OH, THAT BRITISH ENGLISH. BLIMEY!

"Blimey is a term used to express surprise or shock at something. It is commonly used in New Zealand and Australia as well as the South of the UK mainly. Blimey is not a rude word and will not offend anyone but it is a casual term and once again should not be used in a business or formal setting."

My first comment is I 😍 love good British English. I love Shakespeare and the King James Bible which is so poetic. Poems are easier to remember when trying to learn something new. The only thing better is when they are set to music. Good lyrics and a great melody will stay in my head for a long time.

It is the slang that can confuse me. The quote above (credit to Google) left out Canada as another English speaking country that may use words unfamilar. The USA also has some words others new to speaking English may not understand. Put them in the voice of someone who talks too fast and there is a problem.

We may use the same words and mean something entirely different. So context is important. Some Brit telling me to lift my bonnet for example. I may take off my hat. But they want me to open the hood of my car. I might understand if I am at a petrol or gas station, so that is my context. That word "lift" is another one. In USA we mean raise something up. In Europe it is an elevator.

Here is a website if you want to get more familiar with British slang.

https://www.oxfordinternationalenglish.com/dictionary-of-british-slang/

If you really want to understand British conversation then I have some suggestions for you. Find some British TV programs you enjoy. I liked "New Tricks" and "Doc Martin." You may need a VPN (virtual private network) and a streaming subscription to watch one of these. Others may be on YouTube which is free. "The Great British Baking Show" is on YouTube. When you watch be sure to put on the subtitles in English. TV shows are good because you will get accustomed to the way each actor speaks and the repetition in the context of their activities. I also have a couple of movies to recommend: "Waking Ned Devine" is set in Ireland and that is a horse of a different color (Sorry, I could not resist using an idiom here. It means something entirely different). That movie is so funny but you may need to watch it several times to really understand them. It also has an interesting message about ethics. A friend told me her college professor used it to teach a lesson on morals. I won't give it away so you will need to watch and see if you figure it out. "Fisherman's Friends" is my second choice for a great story and opportunity to learn some fun songs.

My personal story: Our daughter had been very sick as a teen. We were recommended to a new USA doctor. He turned out to be originally from India. His English was so beautiful with the perfect lilt of his Indian heritage. He spoke for 30 minutes explaining in detail how he would help her heal. The sound of his voice was like music to me and I was comforted. As soon as we left the office my daughter asked, "Mom, what did he say?" "I don't know," I replied, "but don't you feel better?" She did. So he became our family doctor and as time progressed we learned to understand his accent. She got well, too. :)

Here is hoping you won't be gobbsmacked (shocked) the next time you meet a Brit, Aussie or someone from South Africa. By the way, don't make the mistake I made. I thought the South Africans and Australians sounded exactly alike. I worked with one of each; and they were quick to share their language differences with me.

If you are struggling with English please contact us. We don't simply teach English words and phrases, we work to solve problems. So whether your goal is to travel, get a new job, a university degree, or marketing your business to internationals, DoveTail Office Consulting kft can help. We have very reasonable rates. Simple conversation rates are lower than technical or business English which requires more planning. We also keep groups small to ensure you get the most out of our sessions.

If you have tried and still cannot understand someone who says they are speaking the King's English, then invite me to the meeting as your translator. I will give you an hourly rate for this service.

Cheers! (In USA we say that when we share a beverage. In England it can mean hello, thank you or goodbye.)