wee bit late. I think one difference of our languages is that , as you said, when you became independent our words went different ways. We pronounce ' Lieutenant ' as Lewtenant because we took it from the French language. When the word later entered American English it is pronounced differently. The same for ' Ballet ', pronounced ' Ballay '. Two words missed are ' Caribbean' . English is ' Cari beun ' American is ' Car ribeaun ' with 2 'r' . The home of the Carib people. Then we 'rout' and 'route'. English 'rout' is a verb . Like to 'rout' you enemy. 'Route' is a path to somewhere. In American english, the word is pronounced without an 'e'. With 'route', the 'e' is ignored by American english.

    • @SteveP-x6o
      @SteveP-x6o 5 місяців тому

      Sorry oops. We pronounce 'Lieutenant ' as 'Left tenant' because we took it the French.

  • @brucewilson4350
    @brucewilson4350 Рік тому +1

    In Scotland we say bald the way you do. I’ve never heard it pronounced the way the guy in the video did.

  • @phoebe3575
    @phoebe3575 11 місяців тому +5

    i remember in year 8 our food tech teacher going “you wouldn’t pronounce stone as ston, so it’s SCONE” and me silently thinking “yes but you wouldn’t pronounce gone as gOHn, so you may want to rethink that logic” - the way i see it, who cares how it’s pronounced as long as the message is communicated lol

    • @charlienerd
      @charlienerd 8 місяців тому +1

      Scone is also pronounced differently depending on where in uk ur from

    • @phoebe3575
      @phoebe3575 8 місяців тому

      @@charlienerd idk i think it varies person to person - i mean the whole reason there was a debate in our class was because we were split in how we pronounced it - like we all lived in the same town, but we pronounced it differently

  • @eddiehawkins7049
    @eddiehawkins7049 Рік тому +14

    The way Americans pronounce and use words doesn't (generally speaking) bother me, but it does bother me when British people use American pronunciation or variants. Lever and leverage, privacy, oriented instead of orientated and many other things.
    Btw, I do object to the term British English. The French speak French, the Portuguese speak Portuguese, the Spanish speak Spanish. I'm English and I speak English.

    • @deannamcmurtrey5794
      @deannamcmurtrey5794 Рік тому

      Right, but you're missing the context that all 3 of the countries you named also exported their language through colonization, and your languages have continued to evolve in your prior colonies. British English is a phrase intended to differentiate it from American English, Jamaican English, Australian English, etcetera.

    • @eddiehawkins7049
      @eddiehawkins7049 5 місяців тому

      @@deannamcmurtrey5794 So there is English, American English, Jamaican English, Australian English, etcetera.

    • @deannamcmurtrey5794
      @deannamcmurtrey5794 5 місяців тому

      @@eddiehawkins7049 I'm sorry but y'all don't control the world anymore my dude. You speak British English, according to the other 400 million people who speak English as their first language across the planet.

  • @jamesleate
    @jamesleate Рік тому +17

    In the UK we barely use the letter "z" at all. All "z" sounds are generally spelt with an "s".
    All of our "ize" ending words are spelled "ise".

    • @572Btriode
      @572Btriode Рік тому +4

      There is no such thing as "American English", it all just spelling mistakes.

    • @jettser17UK
      @jettser17UK Рік тому

      Indeed the only words I know to use with "z" tend to be Brazil and Bizzare! 😄

    • @martinwebb1681
      @martinwebb1681 Рік тому

      @@jettser17UK ... Zoo, Zulu, Zesty, Bazooka, Blazer, Blizzard, Fizzy, Whizz, Zoom, Crazy. Hazy, Lozenge. .... Come on now you're just being LAZY.

    • @wyterabitt2149
      @wyterabitt2149 Рік тому

      Prize!

  • @neilgriffiths7554
    @neilgriffiths7554 Рік тому +1

    First of all, I would just like to say how much I like your channel. The one word I struggle with on how the USA pronounces is 'solder'. To me, it sounds like they are saying sod her.

  • @teddybeeandme
    @teddybeeandme 7 місяців тому +1

    Two Irishmen commented on two separate occasions : Oscar Wilde wrote: "We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language." As George Bernard Shaw said: "England and America are two countries separated by a common language"

  • @giuliamorrell4466
    @giuliamorrell4466 Рік тому +11

    Languages change over time, and it's perfectly legitimate for Americans to have changed pronunciation. But it pisses me off when Americans say we, who have been speaking English longer than you, are pronouncing it wrong.

