God help me, but I’m now a telemarketer. At least I’m calling current customers and not at night. In the local AM I will be calling customers in Great Britain and those in the US in the PM. Sure, I have prepared myself to understand the fine residents of the scepter’d isles (except Scots) with decades of Monty Python and Doctor Who, but when I heard one of our people refer to our ads on the “telly” it struck me as forced, pandering, and a bit antique (does anybody over there call it that anymore?). I plan to use Americanisms until I get corrupted by talking with y’all because that’s how I talk, though some of your words may sneak into my vocabulary by osmosis (it is fortunate that “fanny” is unlikely to come up). However, I wish to be understood but not offensive, so I would appreciate some guidance regarding British words and American words.
Americanisms are well-known and familiar in British culture and, you’re right, using British slang with an American accent will sound forced and false. Even just saying ‘quid’ may cause rolled eyes and the occasional terminated call.
Just keep the tone polite, British people often sound polite even when they’re being rude, and a little self-depreciation can go a long way. You could even make the geographical nature of the call a positive - you’re ‘over the pond’ and ‘but everyone doesn’t eat only McDonald’s or drive four by fours’ (that’s SUV in British, as they might not understand the abbreviation).
And, unless your accent is really strong, it’ll be welcome as most telemarketers’ first language is not English.
Where was he living? Hardly surprising if a Pakistani from a place where Paki isn’t an insult is surprised to learn Paki is an insult. A Pakistani-Australian might not think Paki is a slur, but a British-Pakistani would beg to differ.
I’m British, and I don’t consider Brit to be a slur - I use it, many other Brits I know use it. It’s shorthand, in a way that “Paki” really, really isn’t. Brit doesn’t have the historical connotations that racial slurs usually have - with the possible exceptions of in Northern Ireland or parts of Scotland. (I don’t know that they use it as an insult, but I could imagine it might be used differently there).
I mean, it can be an insult - but then, so can “pal” or “mate”, when used with the right tone of voice.
For the OP, I think, given that you’re doing telemarketing, your accent and vocabulary will be the least of your worries! I wouldn’t try modifying your language to suit local norms - you risk coming across as patronising or taking the piss out of people, if they’re not terms you use normally. (Telly is commonly used though, in case you hear it, since you mentioned it!)
“Brit” is not generally considered a slur here, although sometimes it irritates me a bit as I wonder how many people even know it’s not what we’re actually called. “Paki” most certainly is considered a slur here. I’d love to see that change because I don’t see why we have to give bigots ammunition by issuing universal proclamations that potentially innocuous words can and should cause offence.
In answer to your question, you might get good results with a few Americanisms that you’re sure people will understand. I’ve never had a call from an American call centre before so I imagine it will be a novelty for people used to Indians and Glaswegians. Maybe that depends on your accent.
I disagree with the self-conscious approach but then I’ve never been a telemarketer. I don’t think it would work well on me anyway.
And just a minor nitpick: It’s “self-deprecation”.
Just speak American. You’re all over our TV and movie screens anyway, we already know you speak 95% English and we can work around the differences. It’s just like I’d sooner deal with a telemarketer who admitted that his given name was Narendra and be done with it rather than saying “Hi, my name’s Chris and I’d like to ask you…”. And most American accents are a lot easier on the English ear than Indian is, even though plenty of educated Indians have good enough English grammar to put many a native speaker to shame.
Be careful not to refer to someone as English unless you are 100% sure they are. I know the Scots don’t much like it and I would imagine the other UK nationalities don’t either.
It’d go down like a cup of cold sick with any number of Welsh people I’ve known, for sure. They have enough on their plate what with not even being represented on the Union Flag, for a start.
I thought it was established in that other thread that the term Brit (although used in terms like “Brits Out!” in Northern Ireland and maybe Scotland) is in no way comparable to the term Paki as used in Britain.
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