Beware of Britishisms creeping across Atlantic

After decades of fuming over “American-isms” creeping into the King’s English, Brits are now seeing the linguistic wind blowing their words and phrases across the Atlantic.

Have you noticed it? Linguists have. There’s a jump in frequency of things like “queuing up for the loo,” “bumbling toff,” or “cheers” not in the London Times or Picadilly, but in the New York Times and Broadway.

Dr. Lynne Murphy, theoretical lexicologist at the University of Sussex, says for most of the last 50 years American phrases have been popping up in the UK, much to the displeasure of the Brits who feel as if American speech has been imposed on them. French fries instead of chips…that sort of thing.

Now she says the tables have turned.

“There’s a bit of a rush in it these days because there are a lot of British cultural things that are seen as being very positive, people love to read Harry Potter or watch ‘Downton Abbey.’ Probably the increased presence of BBC America has helped and of course, there is the Internet as well.”

In her blog, “Separated by a Common Language,” Murphy looks at the drift of phrases between American and British cultures and spots the up and comers. “Ginger” to refer to a red headed person is a Brit import as is “no worries.” Professor of English at the University of Delaware Ben Yagoda says this creep of Britishisms into the USA is a “linguistic phenomenon that shows no sign of abating.”

So surely the Brits are pleased. They’ve been laughing at our English since forever. ‘It must be good to see those colonials at least trying to sound like a real civilized nation.’ Murphy says that’s not the universal view.

“Some people feel like it (British-English) doesn’t sound right in American mouths, especially slang and taboo terms and insults. They think that they don’t really belong (in America), we want to keep those words for ourselves.”

And far from helping communication, sharing these words or idiomatic expressions can lead to problems. Take the word “bollocks.” It’s a funny, British sounding word that many Yanks think is something like “nonsense” or ” garbage.” Murphy says to a Brit, it’s one of the most offensive words they know.. You can’t even say it on the radio or “wireless.”

“If Americans learn that word, then come over here to visit and use it to someone’s grandmother,” Murphy says, “they’re going to be in a lot of trouble.”

“Chatting up” doesn’t mean just talking to a Brit. It means talking with the express purpose of convincing someone to engage in intimate physical content. “Flogging fags?” In the UK it means selling cigarettes. You can see the problems.

Linguists are also interested in this “Anglocreep” because most cross cultural adoption of language diffusion starts at the bottom of society and works it’s way up. This time, it’s starting at the top with the fancy-pants or “posh” among us slathering our speech with Brit talk like vinegar on chips. The diffusion appears to have started among the “chattering classes,” like journalists, intellectuals, the rich and young, and the culturally minded.

Murphy and others say that languages, particularly English, are amazingly open to linguistic cross-pollination and overall, it is a good thing.

But is it a good thing for you? It could impress some here in America and I admit I’m as obnoxious an Anglophile as ever sauntered about in Wellies and a Barbour wax cotton jacket. Still, be careful when going Anglo or you’ll sound like some kind of naff git, poncing about, going all over queer while trying to impress your mates in your flat or on your mobile. Before you do, take a slash, smoke a fag, and remember: You’re a Yank. Talk American!