American Britishisms: Why Some Americans Are Speaking Like Brits

È sempre più frequente sentire giovani americani usare parole e frasi tipiche del Regno Unito e imitarne l’accento. Perché succede?

Bandera UK
Daniel Francis

Speaker (UK accent)

Aggiornato il giorno

475 American Britishisms ADOBESTOCK

Ascolta questo articolo

Glossary Stampare

Glossary

+ to complain: lamentarsi + the late 2010s: alla fine del decennio 2010 + to notice: notare + trend: moda, tendenza + to grow out of: essere grande per + to handle: gestire + awkward: scomodo + to alienate themselves: estraniarsi + anger: rabbia + to soften: attenuare + fortnight: quindici giorni + therefore: perciò, quindi + to fall out of usage: cadere in disuso + to argue: argomentare + to engage in conversation: intraprendere una conversazione + mischievous: malizioso + playful: giocoso, scherzoso + to engage: brindare + ginger-haired wizard: mago dai capelli rossi + utterly: totalmente + astonished: stupito, meravigliato + sick: figo + penniless: al verde, senza soldi + broke: in bancarotta

SPEAK UP EXPLAINS

+ SPEAK UP EXPLAINS Generazione Z. Conosciuta anche come Zoomers, è il gruppo demografico di persone nate tra la fine degli anni novanta e l’inizio degli anni duemila, che quindi sono già cresciute nell’ecosistema digitale o, come spesso si dice, sono i primi ‘nativi digitali’. Secondo questa tassonomia informale, sarebbero preceduti dalla Generazione X (1965-1980) e dalla Generazione Y o Millennials (1981-1997) e, invertendo l’ordine alfabetico, sarebbero seguiti dalla Generazione Alpha, nata nei primi anni 2010 a oggi. + SPEAK UP EXPLAINS con il tempo
ITA 475 COVER

Questo articolo appartiene al numero october 2024 della rivista Speak Up.

For years, British linguists have been complaining + to complain: lamentarsi about Americanisms invading British English. But now the opposite is also occurring, as Britishisms — words and phrases that were once exclusive to British English — are becoming more popular among Americans, particularly members of Gen Z + SPEAK UP EXPLAINS Generazione Z. Conosciuta anche come Zoomers, è il gruppo demografico di persone nate tra la fine degli anni novanta e l’inizio degli anni duemila, che quindi sono già cresciute nell’ecosistema digitale o, come spesso si dice, sono i primi ‘nativi digitali’. Secondo questa tassonomia informale, sarebbero preceduti dalla Generazione X (1965-1980) e dalla Generazione Y o Millennials (1981-1997) e, invertendo l’ordine alfabetico, sarebbero seguiti dalla Generazione Alpha, nata nei primi anni 2010 a oggi. . Many American Gen Zers, who are now in their teens and twenties, are using Britishisms and even adopting British accents in certain situations, resulting in millions of related online posts and videos on social media sites such as TikTok.

475 American Britishisms ADOBESTOCK01

as seen (and heard) on tv

The popularity of Britishisms among Gen Zers has been attributed primarily to the influence of British TV shows, beginning with the British animated TV series Peppa Pig. Many American Gen Zers grew up watching Peppa Pig, and in the late 2010s + the late 2010s: alla fine del decennio 2010 , parents began to notice + to notice: notare that their children sometimes spoke like the show’s main character, by saying the British ‘Mummy’ instead of the American equivalent, ‘Mommy’, and pronouncing ‘tomato’ as ‘to-mah-to’, as most British people do, instead of ‘to-may-to’, which is the typical American pronunciation. This trend + trend: moda, tendenza became known as the Peppa Effect. 

In time + SPEAK UP EXPLAINS con il tempo , of course, most Gen Zers grew out of + to grow out of: essere grande per  Peppa Pig, but their speech continued to be influenced by other British TV shows popular among their generation. These included reality shows such as Love Island, The Only Way Is Essex, and Too Hot to Handle + to handle: gestire , as well as the science-fiction series Dr. Who and the historical drama series Downton Abbey. In addition, Gen Zers had easy access to British news media, and so were frequently exposed to British English accents and colloquialisms.

