Proof Americans and Brits speak a different language

1104105107109110119

Comments

  • (Do people think flour and flower are homophones?)
    They are in my experience in the American South.

  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    edited February 10
    They're more than that - they are the same word. Flour is the flower (as in "the best part") of the wheat. The different spelling is mere convention.
  • They are in California and Missouri. And yes, that last r is rhotic here.
  • rhubarb wrote: »
    Everyone I know in Tasmania says flour, rather than flow- wer which places emphasis on the second syllable

    I've never met anyone who placed the emphasis on the second syllable in flower.

    In standard English, the difference between a flower and a flow-wer (probably the punchline of a joke about rivers) is the pronunciation of the first vowel. It's an /aʊ/ diphthong in the plant, and an /oʊ/ diphthong in the river. But the emphasis is the same, and in neither case is the trailing r rhotic.

    The single-syllable people are, I think, pronouncing flower (and/or flour) with a triphthong.

    (Do people think flour and flower are homophones?)

    Standard English in what country?
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    Do people think flour and flower are homophones?

    And here also.
  • LeafLeaf Shipmate
    In my experience of Canadian English, flour and flower are homophones.

    The similarity is behind this little joke in the movie "Stranger than Fiction", where a man gives a woman who owns a bakery a present: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74S5aT3_AfM
  • Gee D wrote: »
    Do people think flour and flower are homophones?

    And here also.

    Agreed. I come from central southern England and Mrs Claypool comes from the south west. We both say these words exactly the same.
  • Leaf wrote: »
    In my experience of Canadian English, flour and flower are homophones.

    This Canadian agrees.
  • Certainly they are for me.
  • Listening to the trump trial today, I heard a well educated American lady from the Caribbean refer to the floor, but it sounded (to me) like 'flo-or'. That was new to me.
  • I don't think they are. In this part of the world, they just are.
  • orfeoorfeo Shipmate
    KarlLB wrote: »
    They're more than that - they are the same word. Flour is the flower (as in "the best part") of the wheat. The different spelling is mere convention.

    Well there you go, I learned something new today.
  • Cornflour and cornflower are not homophones in my part of the UK.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Eirenist wrote: »
    Cornflour and cornflower are not homophones in my part of the UK.

    How are they different?
  • DafydDafyd Shipmate
    In standard English, the difference between a flower and a flow-wer (probably the punchline of a joke about rivers) is the pronunciation of the first vowel.
    The Britsh date the birth of the British cryptic crossword to a crossword setter who used, Flower (5), as the clue for river. You still occasionally get it as part of the wordplay in cryptic crosswords.

  • MarthaMartha Shipmate
    Eirenist wrote: »
    Cornflour and cornflower are not homophones in my part of the UK.

    Yes, that's interesting. I agreed with everyone saying that flour and flower are homophones, but when you add corn in front I think I do say them slightly differently. The best I can describe it is that cornflour has less of a w sound in it.

    I grew up near London.
  • Nope - I say cornflour and cornflower exactly the same.
  • TrudyTrudy Heaven Host, 8th Day Host
    Leaf wrote: »
    In my experience of Canadian English, flour and flower are homophones.

    The similarity is behind this little joke in the movie "Stranger than Fiction", where a man gives a woman who owns a bakery a present: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74S5aT3_AfM

    Agree with the Canadian pronunciation, and I love that scene.
  • Martha wrote: »
    Eirenist wrote: »
    Cornflour and cornflower are not homophones in my part of the UK.

    Yes, that's interesting. I agreed with everyone saying that flour and flower are homophones, but when you add corn in front I think I do say them slightly differently. The best I can describe it is that cornflour has less of a w sound in it.

    I grew up near London.

    I have been driven to walk around muttering "I cook with flour" and "I picked a flower" to the extent that I suspect the neighbours question my sanity as we pass 2 metres apart in the street. :smile:

    I make more of a w sound in flower, with or without corn attached.

    (I came to East Anglia from the Home Counties, via London.)
  • And yet flowerpot is trisyllabic...
  • CaissaCaissa Shipmate
    As a NBer, I pronounce flour as two syllables.
  • Sojourner wrote: »
    And yet flowerpot is trisyllabic...

    And the u goes away between dolour and dolorous.
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    Caissa wrote: »
    As a NBer, I pronounce flour as two syllables.

    NBer? No idea what that is, I'm sorry.
  • New Brunswicker?
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    Thanks, did not think of that. Alas, the new Ship does not give as much information about posters as did the old.
  • I'm used to "flour" and "flower" being pronounce almost the same. Both are effectively two syllables. "Flour" is said more tightly, and "flower" with a more open mouth.

