Speaking "American" while traveling

[Gina D.]

We have a native of Germany working with us that has a difficult time remembering the exact cliche's Americans use. Mostly, it's innocent things like "Piece of Pie" instead of piece of Cake that he gets mixed up.

Our favorite one tho, (And we have taken to using it on a regular basis ourselves) is:

"The ball is in your court" has changed to "The ball is in your shoe".

[Brian B-P]

For those wondering about "oot and aboot": I believe the reference is to the words "out and about", as in, "He isn't at home, he's out and about town somewhere". The accent which renders these words as "oot and aboot" certainly seems local to the Maritime provinces to me - not common anywhere else in the country, and certainly not from western Canada. Is the accent from the states near New Brunswick and Nova Scotia similar?

[Suz]

We have a native of Germany working with us that has a difficult time remembering the exact cliche's Americans use. Mostly, it's innocent things like "Piece of Pie" instead of piece of Cake that he gets mixed up.

Our favorite one tho, (And we have taken to using it on a regular basis ourselves) is:

"The ball is in your court" has changed to "The ball is in your shoe".

I definitely understand that one. Mother-in-Law is French, husband started first grade in Germany. Didn't learn English until he entered elementary at Lower Canada College.

Ironically, he has no accent, so I often forget until he mixes a metaphor or his phraseology is a little different. His mother speaks three languages (French, German, and English) so there is absolutely no way that I would EVER make fun of her because I have a great admiration for anyone who is multilingual; however, some of her words are so great we have "adopted" them. We just have to be careful and remember when NOT to use them.

[Denis C]

For those wondering about "oot and aboot": I believe the reference is to the words "out and about", as in, "He isn't at home, he's out and about town somewhere". The accent which renders these words as "oot and aboot" certainly seems local to the Maritime provinces to me - not common anywhere else in the country, and certainly not from western Canada. Is the accent from the states near New Brunswick and Nova Scotia similar?

Yes I have heard that said by folks here in the Maritimes and also Co Antrim, N.Ireland.
most likely came from our Scottish ancestory.
Phone rings....."Hello is Joe aboot?"

[Kathy Davisson]

I say crick, probably because my dad came from the prairies of Colorado where there would indeed be streams running through the cow pasture and I have seen an occasional old washing machine there. With the dry climate the old washing machines etc don't rust. They seem to last forever. I'm a notive Oregonian, but can't honestly say how others here pronounce the word.

[Craig Nold]

Thanks to Brian an' Denis for the explanation. I guess they named it "New Scotland" for a reason. I should have known that. Ma mum was a Stewart.

[CharlynnT]

Speaking of the maritimes, when working in Halifax, I nicely asked my coworker if I could use the photocopier she seemed to be finished with, and she replied, "Fill your boots!"

I thought, Well, what have I done to insult her? Then later I found out it means Help yourself, Go wild, etc.

And re odd family sayings, when growing up, my family always called our Gazebo the Gestapo; my sister and I didn't wear Leotards, they were Napoleans, the Microwave was the Microdot. Then I married a man who calls the little packs of ketchup "Safety Ketchup" because the little packs of matches were called "Safety Matches."

So, when camping, don't worry if there's no big jug of catsup: perhaps you left it in the Gestapo, or maybe there's some Safety Ketchup in the drawer under the Microdot.

And now, fellow-chatters, the ball is in your shoe!

[Andrew Gibbens]

The best expression I learnt in Halifax was "gone sky west and crooked in a basket" for something that's gone really wrong. You know - the sort of gone wrong that saying 'Sorry' ain't gonna fix....

I never was able to find anyone who could explain how, or why, it came to mean that but it's one of those phrases you don't easily forget.

Andrew

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Here's a colloquialism whose source I might be able to narrow down to one person, simply because I'd not heard it's use before meeting him.

When faced with a difficult, complicated task , the admonition is to break the task down to it's simplest forms, a series of relatively easy to solve problems. In his words "it's only nuts and bolts"!
This individual made his living, for many years, doing complete restorations of old Corvettes. Many of us would not attempt anything quite that complicated.

This saying appears to be very appropriate on this forum considering how many of us involve ourselves in modifications and/or restoration of our TT's.

Are you contemplating re-wiring, greasing wheel bearings, adding a vent cover, re-upholstery, mounting a heater, changing an axle, or... , remember "it's only nuts and bolts".

Feel free to proliferate the use of this universally appropriate saying, particularly since my friend can't recall whether or not it started with him. His response was, "I don't remember because I've slept since then!"
Enjoy the process,
Kurt & Ann K.

[CharlynnT]

The best expression I learnt in Halifax was "gone sky west and crooked in a basket" for something that's gone [b]really wrong. You know - the sort of gone wrong that saying 'Sorry' ain't gonna fix....

My mom had one, translated from flat-German, here's my phonetic try at an oral language: he's like an "own-ya-show-ta tweezel," which means something that is not only twisted, it's already been shot at. (a shot-on twister)

And I sure don't know what started that saying, but I have encountered a few situations that it describes to a tee. (to a tea?)