Unit 2 Word power American English VS British

Unit 2 Word power American English VS British English & Colloquialisms Ma Jingying 2017. 10. 13

Teaching aims After learning this section, the students will be able to: 1. know and recognize differences between American and British English; 2. know differences between American and British cultures； 3. learn and remember some colloquialisms;

American English VS British English

Joe & (an American) Nancy (an Englishman) • At Nancy’s home. • Joe asked, “ Could I use your bathroom? ” • Nancy said, “ OK. It was upstairs. ” Then he gave Joe a clean towel. • However, Joe didn’t find the bathroom.

What actually did Joe want to find in the bathroom? Why can’t he find it? (1) Joe wanted to find a toilet. (2) Joe is an American, he says bathroom and means a place where there is a toilet. In Nancy’s eye, it’s a place where people can only have a bath.

Differences between British English and American English

British English VS American English Grammar Spelling Vocabulary Pronunciation

Grammar American Sam just went home. That skirt fit badly. Hello, is this Wang Li? I live on Zhenning Road. Call me at 55555678. Do you have a pen? I don’t have a pen. British Sam’s just gone home. That skirt fitted badly. Hello, is that Wang Li? I live in Zhenning Road. Call me on 55555678. Have you (got) a pen? I haven’t (got) a pen.

Spelling American center color traveler behavior favor program British centre colour traveller behaviour favour programme

Vocabulary American candy movie soccer vacation gas restroom/bathroom British sweets film football holiday petrol toilet/WC

Vocabulary American first floor second floor mail apartment subway British ground floor first floor post flat underground

Pronunciation American British answer [æ] answer [ɑ: ] God [gad] God [gɒd] box [bɑːks] box [bɒks] either [iðɚ] either [aiðə ] not [nat] not [nɔt ]

Besides language, can you name any other differences between the cultures of the USA and the UK?

Brain-storm: How much do you know? 1) Thanksgiving is observed only in America _______. right side in 2) People usually walk on the ______ the USA while in the UK people usually walk left on the ______ side. Americans behave in a more casual way 3) _____ Britain people are a bit more formal while in _______ or traditional.

Brain-storm: How much do you know? 4) Americans select president ____ as the top leader King or of the country, while in the UK, the ______ Queen is always the representative of the ______ country. 5) Football has its origin in Britain ______, but in America, where it is called ______, soccer it is not so popular as American football, or rugby.

Finish the exercise on Page 26. Answers: is that 1. _____ centre 2. ______ fitted 3. _____ toilet 4. ______ programme 5. _____ colour 6. ______ 7. __________ She’s just gone home 8. _____ on

• Discussion • As a matter of fact, despite such differences, nearly all English speakers, Americans or Englishmen, can understand each other. • Therefore, we can use both American English and British English in our daily life.

Colloquialisms

Definition (P 27) A colloquialism is an informal expression used in spoken English. Colloquialisms are often used in conversations.

Colloquialisms You are telling me I’m lazy. Ha, look what a mess your room is! That is like the pot calling the kettle black ! This is a colloquialism. Do you know what does it mean?

Don’t worry. It’s a piece of cake! something easy to do

Don’t be a wet blanket. Have some fun! boring / afraid to have fun

Go on, tell me. I’m all ears. listening carefully

Are you serious? Don’t pull my leg. joke with someone

1. a piece of cake 小菜一碟 容易的事 e. g. No sweat. This project will be a piece of cake. We needn't have worried about the math exam. It was a piece of cake.

2. a wet blanket 令人扫兴的人 I’m sorry to be such a wet blanket, but I’m afraid I have to go home now.

3. all ears 形容很专心地倾听, 全神贯注 When someone is all ears, he or she is listening with complete attention． e. g. Whenever you tell Johnny some gossip, he’s all ears.

4. to pull one’s leg 逗别人，开别人玩笑 e. g. My roommate said this girl had told him she wouldn’t mind going out with me. But when I invited her to a movie, I learned he was just pulling my leg.

Read the sentences and express what the colloquialisms under-lined mean. 1. Though you are busy, could you just lend me an ear for a moment? to listen and pay attention to

2. If Huston rockets can win this basketball game by twenty points, I will eat my hat. be 100 percent certain that something will happen 拓展： eat (one’s) words: to retract something that one has said

3. I have never expected Lily to act as cool as a cucumber in the traffic accident. very calm in difficult situations

4. All the family members come to persuade Jim to change his idea, but he is as stubborn as a mule. refusing to change one’s opinion

5. As a green hand, Robert nearly drove into the grocery on roadside. one who is new in a certain field

6. Because Tod failed in his maths exam, he was as quiet as a mouse when his father scolded him. making very little noise

Guess what the expressions mean. 1. Mrs Black’s garden is the best in our town. She has real green fingers. be good at gardening (园艺能手） _______________ 2. He makes every decision in our company. He is the top dog. an important person in an organization _________________

3. Why did you give her the cold shoulder? You are good friends, aren’t you? be not friendly to her ___________ 4. I wish I had brought my umbrella. It’s raining cats and dogs. raining heavily _____________ 5. Football is just not my cup of tea —I like really to my taste playing volleyball. not __________

Translate the following colloquialisms. 1. a piece of cake 小菜一碟；容易的事 2. a wet blanket 令人扫兴的人或事 3. be all ears 全神贯注，专心听 4. pull one's leg 逗别人，开玩笑 5. lend sb. an ear 听；注意 6. eat my hat 情愿受罚（表示很确定）

Translate the following colloquialisms 7. a green hand 新手；没经验的人 8. green fingers 园艺能手 9. the top dog 领头羊；最有权的人 10. rain cats and dogs 大雨倾盆 11. be not sb. 's cup of tea 不合某人口味 12. give sb. the cold 冷落某人 shoulder

1. Keep the examples of American English and British English in your mind. 2. Review the colloquialisms learnt today. 3. Preview Grammar and Usage.

Thank you for your attention~