    And re what was said upthread about stressing "flo-WER": I've never hear that in any kind of English-language accent I've ever heard.
  • The talk of squirrel and girl reminds me of the thing where if you say "Space Ghetto" in an American accent, you sound like a Glaswegian saying "Spice Girl"
    (we've probably mentioned this before in the past 100+ pages but I'm too lazy to check)
  • Speaking of Canada. It appears they have interesting ways of confusing the rest of the world. See here.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Speaking of Canada. It appears they have interesting ways of confusing the rest of the world. See here.

    Yup, those are absolutely accurate. We are multilingual, we are.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Speaking of Canada. It appears they have interesting ways of confusing the rest of the world. See here.

    Yup, those are absolutely accurate. We are multilingual, we are.

    I was thinking Tri-Lingual at least.
  • Ha! In the UK heights will be measured against Nelson's Column or Big Ben; lengths in London busses and area in football pitches.
  • SparrowSparrow Shipmate
    And volume in Olympic swimming pools.
  • Or area in the size of Wales, heights in double decker buses.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Growths and cysts are always measured in various fruits.
  • The Canadian system can be useful. Some years ago I went for a medical check-up and was told that I was 165 cm tall and weighed 165 pounds - easy to remember.
  • I'm not sure if this is the right place to raise the matteer, but the London Times reports that survey in Berkeley, California, revealed that the most successful chat-up line was 'I like your ass'. The report does not reveal who was surveyed, or by whom, but if correct it seems to this British 83-year-old to reveal either an appalling level of taste in men among the women students at the university concerned, or a distressing lack of poetic imagination on the part of their menfolk. Farewell to 500 years of English verse!
  • Land area here is measured in various states. It's the size of Connecticut. It's the size of Montana. Britain, we are told, is roughly the size of Oregon. This would make more sense if any of us had any feel for how large the various states are. I couldn't possibly tell you how many Connecticuts it would take to fill Oregon.
  • Seems like the Bard could use some bawdy language himself.
  • Yes, Grmps49, but at least he showed some imagination.

  • A quick show of hands please: who else thought that this must link back to @Eirenist's post about liking someone's donkey being a good chat-up line?

  • Sorry, crosspost with Gramps, it was in answer to @mousethief
  • Other pick up lines:




    Funny Pick Up Lines


    Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes?
    Hey, my name's Microsft. Can I crash at your place tonight?
    Are you French? Because Eiffel for you.
    Do you like raisins? How do you feel about a date?
    There is something wrong with my cell phone. It doesn't have your number in it.
    If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put ‘U’ and ‘I’ together.
    Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?
    I must be a snowflake because I've fallen for you.
    Are you from Tennessee? Because you're the only 10 I see!
    If you were a Transformer… you’d be Optimus Fine.
    Are you a parking ticket? Because you’ve got FINE written all over you.
    I wish I were cross-eyed so I can see you twice.
    I must be in a museum because you truly are a work of art.
    Do you believe in love at first sight—or should I walk by again?
    I'm no photographer, but I can picture us together.
    Feel my shirt. Know what it’s made of? Boyfriend material.
    Are you related to Jean-Claude Van Damme? Because Jean-Claude Van Damme you’re sexy!
    If you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.
    Did your license get suspended for driving all these guys crazy?
    I’m learning about important dates in history. Wanna be one of them?
    Baby, if you were words on a page, you’d be fine print.
    Did you just come out of the oven? Because you’re hot.
    It’s a good thing I have my library card because I am totally checking you out.
    I was blinded by your beauty; I’m going to need your name and phone number for insurance purposes.
    I was wondering if you had an extra heart. Because mine was just stolen.
    Is your name Google? Because you have everything I’ve been searching for.
    Are you a bank loan? Because you got my interest.
    Are you a time traveler? Cause I see you in my future!
    Can I follow you where you’re going right now? Because my parents always told me to follow my dreams.
    Is this the Hogwarts Express? Because it feels like you and I are headed somewhere magical.
    Life without you is like a broken pencil…pointless.
    Something’s wrong with my eyes because I can’t take them off you.
    My love for you is like diarrhea, I just can't hold it in.
    Somebody better call God, because he’s missing an angel.
    We’re not socks, but I think we’d make a great pair.
    You must be tired because you've been running through my mind all night.
    Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes.
    Do you have a BandAid? I just scraped my knee falling for you.
    Do you like Star Wars? Because Yoda only one for me!
    Did you invent the airplane? Because you seem Wright for me.
    Did the sun come out or did you just smile at me?
    Do you know CPR? Because you are taking my breath away!
    You’re so beautiful that you made me forget my pickup line.

