Word Fun

Traveling to England is nice because there is no language barrier. Sure, they have an accent and sometimes you have to pay extremely close attention when they're talking quickly, but it isn't like going to other countries where everyone is speaking a language you don't understand.

That being said, there are words here that will throw an unknowing tourist off guard. For example...

Perambulator = Stroller

Chips = French Fries

Crisps = Chips

Coriander = Cilantro

Courgette = Zucchini

Cabinet = Closet where you hang up coats

Coach = Bus

Of course, these are just a few of the words. Probably you have heard of most of these, I had heard of them before I came here. Except the zucchini thing. What on earth...?

As if that is NOT enough though, words here may look perfectly easy to pronounce. But DO NOT BE DECEIVED.

Magdalen College, Cambridge, you would logically expect to be pronounced MAG-duh-lin. No. It is, instead MAUD-lin college. Okay, you say, that's a little strange but I knew that. And indeed you may have, but beware when you go to Oxford and then to Magdalen College there. Because there you pronounce it the first way.

Confusing no? But it gets better. How would you pronounce this word. Leichester. Would you say LIE-kess-ter? LIE-chess-ter? lie-KESS-ter? Unless you are British (or someone told you), I am 100% sure you didn't guess right. Lester. That's how you say it. Lester. As in leave-out-one-whole-syllable Lester.

Anyways, despite these little things, language here is no problem. Of course, there is this strange thing that people seem to know I am an American tourist as soon as I start talking. Inexplicable! :)

P.S. Today I took a day trip to London- expect a post on that (with pictures!) tomorrow. See, now that I promised you I would I can't avoid it. :) I went here, here, here, and here, just to mention a few. And I took hundreds of pictures. Literally. So there will be pictures. I promise.