Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

I didn't realize how strongly negative British people's feelings about accents there are! I think you are lucky to have so many different ones.

It always seems strange and pretty wonderful to me that you have so many accents on such a tiny island. I would have expected them to have blended together more over the years. Don't you people move? Or do almost all people end up staying in their home town (like me!)?

Over here I'd have to travel at least a day by car to hear any accent differences (8 hours to Chicago). The differences would be pretty subtle, too. There is a country Iowan way of talking, though, which I find interesting. The grammar is a bit non-standard.

Here is a word I dislike: I don't like the word "guys." Everyone here says it now. School teachers say to the kids, "Okay, guys, let's go (blah blah)." The part that annoys me is that "guy" used to just be used to refer to a "man," and now it has taken over meaning "woman," too. Luckily, most kids these days just think of "guys" as meaning "people," so the sexism inherent in the word has died. I never say it, though. I say, "Okay, people, let's go."

Oh, and I hate "Mrs." and "Miss." Why should women but not men be addressed differently based on marital status? It's like women are inherently being put up for sexual perusal! I dislike "Mr.", too.

EDIT: I do find it kind of cute, though, when young grocery store urchins (baggers) call me Ma'am. It makes me want to giggle. Hearing such ancient politeness come out of the mouths of 17-year-olds is a little sweet.