    • @ghostparty2062
      @ghostparty2062 7 місяців тому

      Same here. We say things differently and I don't care. Its being told I'm saying it wrong that bugs me 😂

  • @PedroConejo1939
    @PedroConejo1939 Рік тому +20

    As part of teaching English, I've had to teach pronunciation to very many students and find it fascinating. Apart from trying get the sounds about right, there's no point in getting prissy about it. The first thing to remember is that you cannot take the pronunciation of a group of letters in one word to enforce the same set in another word (your 'vitamin' vs 'vital' is a good example). Consistency is a rare commodity in English. Also, there _is_ such a thing as American English. There are lots of varieties of English, including British English. Some people argue that there is only 'English', but that is incorrect, even in England.
    Fun tip: If you want to annoy a boiled frog, rhyme Farage with the BrEng way of saying 'garage'.
    With a lot of these, there are several acceptable pronunciations in British English. 'Scone' is an example of this. I say 'scon', my wife says 'skone'. There's no point in arguing about it. What is difficult is the current trend in American English to rhyme 'shone' with 'tone'.
    A lot of British people pronounce 'bald' as 'bold'. The same goes for 'salt', which can be either 'sawt' (put a faint 'l' sound in there but not everyone does that) or 'solt'. Generally, an 'l' after a single 'a' is a silent letter that serves to change the sound of the 'a'. 'Walk and 'always' are examples of this. Not everyone makes it silent though. Consistency? What's that?

    • @StormhavenGaming
      @StormhavenGaming Рік тому +4

      Agreed. English is a language with many, many varieties. I have a soft RP/"Southern Educated" accent and taught English in a working class area of Birmingham for several years. Pronunciation was always a point of discussion! Unfortunately, in the UK, pronunciation is often deeply connected to perceptions of class and education level. People often assume that I am more upper class, or richer, or smarter than I am based entirely on my accent.

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +2

      All great points! Appreciate you providing your insight :)

    • @christopherwatts1833
      @christopherwatts1833 Рік тому

      We say carridge

    • @PedroConejo1939
      @PedroConejo1939 Рік тому

      @@christopherwatts1833 Yep, rhymes with garage and Farage. 😜

    • @wyterabitt2149
      @wyterabitt2149 Рік тому

      There's a rule coming from an origin in every single one, it's just that compared to some languages we have countless examples of separate rules for the same thing across the language.
      But you can take the pronunciation of a group of letters in one word to enforce the same set in another word, just only for all examples where the same origin rule set can be applied.

  • @Loages
    @Loages Рік тому +21

    Would love to see you both react to accents in the uk it would be amazing. So many different sounds.

    • @yvonnesanders4308
      @yvonnesanders4308 Рік тому +8

      They'll need subtitles

    • @wallythewondercorncake8657
      @wallythewondercorncake8657 Рік тому +1

      He's done a video on West Country English before

    • @Loages
      @Loages Рік тому +5

      @@wallythewondercorncake8657 it’s his wife’s opinion I would like to see though as well

    • @ashleycurzon6348
      @ashleycurzon6348 Рік тому +3

      They'll definitely need subtitles listening to a Scottish person, heck even I do half the time

    • @user-gx9xr4mw7e
      @user-gx9xr4mw7e Рік тому +1

      Awe come oan we're no that difficult to unnerston

  • @DavidJohnson-rj8zu
    @DavidJohnson-rj8zu 11 місяців тому +1

    I think for me was the discussion between myself and an American Business person who spelt Night, Nite

  • @MrBulky992
    @MrBulky992 Рік тому +1

    One issue with US pronunciatuon is the dropping of the "ae" and "oe" vowel combinations from Greek-derived words in favour of just "e". This has changed the US pronunciation of some words where they now say "e" (as in "bed") instead of "ee". e.g. (o)esophagus, (o)estrogen, (a)esthete.
    Inconsistently, you say "ee" in the words "encyclop(a)edia", "p(a)ediatrics" and "h(a)emophilia".

  • @Apollyon6660
    @Apollyon6660 Рік тому +5

    I like these reactions with your wife. It's nice to get another perspective/reaction.

