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1、American English vs British English & ColloquialismsJoe (an American) Nancy (an Englishman)Once Joe came to Britain for the first time by air. When he arrived at Nancys home. He asked, “ Could I use your bathroom?” Nancy said ok and gave him a clean towel and told him that the bathroom was upstairs.
2、 After a while, however, Joe didnt find the bathroom.1. What is it that Joe cant find in the bathroom?2. Why cant he find it?It is a toilet that Joe couldnt find.Joe is an American, he says bathroom and means a place where there is a toilet. But in Nancys eye, its a place where people can only have
3、a bath. Because of this, they misunderstood each other.1.Do you think there are some differences between American English and British English?2. If there are some, in which aspect do they exist?3. Could you list the differences you know?Its useful for us to know some differences between British Engl
4、ish and American English. Look at the following tables:DifferencesBritish EnglishAmerican EnglishPronunciationdance /d:ns/not /nt / either /ai /dance /dns/not /nat/either /i/ DifferencesBritish EnglishAmerican EnglishSpellingcolourtravellprogrammefavourcentre colortravelprogramfavorcenterDifferences
5、British EnglishAmerican EnglishGrammarhave gotVocabularyholidaypoststaircasepetrolluggagehavevacationstairwaymailgasbaggageAmerican or British English? (AE/BE) 1. Have you got any pets? Yes, Ive got three rabbits and a tortoise. 2. I have an apartment in the city center. 3. Do you have a walkman？ Ha
6、ve you (got) a walkman？AEBEBEAE4. I dont have any ink. I havent (got) any ink. 5. Lets stay home. Lets stay at home. 6. He has gotten a new job. He has got a new job. AEAEAEBEBEBECan you name any other differences?How much do you know?(1)Thanksgiving is observed only in _.(2) People usually walk on
7、the _ side in the USA while in the UK people usually walk on the _ side.(3) _ behave in a more casual way while in _ people are a bit more formal or traditional.AmericarightleftAmericans Britain (4) Americans select _ as the top leader of the country, while in the UK, the _ or _ is always the repres
8、entative of the country.(5) Football has its origin in _, but in America, where it is called _, it is not so popular as American football, or _.presidentKing Queen Britain soccerrugbyChange the underlined words and phrases from American English to British English.Answers:1._ 2._3._ 4._5._ 6._7._ 8._
9、is thatfittedprogrammecolourtoiletonShes just gone homecentreColloquialismsYou are telling me Im 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?A colloquialism is an informal expression used in spoken Eng
10、lish. Colloquialisms are never used in formal English or in writing, but are often used in conversations.What is a colloquialism?Dont worry. Its a piece of cake!something easy to doDont be a wet blanket. Have some fun!boring / afraid to have funGo on, tell me. Im all ears.listening carefullyAre you
11、serious? Dont pull my leg.joke with someone1. a piece of cake 小菜一碟小菜一碟 容易的事容易的事e.g. No sweat. This project will be a piece of cake. 没问题，这项计划不费吹灰之力。没问题，这项计划不费吹灰之力。 2. a wet blanket 令人扫兴的人令人扫兴的人这一表达的来源是：当发生火灾的时候，这一表达的来源是：当发生火灾的时候，为了扑火，把湿毛毯盖到火上。后用来为了扑火，把湿毛毯盖到火上。后用来指在社交场合泼冷水，令人扫兴的人。指在社交场合泼冷水，令人扫兴的人。如：如：
12、Im sorry to be such a wet blanket, but Im afraid I have to go home now. 3. all ears 形容很专心地倾听，全神贯注形容很专心地倾听，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, hes all ears.每当你说闲话给约翰尼听时，他总是全每当你说闲话给约翰尼听时，他总是全神贯注。神贯注。4. to pull ones leg
13、 逗别人，开别人玩笑逗别人，开别人玩笑e.g. My roommate said this girl had told him she wouldnt mind going out with me. But when I invited her to a movie, I learned he was just pulling my leg.我的室友说，那个女孩愿意和我一起出去我的室友说，那个女孩愿意和我一起出去玩。可是，当我请她去看电影的时候，我玩。可是，当我请她去看电影的时候，我才发现我那同学是才发现我那同学是逗我，开我的玩笑逗我，开我的玩笑。Read the sentences and
14、express what the colloquialisms under-lined mean. 1. Though you are busy, could you just lend me an ear for a moment? lend me an ear : to listen and pay attention to 倾听；注意；仔细地听倾听；注意；仔细地听 2. I have never expected Lily to act as cool as a cucumber in the traffic accident. as cool as a cucumber: very c
15、alm and controlled in difficult situations. 像黄瓜一样凉爽像黄瓜一样凉爽 就是当一个人碰到困难和麻烦时很冷就是当一个人碰到困难和麻烦时很冷 静、很放松。静、很放松。 3. All the family members come to persuade Jim to change his idea, but he is as stubborn as a mule. as stubborn as a mule: refusing to change ones opinion 倔得像头骡子倔得像头骡子4. As a green hand, Robert n
16、early drove into the grocery on roadside. green hand : one who is new in a certain field 生手，没有经验的人生手，没有经验的人5. Because Tod failed in his maths exam, he was as quiet as a mouse when his father scolded him. as quiet as a mouse: making very little noise 非常安静，不声不响非常安静，不声不响6.After the flood, Mr. Deng was
17、as poor as a church mouse.as poor as a church mouse: very poor 一贫如洗一贫如洗Guess what the expressions mean.1. Mrs Blacks garden is the best in our town. She has real green fingers. _2. He makes every decision in our company. He is the top dog. _be good at gardening (园艺能手）园艺能手） an important person in an
18、organization3. Why did you give her the cold shoulder? You are good friends, arent you? _4. I wish I had brought my umbrella. Its raining cats and dogs. _5. Football is just not my cup of tea I like playing volleyball. _be not friendly to herraining heavily (下倾盆大雨下倾盆大雨) not really to my tasteFill in
19、 the blanks with the colloquialisms we have learned.1. Kate, dont be_ at the party. Lets dance together. 2. Jim, when I explain the language points, you should _. a wet blanketlend me an ear3. -Oh, you got wet all over. How is it, Daniel? -Mum, dont you know it _ _ on my way home?and dogsrains cats4
20、. -Hey! Ellen, you got an A for your history exam. - Dont _. Are you serious?5. Look at Mr. Smith garden. He has_.pull my leggreen fingers6. -Who is that dull boy? He even doesnt know where his office is. -This is his first day here. He is a _.7. Boys and girls, when you are reading in the reading room, you should remain _. Are you clear?green handas quiet as a mouse1. Try your best to keep the examples of American English and British English in your mind.2. Find more colloquialisms if you like.3. Revise the play and find the sentences with attributive clause.
