# Are we Brits going to lose our Mums? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050 "2004-09-11T16:26:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/21 "2004-09-11T20:44:45Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Also. Shite (pronounced like ‘kite’ with a sh) sounds slightly better than shit. one popular use is “Bag o Shite” meaning, well, something is shit or crap. I’ve heard Americans (including myself) say this. The language movement isn’t all one way. When I was in college, my friend had a British roommate, and we used to giggle over her use of the phrase “I couldn’t be bothered”. How British! Now I hear it with some regularity, from ordinary Americans. I believe that the phrase “good on ya” is originally Australian, but I hear it occasionally, and see it quite often from people of various nationalities here on the SDMB. BTW, for every British person who starts dropping the "u"s from colour and behaviour because they’ve been exposed to too much American-infested internet, there’s an American who starts adding the "u"s to color and behavior because they think it “looks nicer”. (There are at least a couple people on my LJ friends list who do this!) ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/22 "2004-09-11T20:47:01Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > and one more thing: studying numbers is called \* math [/]. There ain’t no “s” on the end of it.That’s just plain stupid, okay? Umm, mathematics has an “s” at the end of it. > [@Aesiron](#): > > Damn isn’t a swear? Hell no. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/23 "2004-09-11T20:47:08Z")
I am also of the opinion that the u-included words are nicer. But then I am biassed. You reminded me of another use for ‘arse’ - “Couldn’t be Arsed” ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/24 "2004-09-11T20:48:30Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Damn isn’t a swear? Technically it is, but it’s far milder than ‘fuck’. I would be very very reluctant to say ‘fuck’ in front of my mother. but I would have no problem saying ‘damn’. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/25 "2004-09-11T21:02:14Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > BTW, for every British person who starts dropping the "u"s from colour and behaviour because they’ve been exposed to too much American-infested internet, there’s an American who starts adding the "u"s to color and behavior because they think it “looks nicer”. (There are at least a couple people on my LJ friends list who do this!) I do that with some words and even have a bad habit of adding u’s to words that don’t have them in either variety of English. It can be pretty embarassing. > [@Lobang](#): > > But then I am biassed. You’re _ **what** _? (biased has one S, dude) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/26 "2004-09-11T21:04:20Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > You’re _ **what** _? (biased has one S, dude) I have two asses. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/27 "2004-09-11T21:08:19Z")
I hope you mean that you own two mules. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/28 "2004-09-11T22:07:11Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > It makes me a bit sad that My country continues to assimilate all things American. > > America is a great place but I like my Britain. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. [/Obligatory Borg Reference] ---
**Author:** ![MikeCollins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbce88/32.png) [@MikeCollins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeCollins)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/29 "2004-09-11T22:18:13Z")
> [@](#): > > I hope you mean that you own two mules. Or four, depending on how he sits on them. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/30 "2004-09-12T00:55:14Z")
What’s the sense of having the same word for anus as for donkey? And “can’t be arsed” is a really useful expression that just doesn’t work with ‘ass’. Also, I’ve never heard ‘feck’ used as **Aesiron** describes, only in connection with Father Ted (as with ‘smeg’ from Red Dwarf). Among friends in Newcastle, ‘Mam’ is as commonly encountered as ‘Mum’ as the affectionate version of Mother. No-one I know says Mom unless they’re taking the piss (there’s another great British expression) of an American talking ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/31 "2004-09-12T01:04:05Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > What about wrapped up corpses that kiss you at bedtime? Funny, this is the exact same nightmare that I get every time I drink 6 cups of coffee & take a double dose of cough syrup before beddy-bye. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/32 "2004-09-12T01:21:57Z")
> [@bluecanary](#): > > (as with ‘smeg’ from Red Dwarf). Funny. ‘Smeg’ (and it’s origin) is the word I quickly thought of after thinking about how to answer **Aesiron** ’s question about ‘feck’ and ‘fecking’. I recently saw a doc type thing (called ‘comedy connections’) which explained the deeper origin of ‘smeg’ ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/33 "2004-09-12T01:24:05Z")
Funny. That’s three posts in a row that start with ‘funny’ and either a fulll stop of a comma. Maybe **Bosda** ’s post subliiminally suggested it to me, or maybe it’s one of those eerie coincidences. ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/34 "2004-09-12T01:49:03Z")
Funny. Anyway, my all-time favo **u** rite interjection was uttered by Father Jack, who lives with the Father Ted mentioned above. **ARSE BISCUITS!!!** ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/35 "2004-09-12T01:58:27Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Maybe **Bosda** ’s post subliiminally suggested it to me, or maybe it’s one of those eerie coincidences. Nah. I think you’ve been drinking too much cough syrup with your coffee. Had any wrapped-up corpses try to kiss you? ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/36 "2004-09-12T02:07:17Z")
Every time I see the word “arse” written out, I imagine a pirate saying “Arrr-se”. This is why I can’t bring myself to actually _say_ the word, and why I giggle each time I hear it aloud. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/37 "2004-09-12T02:13:22Z")
If we wind up transforming other cultures into copies of our own, who are we going to steal from? Martians? ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/38 "2004-09-12T02:28:13Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > What about wrapped up corpses that kiss you at bedtime? That’s Grandma. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/39 "2004-09-12T04:26:18Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > r It’s purely cultural, but I can’t help but smile when I come across an “arse” reference in something; it just seems so innocent and quaint! Funny…doesn’t sound that way when my boyfriend says it (who loves my arse quite a bit 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050/40 "2004-09-12T04:31:06Z")
And if it helps any Lobsang, above boyfriend is doing his best to indoctrinate me…gets upset if I say “sidewalk” 😃 If we repoduce I guess the kid’ll have an American mum 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-brits-going-to-lose-our-mums/264050.md?page=3)