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +1

      Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it :)

    • @mustang-danny95
      @mustang-danny95 Рік тому

      @@reactingtomyroots I think you should do it this way on every video where she is available!!!

  • @frankdoyle9066
    @frankdoyle9066 Рік тому +16

    It is recognized that in some parts of the US American English is closer to 17th century English especially in the Appalachian mountains. Great video guys. Thanks.

    • @wyterabitt2149
      @wyterabitt2149 Рік тому +3

      lol no.
      There are some completely unconnected parts that sound close, but they sound close because they are obviously not American having being so disconnected to not sound American. So to call that American English is a level of mental gymnastics that is beyond silly. Not only that, but those areas actually sound like some accents in Britain right now - so all you are really saying is that some areas that don't really speak American English sound a bit like some areas of Britain today, and as a result even those areas are not closer.

    • @danielriley7380
      @danielriley7380 Рік тому

      😂 sure, recognised by Americans. It’s not, it couldn’t possibly be. There was no standard 17th century English for it to be “closer to”.

    • @zidane8452
      @zidane8452 11 місяців тому

      ​@@danielriley7380recognized* get rid of that reta-r-ded S

    • @zidane8452
      @zidane8452 11 місяців тому

      ​@@danielriley7380you on an American channel, spell things American

  • @Chibabe2207
    @Chibabe2207 Рік тому +16

    English isn't "close" to the origin of english language. It is the origin!

    • @GavinRegnart
      @GavinRegnart Рік тому

      I think the French, Germans, Turks, Italians, Spanish, Indians and several others may disagree with you in many cases!

    • @jane1975
      @jane1975 Рік тому +1

      @@GavinRegnartThe lingua Franca of the world is English, but the origins comes from the Germanic tribes, the Angles, Jutes and Saxons. Poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to write his works in English whereas the Kings courts at the time all spoke French, he basically stuck two fingers up at the Norman tongue being spoken since the invasion and chose to write them in English ( although it was a very different dialect of English that we have today ), we borrowed a few words from India such as Tiffin, Bungalow and Pyjamas and they are part of our language now too. Our language and spellings were altered by Webster, the American English comes from British English only with spellings and pronunciations changed by Webster because he didn’t like the French inflection within it.

  • @FinkNZRat
    @FinkNZRat Рік тому +1

    When you say ball or bald it sounds the same as UK but when you said football it did sound more like footboll to my ears.
    Also you can't see the z in vase, but you yanks often replace the s with a z we spell realise you spell it with a zed but you call zed zee.

  • @jayweb51
    @jayweb51 Рік тому +1

    I'm Australian, and l pronounce it 'vi-ta-min'; although, I have heard others say 'vit-a-min'.

  • @offal
    @offal Рік тому +16

    No it wasn`t technically it was, English is the language which originated in England, clue is in the name England, English, Anglo. this is why we are closer to it i guess. Yes there are different forms, accents, dialects all over the world, English allows this as a language and which makes it so wonderful.

    • @Mark-Haddow
      @Mark-Haddow Рік тому +1

      It did not originate in England. The language was introduced to the whole of the British Isles, with the *English referencing its use in the lower parts of the Isles. In the Northern regions it is called Scots. It was used for centuries prior to the creation of England. The Anglo-Saxons - created the language to communicate throughout Western Europe.

    • @paulthomas8262
      @paulthomas8262 Рік тому +1

      None of that has to to with modern pronunciations. Middle English and Old English were totally different. Many of the modern pronunciations (there are at least two ways to pronounce 'pronunciation'') and spellings in British English are actually newer then many American versions. Not everything, but many of the common "gripes" in British English are actual Victorian affectations and the American version was once valid including the -ize suffix.

    • @tamielizabethallaway2413
      @tamielizabethallaway2413 Рік тому

      @@paulthomas8262 well said! Many Americans speak "proper" English on account of their settler ancestors.

    • @paulthomas8262
      @paulthomas8262 Рік тому

      Webster also didn't change American English he chose form variants. Color being logical from the Latin root.

    • @tamielizabethallaway2413
      @tamielizabethallaway2413 Рік тому

      English is a Germanic language...Anglo comes from Germany. The original Germanic tribes who came here named our country after their home town....Angles. They named it Angleland...which in time became England. Angles and Saxons (from Saxony) are both German places of origin.

