Erin Moore - Thats Not English: Britishisms, Americanisms, and What Our English Says About Us

by Lynne Truss

In which we find out why Americans really like quite and the English only quite like really.

In which we find a far more stable class hierarchy in England, where class and cash are but loosely linked.

In which we are surprised to discover that the English eat more chocolate than Americans do.

In which we find out why the English love uniforms so much.

In which the English creative class appears to take over the American media, bringing new slang with it.

In which America and England are shown to be among the worlds fattest countries, despite their apparent dedication to fitness.

In which we find out why the English refuse to apologize for their overuse of sorry .

In which we attempt to bring back a useful old word (while simultaneously discouraging the use of a vulgar one).

In which we find out why Queen Victoria said, Give my people plenty of beer, good beer, and cheap beer, and you will have no revolution among them.

In which our children arrive to collectively lobotomize us.

In which the rain, it raineth. Every. Single. Day.

In which a venerable old word is seized upon by vulgariansbut not Americans.

In which we unpack the reasons why the English take moreand longervacations than Americans.

In which we detect a common thread of anti-intellectualism running through both countries.

In which ancient conflicts and prejudices continue to make life difficult for English redheads.

In which a word typifying American ease is revealed to have had more urbane origins.

In which an expat finds that her frustration with English reserve is not always justified.

In which we learn that peopleand thingscan be proper without being pretentious.

In which American earnestness and moral relativism are shown to be two sides of the same coin.

In which the existence of the English stiff upper lip is called into question.

In which we swearand sharealike.

In which we recognize the difference between American- and English-style self-deprecation.

In which we close our eyes and think of England.

In which a word seldom heard in America still speaks to the English.

In which the great and the good get gongs (and I explain what that means, in English).

In which we delve into the origins of a controversial nickname and uncover its unexpected relationship to pie.

In which the money-talk taboo buckles under the weight of the recent recession.

In which we explore the pagan side of Christmas with our mutual friend Charles Dickens.

In which a gracious art is defended from its detractors.

In which the drinkand the rituals surrounding itare shown to be considerably stronger than they appear.

In which the Moore family comes to an enchanting place, and we leave them there.