# Do British and Irish people have a hard time understanding Americans speak? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2008, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903 "2008-09-10T05:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![paulsroom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@paulsroom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulsroom)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/242 "2010-09-17T04:50:59Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I visited Bosham for the first time in my life last weekend (although I’ve been to Cosham many times) - lovely place. Must go back there at high spring tide to see the cars get washed away. Yes, seeing the cars parked at lower water level is amusing since you know what’s going to happen. From a historical interest, King Canute’s daughter is buried in the church, although I think the place he ‘tried to turn the waves back’ is in Southampton. The church is actually a Basilica which was converted into a church by the Saxons. ---
**Author:** ![paulsroom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@paulsroom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulsroom)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/243 "2010-09-17T04:53:24Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > > [@paulsroom](#): > > > > I wouldn’t say that the change of th to f is actually a feature of accent or even dialect. > > No, it really is. I’m surprised to hear fellow Brits disputing this. [Th-fronting](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th-fronting) (yeah it’s Wikipedia but it has good cites at the bottom). > > Incidentally I spent most of my childhood in Bosham. I’m not so much disputing this as basing it on British people I’ve met who have come from different regions and different accents. Sometimes the f is used in replace of the th, but it is not a feature of their regional accent. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/244 "2010-09-17T06:31:20Z")
> [@paulsroom](#): > > I’m not so much disputing this as basing it on British people I’ve met who have come from different regions and different accents. Sometimes the f is used in replace of the th, but it is not a feature of their regional accent. The cite above says it is indeed a regional feature. [Here’s one of the linked articles](http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/estuary/transcree.htm), on Estuary English: > [@](#): > > Estuary English… is like Cockney, but unlike RP (as traditionally described), in being characterized by tendencies towards, for example… **TH fronting (I fink)** Another Bosham fact: the church [appears on the Bayeux Tapestry](http://www.bosham.org/bosham-bayeux-tapestry.htm). Amazingly, there is a very recognisable architectural feature on the tapestry that is still visible today: the Anglo Saxon arch that is between what is now the nave, and the Norman-built chancel, which at the time was the entrance to the church. But the most notable historical thing about the church is that I was christened there. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/245 "2010-09-17T07:54:57Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > > [@paulsroom](#): > > > > I wouldn’t say that the change of th to f is actually a feature of accent or even dialect. > > No, it really is. I’m surprised to hear fellow Brits disputing this. [Th-fronting](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th-fronting) (yeah it’s Wikipedia but it has good cites at the bottom). > > Incidentally I spent most of my childhood in Bosham. Yeah, wtf. No other Brits have ever heard somebody from the south east replace “th” with “f”? It’s very definitely a feature of some accents in and around London, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/246 "2010-09-17T10:02:28Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > > [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > > > No, it was more about the hilarious defence you’ve mounted for a post pages ago. > > Huh? It’s been a long thread, and some responses are to posts you made what seems like years ago, guvnah. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/247 "2010-09-17T10:48:23Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > > [@Askance](#): > > > > they will also be much more likely to meet an American in Britain than an American is likely to meet a Brit in the US. > > Why is this? > … It’s the fookin’ Newcastle mate! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/248 "2010-09-17T13:34:36Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > It’s the fookin’ Newcastle mate! While we’re on it, did you have trouble understanding me in the real world? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/249 "2010-09-17T14:34:38Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > > [@BMalion](#): > > > > It’s the fookin’ Newcastle mate! > > While we’re on it, did you have trouble understanding me in the real world? 🙂 huh? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/250 "2010-09-17T15:03:20Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > > [@Cisco](#): > > > > Huh? > > It’s been a long thread, and some responses are to posts you made what seems like years ago, guvnah. I still have no idea what you are talking about. Is this your way of backing off your “amazing” comment, after reading **jjimm** ’s posts? And if I’m replying to old posts, so are you. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/251 "2010-09-17T16:06:49Z")
How does [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy2HfixB9_8)sound to the British and Irish? ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/252 "2010-09-17T16:12:02Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > How does [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy2HfixB9_8)sound to the British and Irish? American. Mumbling. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/253 "2010-09-17T16:13:47Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > How does [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy2HfixB9_8)sound to the British and Irish? That is my favourite scene in the film. Is that guy actually a professional actor? It’s not hard to understand what he’s saying though. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/254 "2010-09-17T16:20:55Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > > [@Trom](#): > > > > How does [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy2HfixB9_8)sound to the British and Irish? > > That is my favourite scene in the film. Is that guy actually a professional actor? It’s not hard to understand what he’s saying though. I assume he is. However, I grew up around there, and that type of speech is really not much of an exaggeration - especially amongst rural, older people. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/255 "2010-09-17T18:08:11Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Is that guy actually a professional actor? Here’s [a good article](http://www.mcknight.org/newsandviews/news_detail.aspx?itemID=7184&catID=2440&typeID=2) on him. The McKnight Foundation has named Minnesota theater producer, director, designer and actor Bain Boehlke as the 2009 McKnight Distinguished Artist, in recognition of artistic excellence spanning more than five decades. The annual honor, now in its 12th year, includes a $50,000 cash award and recognizes individual Minnesota artists who have made significant contributions to the quality of the state’s cultural life. Boehlke is the founding artistic director of the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis. […] In 1996 he was also featured as “Mr. Mohra” in the Oscar-winning Coen brothers film Fargo. The IMDB lists only one other film credit: something called _Four Boxes_ from 2009. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/256 "2010-09-17T18:14:32Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > > > That is my favourite scene in the film. Is that guy actually a professional actor? It’s not hard to understand what he’s saying though. > > I assume he is. However, I grew up around there, and that type of speech is really not much of an exaggeration - especially amongst rural, older people. I’m at work so I can’t click but I’m guessing _Sean of the…_ ? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903/257 "2010-09-17T19:28:24Z")
A local yokel in _Fargo_ who called the cops to report something strange he witnessed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-and-irish-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-americans-speak/462903.md?page=12)