  • @paulhelm971
    @paulhelm971 Рік тому +4

    The one i love Americans saying is the word vehicle.

    • @AlexaFaie
      @AlexaFaie Рік тому +1

      There's so many letters in their pronunciation.

  • @burntcrumpets5616
    @burntcrumpets5616 Рік тому +3

    The one word that these comparison channels always miss & is IMO the most different sounding from either side of the pond is the pronunciation of the word "inquiry".

  • @johnlocke6506
    @johnlocke6506 Рік тому +1

    One Americanism I don't like is a culinary one. Carmelise. Carmel is a town in California and I'd love to know how they carmelise something. Caramelisation is a process where over gentle heat sugar is melted and taken to a point where it caramelises and developes a toffee like taste!

  • @nataliedunn5239
    @nataliedunn5239 Рік тому +17

    English in itself is an amalgamation of several languages from the island's long history. First, native languages from the tribes in the various areas/countries, (including the variations of Welsh and Gaelic) then there is Latin from the Romans, Norse languages from the Vikings, French from the numerous interactions with France, and even Shakespeare literally making up words that have become everyday words due to his popularity, and so on. As a result English is a very strange language comprised of many other languages and helps explain why different pronunciations happen, not just in different areas, but also why similar spelling "rules" for different words actually sound different.

    • @ed.z.
      @ed.z. Рік тому +1

      Well said.

    • @nataliedunn5239
      @nataliedunn5239 Рік тому +1

      @@ed.z. Thank you 😁

    • @helencheung2537
      @helencheung2537 Рік тому +2

      Greek's in their too.

    • @britsticher8889
      @britsticher8889 Рік тому +2

      Don't forget the odd Indian word. Eg. pajamas

    • @ed.z.
      @ed.z. Рік тому +1

      @@britsticher8889 YES and, karma, curry, and Cherokee or “Cher” ooops I got the wrong Indian. But there’s also bamboo, yoga, Yogi as in Bera. And GURU, and my favorite: Houdini.

  • @jononeill1000
    @jononeill1000 Рік тому +5

    If a person is not in your room "she" can be said, but if the person is beside you, you call them by their name ...

    • @MrVisualHigh
      @MrVisualHigh Рік тому +1

      Depends, you should certainly lead with the name but you wouldn't say "Mary says that Mary doesn't like spicy food so Mary will just have the soup". Instead you would say "Mary says that she doesn't like spicy food so she will just have the soup".

    • @hellsbells8689
      @hellsbells8689 Рік тому +1

      As I heard as a child. "Who's She? The cats mother?"

  • @paulgee1355
    @paulgee1355 Рік тому +8

    Hey Steve, I don't know why "bald" is even on the list because I pronounce it exactly as you and your wife do and I've never heard anybody say it any differently, English or American.

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +2

      I'm sure it's a more regional thing!

    • @sallyannwheeler6327
      @sallyannwheeler6327 Рік тому +1

      Same here in North Wales too. No difference whatsoever.

    • @keithdenyer3937
      @keithdenyer3937 Рік тому

      This is balld not bold !

    • @MrBulky992
      @MrBulky992 Рік тому +1

      It was poorly explained in the video but:
      In the USA, "bold" and "bald" can sound very similar.
      In the UK in RP, "bold" and "bald" sound completely and utterly distinct from each other.
      In both the UK and the US, the pronunciations of "bald" sound similar.

  • @18CHAN88
    @18CHAN88 8 місяців тому +1

    I would pronounce it Al-U-min-yum. Phonetically. Although if it was aluminium foil we Brits would of course call it tin foil

  • @Dikka0
    @Dikka0 Рік тому +1

    On the subject of regional variations of accents, there is also variations within those regions. There is often clear differences between neighbouring towns such as mine and the next which is only 5miles away.

  • @papalazarou7880
    @papalazarou7880 Рік тому +4

    When Americans say Z they pronounce it Zee. So Zebra vs Zeebra… So how do you say the Zulu’s are coming! The Zeelu’s are coming! 😂

  • @danielhalse9514
    @danielhalse9514 Рік тому +9

    As a software developer in the UK, coding is in American english due to Microsoft and other US companies while everything else we do is in British english. So we have to fix code by changing S to Z in lots of words, while some words like grey and gray still catches me out. I dont have to pronounce the words but I do need to fix all the spelling differences.