Used in tough situations

So, has British English replaced American English among this young generation of Americans? No. Typically, Gen Zers limit their use of Britishisms, often accompanied by a British accent, to certain situations, particularly those in which they feel awkward + awkward: scomodo or uncomfortable. They use Britishisms as a verbal tic, effectively embodying the persona of a British alter ego in order to alienate themselves + to alienate themselves: estraniarsi from what they are saying. For example, they might feel uncomfortable expressing anger + anger: rabbia or frustration in their native American accent. So, they use British language and pronunciation as a means of distancing themselves from their emotion and softening + to soften: attenuare the impact of their words.

A natural evolution

When the first generations of British people lived in what is now the US, they spoke British English — because American English didn’t yet exist. At that time, many English-speakers in Britain used words that are now associated with American English, such as ‘candy’, which has since been replaced in British English by the word ‘sweets’, and ‘fall’ instead of ‘autumn’. At the same time, many English-speakers in the US used words now associated with British English, such as ‘trousers’ instead of the modern American equivalent, ‘pants’, and ‘fortnight + fortnight: quindici giorni ’ instead of ‘two weeks’. 

Therefore + therefore: perciò, quindi , some words now considered examples of American English were once commonly used in British English, and vice versa. Over time, however, certain words fell out of usage + to fall out of usage: cadere in disuso on either side of the Atlantic Ocean and were replaced by others, and American English evolved as its own distinct variety, leading to the publication of the first dictionary of American English in 1806. The import of Americanisms into British English, and of Britishisms into American English is to some extent a reversal of this process and, one could argue + to argue: argomentare , part of the natural evolution of the English language.  

popular Britishisms in the US

Here are fifteen British English words and phrases that are being used by American Gen Zers. 

chat up: to engage + to engage in conversation: intraprendere una conversazione someone in flirtatious conversation.

cheeky: insolent or audacious. You might also hear the phrase ‘cheeky monkey’, used to refer to someone who is being mischievous + mischievous: malizioso or playful + playful: giocoso, scherzoso

cheers: used when toasting + to engage: brindare  a drink or to mean ‘thanks’ or ‘goodbye’.

fancy: to want to have or do something. Example: “Do you fancy going for a drink after work?”

flat: an apartment.

ginger: used to describe someone with red hair. The use of this word with this particular meaning has become more common in the US, almost certainly because of the popularity of the Harry Potter series, which features the ginger-haired wizard + ginger-haired wizard: mago dai capelli rossi Ron Weasley. 

gobsmacked:utterly + utterly: totalmente astonished + astonished: stupito, meravigliato .

innit: a contraction of ‘isn’t it’. Example: “That film’s sick + sick: figo , innit?”

loo: an informal word for a bathroom or toilet.

mate: a friend.

mobile: short for ‘mobile phone’ and equivalent to the American English ‘cell phone’.

muppet/numpty/twit: all of these words mean ‘a stupid person’.

skint: penniless + penniless: al verde, senza soldi ; broke + broke: in bancarotta .

spot on: exactly correct or accurate.

will do: used to agree to do something that someone has asked you to do.

Example: “Could you please get me a sandwich for lunch?” “Will do!”

 

Questo contenuto è esclusivo per gli abbonati.

Migliora il tuo livello di inglese con Speak Up.

Ottieni l'accesso illimitato a tutti gli articoli e agli audio del sito web e dell'app.

ABBONATI

The Zippo Lighter: Eternal Flame

Culture

The Zippo Lighter: Eternal Flame

Questo accendino dalla fiamma resistente a tutte le stagioni offre una garanzia a vita ed è uno dei preferiti dai consumatori da oltre novant’anni.

Julian Earwaker

Lord Byron: The Tragic Romantic Poet

People

Lord Byron: The Tragic Romantic Poet

Poeta venerato, riuscì a suscitare sia ammirazione che scandalo nella società del primo Ottocento. Quando non era intento a sedurre uomini e donne in ogni circostanza, scriveva alcuni dei più acuti versi satirici in lingua inglese o lottava per l’indipendenza della Grecia.

Conor Gleeson

More in Explore

App per imparare l'inglese nel 2025
iStock

Tips and resources

App per imparare l'inglese nel 2025

Questa è la selezione di Speak Up delle migliori app per imparare l'inglese nel 2025. Con questi strumenti e gli articoli esclusivi che troverai sul nostro sito, quest'anno porterai il tuo inglese a un livello superiore.

Julia Nigmatullina

TODAY’S TOP STORIES