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Sunday 25 October 2015

Ramblings ~ Americanisms

I suppose my ramblings are not to everyone's taste... I mean, I do talk write rather a lot of nonsense; I do occasional cuss {American word #1} and considering this is a crafting blog, sometimes it takes a back seat to the thoughts in my head, thoughts that I want to get out, that need to burst forth with such determination that as soon as I wake they are telling me to write them down! Oh dear, voices in my head?  That sounds bad :(
 
I woke today... not to the sound of ticking, to hear about that, click [here], but to the thoughts of the words we use, I found myself thinking the phrase "I'm super excited..."  What?! {American word #2} (I can't, now remember what about, it was an hour ago, after all).  But just the use of those words rattling around in my head set off alarm bells!  I mean when did I feel the need to use American lingo?
 
I'm English (and proud), I have lived in Wales for the past thirty years... but I haven't changed my accent in all that time... if I've held out over the Welsh then why not the Americans?  Oh, I can cwtch (cuddle) with the best of 'em... when the kids were little it was 'bach' this and bach' that (little or dear) and occasional I even used 'cariad' (love) to my cheating welsh husband (ha... don't miss him!). I mean, my children (being born here) ARE Welsh, they both speak Welsh, my poor son even thinks like a Welshman! (A disadvantage, I think... but I'm obviously displaying racism, sorry about that, I will make it clear... not all Welsh man are cheats!  There racism averted!!! ).  They both had Welsh taught to them in school from 3 years old (full-time school no less, the Welsh do get somethings right! With only 14 months between them, I was ready to pack them off for half the day!) - solely Welsh no English was allowed until they got to year 3 (about 7 years old!)... poor kids! Having asked them, which language do they think in, they both tell me... they think in both.. now that's an advantage, making it easier to learn other languages in the future, or so I'm told!
 
But, being a proud Englishwoman I insisted, as they grew up, that they not have a welsh accent (stopping certain phrases or pronunciations... what a mean mummy I was).  So, now,  I feel they have the best of both worlds... they don't have silly sing-song accents (thought to be the second most 'thick' sounding accent in the British Isles only being thought a little more 'intelligent sounding' than the Birmingham accent!  <<My daughter's Welsh and her fiancĂ©e is from Birmingham... were did I go wrong?>>), but can communicate in two languages.  If I could do all that for them... why am I  now using words like 'adorable', 'super excited', 'trash'!
 
And while we're at it why would you call a fringe... 'bangs', that makes no sense what so ever!
 
Then it clicked... no, it's not all the US dramas/cartoons on TV (don't you diss Criminal Minds or The Simpsons) or even the influx of all the super-sweet {American word #3}  food goodies now found in all the major supermarket isles (Reeses peanut butter cups, yummy!).  It is in fact...
 
YouTube!  Yep, all those scrapbook process vids I've been watching (constantly)!  I know you do too... Have you noticed that the Americans are always 'super excited', it takes a lot for us Brits to be 'super' anything , we may occasionally become 'a bit' but 'super' nah..., except maybe,  on LIKE FOR EVER kit arrival day!  Then you should just feel sorry for all the poor postmen out there!  Us LIKE FOR EVER girls can be worse than the most viscous Rottweiler when a pizza box is held by someone other than ourselves!  <<ponder>> I wonder if we go into 'grab' mode when a real pizza is delivered, not that I'd know, I live in the back of beyond, home delivery is something only Tesco do, and then it's only been recently.
 
Having realised I'm developing an alarming vocal bad habit... I have been looking out for certain words/phrases to see if I've picked them up.  I mean, we all know that Americans sometimes use different words to us or some words have different meanings and certainly have different spellings (that alone drives me crazy {American word #4} ~ stop dropping letters, how am I supposed to use all my ephemera {from the Greek word 'emphemeron'} with misspelt words, and don't get me started on 'mom')... they use the words "fanny"  and "panties" for goodness sake... I means, come on, who (in Britain) would say either of those without a smirk. 
 
There is a fantastic write up, I found, not so long ago, that an American tourist had posted on Facebook about the differences between our cultures... it is brilliant, I'm just off to see if I can find the link...
 
 
 

 
Found it!

[here], but if you're anything like me ~ that's way too much effort (I know, I know... I'm lazy! It's probably unfair to class you the same, but hey, it's my blog!).
 
 
Makes you feel better about Britain doesn't it, although I didn't know Cornwall was a country in its own right! And no guns!
 
<Rambling> over...

Let the crafting begin...

Why am I posting a picture of sugar? Because I am proud, yes proud, proud I say... of my weight loss, after a year of struggling ~ I am 50 lbs down, which is great... but I want you all to recognise just how much that 50lbs represents (I'm needy like that!).  I am no longer carrying all those sugar bags... wow!

I'm also doing another challenge today (a much easier, more enjoyable one)... I'm scraping for the LIKE FOR EVER Sunday Challenge (#4)... to use a loonnnngggggg title...

I'm telling you... the only kit you'll ever need is one from LIKE FOR EVER (if your British anyway), they are awesome {American word #5} and Nicola (owner, hard-worker, dedicated crafter) is so, so good at her job...

Scrapped using the LIKE FOR EVER September kit... 'Acorn Avenue', goodies from
the Pink Paislee Cedar Lane collection



I absolutely love these glittered words, they add such a great impact
 

Proud... I tell you!
 

Hand stitching, with some embroidery floss, a wood veneer butterfly and a glittered heart (sorry I didn't even allow the glue to dry before I started snapping away with my camera LOL)
 

Proud, I SHOUT!
 

Minimal embellies and just a few light splattering of Heidi Swapp colo[u]r {American word #6} shine in gold
 
Have A Nice Day {American words #7}
 
 
 
Blah... blah... blah...
 
 

2 comments:

  1. Gawd Blimey Karen this post is absobloodylootely spiffing! The Americanisms were fandabbydosey to read and your layout is the bee's knee's! Well done you for working your arse off and losing all that weight, I wish I had your dedication! You must be chuffed. Bloody good show.
    How did I do with the Blightyisms? Loved your post as always. xx

    ReplyDelete

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