    • @MrVisualHigh
      @MrVisualHigh Рік тому

      Don't Gray and Grey both work in most coding languages? It took me a while to get used to dropping the U in 'color' though I'll admit.

    • @captvimes
      @captvimes Рік тому

      @@MrVisualHigh authorize is the one that always gets me still

    • @hellsbells8689
      @hellsbells8689 Рік тому

      GrEy= European. GrAy=American. That's how I remember it.

  • @stewedfishproductions7959
    @stewedfishproductions7959 Рік тому +10

    Many years ago, in the US with (all) American friends and looking out to sea, watching dolphins, one said something like "Oh! just there by the BOO-ee..." - Being the ONLY Brit there I said "by the WHAT???" And she said (paraphrasing) "to the left of the BOO-ee", while pointing at a BUOY! Now everyone in the UK and Ireland knows what a _(our pronunciation)_ 'BOY' is. As in a 'nautical' float or an object moored to the bottom of a sea or river, to mark a sailing channel or something _(such as a danger)_ lying under the water; or you might say someone 'swam out toward the buoy'. Pronounced 'BOY' because it comes from the word BUOYANT! I got into a whole conversation about WHY do Americans say BOO-EE, from the word BUOYant!? Not one could tell me. Then watching _(I think?)_ 'Deep Space Nine' or 'ST Voyager' - they said "...I have launched a BOO-EE to warn others..." _(or something very similar!)._ 😅 😂 🤣

    • @ThePinkBinks
      @ThePinkBinks 6 місяців тому +2

      Yeah that one gets under my skin too. They don’t say boo_ee_ant.

  • @silentvortex8318
    @silentvortex8318 4 місяці тому +1

    Vase comes from the middle french vase pronounced vaz, so while the uk pronunciation is slightly different, it's closer to the original pronunciation

  • @Gerryjournal
    @Gerryjournal 11 місяців тому +1

    Australia uses a mix of both though usually follows the British pronunciation

  • @johnm8224
    @johnm8224 Рік тому +14

    I'm confused by the "bald" one, too...

    • @thesushifiend
      @thesushifiend Рік тому +3

      The quality of the a in bald is subtly different... In England it's BAWld whereas in the U.S. it's BAHld

  • @kristinbur
    @kristinbur Рік тому +4

    Me and my husband both come from the Northwest of the UK but different areas. I say scone/gone he says scone/bone 😅
    If your doing regional accents soon I can’t wait till you hear the scousers say book, look and cook.
    My mums family are from the south west coast of Ireland and my dads are from Liverpool so I have an interesting scouse/Irish twang 🥴

  • @ShaneH42
    @ShaneH42 Рік тому +4

    Garage isn’t really pronounced differently in the south of England. GarAge (the American pronunciation) sounds posh or pretentious to the British ear, and those attributes are stereotypically associated with the south of England. It’s only a stereotype

  • @sooskevington6144
    @sooskevington6144 Рік тому +1

    I can suggest two more words that could have appeared in the video
    Jaguar - jag-you-ar in English and jag-wah in American
    But the two that always set my teeth on edge are buoy and route
    In English buoy sounds like boy while in American it sounds like boo-ee
    Route, (how you go from point a to point b when travelling), is correctly pronounced to sound like root, not as Americans say it, 'rowt' to sound like rout which is actually an overwhelming military defeat and thus a completely different word.
    I also find the American habit of turning nouns into verbs rather confusing especially where a perfectly good verb already exists.
    A prime example: verb; to burgle, noun; burglar - the person who does the action (verb) so WHY do Americans find it necessary to turn burglar into buglarise creating a wholly unnecessary new verb?.
    I also agree with Steve & Lindsey in that I couldn't hear any difference between the English & American pronunciation of bald.

  • @annlander
    @annlander Рік тому +1

    The short form of mathematics intrigues me. In US English it's math but in British English it's maths because the original word ends with 's'.