    My own personal pick up line, that worked, is Do you want to go on a canoe trip? Long story but she has now been with me for 42 years.
  • mousethiefmousethief Shipmate
    edited February 13

    Looks more like 16 to me: 48÷3. Are you sure you've got the right Oregon?
  • EnochEnoch Shipmate
    Eirenist wrote: »
    I'm not sure if this is the right place to raise the matteer, but the London Times reports that survey in Berkeley, California, revealed that the most successful chat-up line was 'I like your ass'. The report does not reveal who was surveyed, or by whom, but if correct it seems to this British 83-year-old to reveal either an appalling level of taste in men among the women students at the university concerned, or a distressing lack of poetic imagination on the part of their menfolk. Farewell to 500 years of English verse!
    That is uncouth. I'm not quite as old as you @Eirenist but I am old enough that I go back to a time when one would have taken for granted that with an opening like that, one would get one's face slapped.

    Does that still happened these days? Or would it be regarded as reverse harassment?

  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Other pick up lines:




    Funny Pick Up Lines


    Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes?
    Hey, my name's Microsft. Can I crash at your place tonight?
    Are you French? Because Eiffel for you.
    Do you like raisins? How do you feel about a date?
    There is something wrong with my cell phone. It doesn't have your number in it.
    If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put ‘U’ and ‘I’ together.
    Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?
    I must be a snowflake because I've fallen for you.
    Are you from Tennessee? Because you're the only 10 I see!
    If you were a Transformer… you’d be Optimus Fine.
    Are you a parking ticket? Because you’ve got FINE written all over you.
    I wish I were cross-eyed so I can see you twice.
    I must be in a museum because you truly are a work of art.
    Do you believe in love at first sight—or should I walk by again?
    I'm no photographer, but I can picture us together.
    Feel my shirt. Know what it’s made of? Boyfriend material.
    Are you related to Jean-Claude Van Damme? Because Jean-Claude Van Damme you’re sexy!
    If you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.
    Did your license get suspended for driving all these guys crazy?
    I’m learning about important dates in history. Wanna be one of them?
    Baby, if you were words on a page, you’d be fine print.
    Did you just come out of the oven? Because you’re hot.
    It’s a good thing I have my library card because I am totally checking you out.
    I was blinded by your beauty; I’m going to need your name and phone number for insurance purposes.
    I was wondering if you had an extra heart. Because mine was just stolen.
    Is your name Google? Because you have everything I’ve been searching for.
    Are you a bank loan? Because you got my interest.
    Are you a time traveler? Cause I see you in my future!
    Can I follow you where you’re going right now? Because my parents always told me to follow my dreams.
    Is this the Hogwarts Express? Because it feels like you and I are headed somewhere magical.
    Life without you is like a broken pencil…pointless.
    Something’s wrong with my eyes because I can’t take them off you.
    My love for you is like diarrhea, I just can't hold it in.
    Somebody better call God, because he’s missing an angel.
    We’re not socks, but I think we’d make a great pair.
    You must be tired because you've been running through my mind all night.
    Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes.
    Do you have a BandAid? I just scraped my knee falling for you.
    Do you like Star Wars? Because Yoda only one for me!
    Did you invent the airplane? Because you seem Wright for me.
    Did the sun come out or did you just smile at me?
    Do you know CPR? Because you are taking my breath away!
    You’re so beautiful that you made me forget my pickup line.

    My own personal pick up line, that worked, is Do you want to go on a canoe trip? Long story but she has now been with me for 42 years.

    In all honesty, if these are the alternatives, then 'you've got a nice bum' becomes really quite acceptable. Although the one about a canoe trip is probably better.
  • Enoch wrote: »
    Eirenist wrote: »
    I'm not sure if this is the right place to raise the matteer, but the London Times reports that survey in Berkeley, California, revealed that the most successful chat-up line was 'I like your ass'. The report does not reveal who was surveyed, or by whom, but if correct it seems to this British 83-year-old to reveal either an appalling level of taste in men among the women students at the university concerned, or a distressing lack of poetic imagination on the part of their menfolk. Farewell to 500 years of English verse!
    That is uncouth. I'm not quite as old as you @Eirenist but I am old enough that I go back to a time when one would have taken for granted that with an opening like that, one would get one's face slapped.

