Britishisms

This NY Times article on Cup of Jo about the increase of Americans using British words in their everyday vocabulary made me smile.  After working with British colleagues for the last two years (with the odd Aussie occasionally thrown in) I've noticed a slight shift in my own vocabulary.  Remember the time my roommate translated our shopping list?  I now sign all of my (less formal) work emails with "cheers", call my apartment my "flat", and I've even caught myself saying "rubbish" and "garage" (and I don't mean the place you park your car!)  The one thing I refuse to give up are my pronunciations, like how they will pronounce banana (buh-naah-nah) and tomato (toh-maah-toe).  It sounds silly to these American ears!  But that's all about the accent, really.  Have your travels changed the way you speak?

Marie Frei

One Carry-On is a blog managed by Marie Frei, a travel expert and photographer with a passion for exploring off the beaten path locations. The blog covers honest and personal stories about living and traveling as an American abroad, shares her global appreciation for culture and design, and promotes traveling to far-flung destinations with a carry-on as fun, affordable, and easy.