    • @marydavis5234
      @marydavis5234 9 місяців тому +1

      As an American ,I can answer for math vs maths question, from what I heard it’s maths in other countries because you learn different types of math in one school year, in the US, we have one type of math for the whole school year, for example, in 5 th grade ,we would have basic math for a full year and the next year, we will have algebra for the whole year etc…

  • @0KiteEatingTree0
    @0KiteEatingTree0 Рік тому +5

    Most English has a Germanic or French, root, with a good dash of Latin and Greek.
    US and American English also tend to have slightly different spelling.

    • @Cyb3rFck
      @Cyb3rFck Рік тому +1

      And a splash of Danish, given we were invaded and settled by the Danes. Kind of a big one.

    • @wyterabitt2149
      @wyterabitt2149 Рік тому +1

      I mean something like 60% of the English language comes from Latin as it stands today.

  • @markneary1889
    @markneary1889 Рік тому +7

    The "closer to its origins" is a curious one when you consider words like "gotten" - a word used by Shakespeare - disappeared from British English but was retained in the US (and is now making its way back into the UK).

    • @MattMcQueen1
      @MattMcQueen1 Рік тому +3

      Yes, language grows and mutates over time. Also, America had migrants from all over Europe and elsewhere early in its history, which would impact the language. I think the word "skillet" is still in common use in America, but rarely used in the UK. Two nations separated by a common language. Not sure how "could care less" and "couldn't care less" happened.

    • @StormhavenGaming
      @StormhavenGaming Рік тому +3

      "Gotten" never disappeared. It was retained in many regional dialects, but it dropped out of usage in the fashionable South-East. Another, similar, example would be "Fall" for Autumn. Originally English (also used by Shakespeare and his contemporaries) but fell out of usage here whiule continuing in the US.

    • @lulusbackintown1478
      @lulusbackintown1478 Рік тому +1

      Same with tardy, I've never heard it used in England. Don't know about the other home nations

    • @wyterabitt2149
      @wyterabitt2149 Рік тому

      @@StormhavenGaming Fall just failed to take over more than anything, there are written records of Autumn a long time before Fall was used. Fall came, wasn't really popular, and went away.

    • @jockkardashian.9407
      @jockkardashian.9407 4 місяці тому

      I was well into my forties before I discovered that gotten (a word used all the time where I live in Scotland) isn't used all over the UK...

  • @DeviousWeaselUK
    @DeviousWeaselUK Рік тому +12

    The pronunciation of these words is a real non-issue. It’s all to do with how vowels are sounded. How you guys say it isn’t wrong, just different 😊 the area I’m from, we say ‘carriage’ to rhyme with ‘garage’, and the ‘vi’ in ‘vital’ would rhyme with ‘cry’, so we pronounce that the same as you.
    What does drive us nuts is the amount of North Americans who say “I could care less” because that does not mean what you think it does 😂
    I also hear a lot of Americans say “on accident”. I’m not saying that’s wrong but it’s bizarre to me. I’m pretty sure most British people say “by accident”.

    • @StormhavenGaming
      @StormhavenGaming Рік тому

      Several Southern English accents wouldn't rhyme "carriage" with "garage". They use a long a sound and a soft g in the "French style".

    • @DeviousWeaselUK
      @DeviousWeaselUK Рік тому +1

      @@StormhavenGaming well yeah, each region has different ways. I’m from South West/Bristol area and people I know say ‘carriage’ the same as ‘garage’. So I’m just speaking from my experience.

    • @StormhavenGaming
      @StormhavenGaming Рік тому +1

      @@DeviousWeaselUK Absolutely. I wasn't meaning to argue. Just pointing out the massive variation that exists even in small geographical areas. I'm originally from Hampshire, so not that far from you.

    • @DeviousWeaselUK
      @DeviousWeaselUK Рік тому +1

      @@StormhavenGaming no no, it’s all good! No arguments here, you were right, I shouldn’t have made it so generalised :) As Steve said, there are so many accents on this small island lol.

    • @AlexaFaie
      @AlexaFaie Рік тому +2

      On accident is actually grammatically incorrect even in American English.