    Does that still happened these days? Or would it be regarded as reverse harassment?

    It would probably be regarded as assault, which it is. But well-deserved.
  • john holdingjohn holding Ecclesiantics Host, Mystery Worshipper Host
    Enoch wrote: »
    Eirenist wrote: »
    I'm not sure if this is the right place to raise the matteer, but the London Times reports that survey in Berkeley, California, revealed that the most successful chat-up line was 'I like your ass'. The report does not reveal who was surveyed, or by whom, but if correct it seems to this British 83-year-old to reveal either an appalling level of taste in men among the women students at the university concerned, or a distressing lack of poetic imagination on the part of their menfolk. Farewell to 500 years of English verse!
    That is uncouth. I'm not quite as old as you @Eirenist but I am old enough that I go back to a time when one would have taken for granted that with an opening like that, one would get one's face slapped.

    Does that still happened these days? Or would it be regarded as reverse harassment?
    Is that for a man trying to pick up a woman, or for a woman trying to pick up a man? Both seem possible in these enlightened (if in poor taste) days.
  • orfeoorfeo Shipmate
    edited February 14
    mousethief wrote: »

    Looks more like 16 to me: 48÷3. Are you sure you've got the right Oregon?

    The bigger question is why are we trying to do a Texas-based conversion instead of a direct comparison? The opportunity for rounding errors is considerable.

    The true answer is actually about 17 and 3/4 using the total area figures on Wikipedia.

    EDIT: Never before has the phrase "you're a couple of Connecticuts short of an Oregon" entered the lexicon.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Other pick up lines:

    Funny Pick Up Lines


    Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes?
    Hey, my name's Microsft. Can I crash at your place tonight?
    Are you French? Because Eiffel for you.
    Do you like raisins? How do you feel about a date?
    There is something wrong with my cell phone. It doesn't have your number in it.
    If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put ‘U’ and ‘I’ together.
    Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?
    I must be a snowflake because I've fallen for you.
    Are you from Tennessee? Because you're the only 10 I see!
    If you were a Transformer… you’d be Optimus Fine.
    Are you a parking ticket? Because you’ve got FINE written all over you.
    I wish I were cross-eyed so I can see you twice.
    I must be in a museum because you truly are a work of art.
    Do you believe in love at first sight—or should I walk by again?
    I'm no photographer, but I can picture us together.
    Feel my shirt. Know what it’s made of? Boyfriend material.
    Are you related to Jean-Claude Van Damme? Because Jean-Claude Van Damme you’re sexy!
    If you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.
    Did your license get suspended for driving all these guys crazy?
    I’m learning about important dates in history. Wanna be one of them?
    Baby, if you were words on a page, you’d be fine print.
    Did you just come out of the oven? Because you’re hot.
    It’s a good thing I have my library card because I am totally checking you out.
    I was blinded by your beauty; I’m going to need your name and phone number for insurance purposes.
    I was wondering if you had an extra heart. Because mine was just stolen.
    Is your name Google? Because you have everything I’ve been searching for.
    Are you a bank loan? Because you got my interest.
    Are you a time traveler? Cause I see you in my future!
    Can I follow you where you’re going right now? Because my parents always told me to follow my dreams.
    Is this the Hogwarts Express? Because it feels like you and I are headed somewhere magical.
    Life without you is like a broken pencil…pointless.
    Something’s wrong with my eyes because I can’t take them off you.
    My love for you is like diarrhea, I just can't hold it in.
    Somebody better call God, because he’s missing an angel.
    We’re not socks, but I think we’d make a great pair.
    You must be tired because you've been running through my mind all night.
    Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes.
    Do you have a BandAid? I just scraped my knee falling for you.
    Do you like Star Wars? Because Yoda only one for me!
    Did you invent the airplane? Because you seem Wright for me.
    Did the sun come out or did you just smile at me?
    Do you know CPR? Because you are taking my breath away!
    You’re so beautiful that you made me forget my pickup line.

    My own personal pick up line, that worked, is Do you want to go on a canoe trip? Long story but she has now been with me for 42 years.

    These are funny?

    Maybe it's an age thing but I've never thought of employing a "pick-up" line. If one met someone who excited your interest you asked them out to some event, such as the theatre or a concert, and used the opportunity to try to get to know them better. With my late-lamented she asked me if I could sail and I offered her a lift to the station: hardly earth-shattering stuff but 16 and-a-half months later we were living together with our newborn twins.
Sign In or Register to comment.