Australian / British vs American English

Question

I am trying to find some different ways of saying things in Australian, British and American English.
For example:
American: I'm going out - do you want to come with ? Australian, British: I'm going out - do you want to come with *me* ?

American: Where are you *at* ?
Australian, British: Where are you ?
American: It's different than the other one.
Australian, British: It's different *to* the other one.

American: I'll be with you momentarily
Australian, British: I'll be with you in a moment (or, in a minute; or, in just a second)
Australian: Are you right ?
American, British: Do you need any help with anything ?

Does anyone know any others ?
Thanks for your help,
David Fisher
Sydney, Australia

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I am trying to find some different ways of saying things in Australian, British and American English.[/nq]
Here are a few more I could think of:
American: How are you doing ?
Australian: How are you going ?
American: What's *up* with him ?
Australian, British: What's the matter with him ?

American: I wouldn't *of* done it ...
Australian, British: I wouldn't have done it ...

(Correct me if any of these are wrong :-)
David Fisher
Sydney, Australia

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I am trying to find some different ways of saying things in Australian, British and American English.[/nq]
[nq:1]Here are a few more I could think of: American: How are you doing* ? Australian: How are you *going* ... done it ... Australian, British: I wouldn't *have done it ... (Correct me if any of these are wrong :-)[/nq]
Is English your first language? Is this some sort of joke? Perhaps you are a troll.

My contacts in the industry tell me that Mel is next going to make a

movie about the Children of Israel's escape from Egypt which will focus

almost entirely on the twelve hours that it took for the Egyptian army

to drown in the Red Sea after Moses was done parting it. Other than a

few flashbacks to toads falling from the sky and rivers turning crimson

with blood, it will just be endless sequences of people trying to tread

water and gasping for air. The Pope has already seen the shooting script

and said, "It is as it was", so you can see it's going to be another

good one for Gibson.

Usenet · Answer

Bill Bonde asked:
[nq:1]Is English your first language? Is this some sort of joke? Perhaps you are a troll.[/nq]
Yes it is, and it's not a joke ... what made you think so ?

David Fisher
Sydney, Australia ( <= the location might have given away my first language)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Is English your first language? Is this some sort of joke? Perhaps you are a troll.[/nq]
Straight invective? Looks more like gratuitous, unprovoked and unfair insult.
DCC

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Bill Bonde asked:[/nq]
[nq:2]Is English your first language? Is this some sort of joke? Perhaps you are a troll.[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes it is, and it's not a joke ... what made you think so ? David Fisher Sydney, Australia ( <= the location might have given away my first language)[/nq]
Bill's possibly getting upset about
[nq:1]American: I wouldn't of* done it ... Australian, British: I wouldn't *have done it ...[/nq]
The actual words are "I wouldn't have done it". This is sometimes written using a weak form which approximates the spoken version as "I wouldn't've done it". Because the "'ve" sounds like "of" millions of native speakers (wrongly) write "I wouldn't *of* done it" (in fact I used to do this myself before I started getting interested in language teaching). Bill may think you've just suggested all Americans are illiterate...

Interesting to hear the responses you get - but you might get more on alt.english.usage or alt.usage.english.
G'day
DCC

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I am trying to find some different ways of saying things in Australian, British and American English. American: It's different than* the other one. Australian, British: It's different *to the other one.[/nq]
Correct British English would be "It's different from the other one" - though the uneducated do often use "to" in this context.
[nq:1]Australian: Are you right ? American, British: Do you need any help with anything ?[/nq]
A closer British English equivalent would be "Are you alright?"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I am trying to find some different ways of saying ... other one. Australian, British: It's different *to* the other one.[/nq]
[nq:1]Correct British English would be "It's different from the other one" - though the uneducated do often use "to" in this context.[/nq]
"Different to" is a common dialectic form. It is not necessarily uneducated.
[nq:2]Australian: Are you right ? American, British: Do you need any help with anything ?[/nq]
[nq:1]A closer British English equivalent would be "Are you alright?"[/nq]
"Alright" is uneducated, although widespread.
m.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I am trying to find some different ways of saying things in Australian, British and American English.[/nq]
[nq:1]Here are a few more I could think of: American: What's up* with him ? Australian, British: What's *the matter with him ?[/nq]
"What's *up* with him" is common in the UK.
m.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Australian: Are you right ? American, British: Do you need any help with anything ?[/nq]
[nq:1]A closer British English equivalent would be "Are you alright?"[/nq]
Interestingly in Hiberno-English (not Ulster Scots as far as I recall) "Are you right?" is quite common.
Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1][/nq]
[nq:2]A closer British English equivalent would be "Are you alright?"[/nq]
[nq:1]Interestingly in Hiberno-English (not Ulster Scots as far as I recall) "Are you right?" is quite common. Regards, Einde O'Callaghan[/nq]
As it is here int' North of England.
DCC

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