  • @RWL2012
    @RWL2012 Рік тому +1

    I love that Apple MacBook Unibody 2008 keynote or whatever, where the British English-speaking Jony Ive says *_aluminium_* a load of times, and then after he goes off stage, one of the American English-speaking employees ruins it straight away with "so, the beautiful new *_aluminum_* unibody enclosure on the new MacBook Pro" or whatever 😂

  • @peterstoons3418
    @peterstoons3418 Рік тому +1

    In the Musical My Fair Lady, Professor Higgins says in a song, In some places English completely disappears , in America they haven't used it for years 😃

  • @easterdeer
    @easterdeer Рік тому +5

    I've only heard 'vital' pronounced the same as in the US. I think everyone here always says 'vitality' the same as the US too but I may have heard it pronounced as 'vittality' once or twice? Not sure and it's very rare if it happens. There's also a rare word 'victuals' meaning 'food or provisions' which is pronounced like 'vittles' 😂 'Potato' is always pronounced the same as in the US, I think they just made up that other pronunciation (to rhyme with British 'tomato') for the song. I'd rather we rhymed 'tomato' with 'potato' like in the US but what can you do 😂 'Aluminium' is the international scientific standard word just as convention but they went with the American spelling of 'Sulfur' as the standard rather than the British 'Sulphur'. I always rhyme 'scone' with 'gone'. 'Garage' is almost always stressed on the first syllable here, even for people who pronounce it in the more American way, but I think many younger people have adopted the American pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable. Awesome video! I love anything language, phonetics, linguistics, grammar... 😍 Cheers! xx

    • @BRIDINC1972
      @BRIDINC1972 Рік тому +1

      I've never heard vital pronounced with a short i, however old English Vittal meaning food is pronounced with a short i

    • @reactingtomyroots
      @reactingtomyroots  Рік тому +2

      We're really interested in this topic too! Appreciate you giving us a watch and chiming in :)

    • @easterdeer
      @easterdeer Рік тому

      Thank you! I appreciate your hard work. Your channel is amazing 😄 @@reactingtomyroots

  • @adambattersby8934
    @adambattersby8934 Рік тому +3

    The UK has more accents than any other country. So much so that it's sometimes difficult for a person from one part of the country to understand a person from another part of the country.

    • @CB-xr1eg
      @CB-xr1eg Рік тому

      Sorry, what did you say?🤔

  • @jp80a68
    @jp80a68 Рік тому +7

    It took us nearly 1000 years to develop our language, which is four times as long as the US has exisited, so they way we pronounce things is correct. One of the things which really really really annoys English people, is the way that instead of using the correct word, which already exists you create a new cumbersome version. For instance recently I heard that HM the KIng was coronated, by which I presume they actually mean crowned, a word which has existed or at least 600 years. I also recently heard americans using the expression coversating, which they were using instead of the word coversing, it does mostly seem to be black americans, and I wonder if they have less acess to higher levels of education.
    Cashimir Funk coined the word vitamine while working at the Lister Insititute in London, he combined the word VITAL with the word AMINE and came up with the name VITAMINE, which was later shortened to Vitamin, when it was discoved that not all vitamins contain an amine, an example being vitamin C, which does not have one.

  • @HC_Productions_UK
    @HC_Productions_UK Рік тому

    A silent ‘e’ at the end of a one or two syllable word tells you to use a long vowel sound for the earlier vowel(s) in the word. A long vowel sound is the sound a vowel makes when you say its name, like when you are reciting the alphabet, a-b-c-d-e-f-g…; that is saying a letter’s name. For example: Say the word ‘wine’ and listen to how the ‘i’ sounds. Now say the word ‘win’ and listen to how the ‘i’ sounds. The ‘i’ in ‘wine’ is a long vowel sound and the ‘i’ in ‘win’ is a short vowel sound. So, one of the things the silent ‘e’ at the end of a word does is indicate long vowel sounds for preceding vowels.
    The silent ‘e’ also indicates when to us softer sounding consonants in some words. For example: Say the words ‘grace’ and ‘age,’ the consonants ‘c’ and ‘g’ have a softer sound than they do in words like ‘cat’ and ‘go.’ The silent ‘e’ is an indication to you to use these softer sounding consonants in words.

    • @suemoore984
      @suemoore984 10 місяців тому +1

      I remember being taught that "e on the end changes (short vowel) into (long vowel)"

  • @andyjenkinson5070
    @andyjenkinson5070 10 місяців тому +1

    There is also "anti". In America pronounced "ant eye" and it UK nearly rhymes with "aunty".

  • @NigelBrodie
    @NigelBrodie Рік тому +5

    In our house aluminium is called tin foil