For months I have been ignoring the message on the Daily Mail news pages 'Send us the goss'. I did not know what goss meant. Today I looked it up. The answer is below.
I still find that in Singapore, people think they are speaking British English, but talk about going out in the rain and having wet pants.
This makes me raise my eyebrowns, frown, wince. To the British, pants are what Americans call underpants. Make sure that you are understood by all the audience members, including judges in an international speech contest.
You have plenty of opportunity to create a humorous speech from words you have misunderstood at home, online, or when travelling. Just make sure that you do not unintentionally create a humorous speech.
Americanism - British English
billboard - poster / poster site
elementary school - primary school
Check - bill
goss - gossip
high school - secondary school
Pants - trousers
private school - public school
public school / state school - council school
some time back - some time ago
start over - begin again
underpants - pants
yard - garden
British English - Americanisms
begin again - start over
bill - check
garden - yard
gossip - goss
secondary school - high school
pants - underpants
public school - private school
secondary school - high school
some time ago - some time back
trousers - pants
Useful Websites
BBC on Americanisms
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-14201796
Wiki Americanisms
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_New_International_Encyclop%C3%A6dia/Americanisms
Angela Lansbury's posts
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/11/americanisms-and-british-english.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2016/05/todays-americanism-candy-and-cookie-in.html
About the Author of this blog, Author Angela Lansbury
BIOGRAPHY
Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5
The Author of several books, including: Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.
Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com
dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President
Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time
Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;
Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;
Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.
More details from Toastmasters International find a club.
Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.
Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.
Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.
Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.
Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.
Language and speech workshops in Singapore.
Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.
Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.
Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.
Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.
I also have a blog on comic poems.
Please share links to your favourite posts.
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