# What Britishisms most baffle Americans? What Americanisms most baffle Brits? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 2024, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941 "2024-10-18T08:53:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 46
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/901 "2024-12-23T04:24:33Z")
I know the South Park character, and I understand the distinction you’re making… but I cannot for the life of me hear the difference. IOW, I know you’re talking about /krɛɡ/ vs /kreɪɡ/, but I only really hear the latter in all cases. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/902 "2024-12-23T06:56:01Z")
Really? Interesting. The way they say Craig in SP clearly rhymes with peg to my ear. But Daniel’s surname clearly rhymes (or rather, should) with The Hague. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/903 "2024-12-23T07:05:09Z")
I just watched a couple videos. [In this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s96ysIG-MY) Mackey says it at the beginning and Kyle at the end, these do sound different. Kyle is sort of /krɛɡ/ but Mackey is even longer, not really /kreɪɡ/ to my ears but longer maybe? More cray-egg than rhymes with “plague”, if that makes sense? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/904 "2024-12-23T14:13:17Z")
Long ε rather than short ε? ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/905 "2024-12-23T15:13:07Z")
This may have been mentioned already and I guess it doesn’t really “baffle” me, but it’s something I’ve always wondered. Americans usually say, Merry Christmas! While Brits usually say, Happy Christmas! The word “merry” seems much more British and the word “happy” seems much more American. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/906 "2024-12-23T15:49:01Z")
In Pakistan in the 1970s and 80s we (young people) were told that Merry carried a connotation of drunken revelry and therefore should not be used. I am told now that Merry Christmas has replaced Happy Christmas among the Christian community in Pakistan. Probably part of the wholesale Americanization of Pakistani English in the last 50 years. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/907 "2024-12-23T17:15:05Z")
Anecdotally, Brits definitely say ‘merry’ more. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/908 "2024-12-23T17:54:16Z")
Yeah I would agree with that. Merry Xmas; Happy New Year. Like the song. j ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/909 "2024-12-23T17:56:56Z")
Why will this factoid never die? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/910 "2024-12-23T19:30:59Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > Americans usually say, Merry Christmas! While Brits usually say, Happy Christmas! The word “merry” seems much more British and the word “happy” seems much more American. Thoughts? What I think is that in the US, Merry Christmas had become a “set phrase”, whereas in the UK, while most people, most of the time, will say Merry Christmas, we don’t feel that we can’t express season’s greetings in any other way. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/911 "2024-12-23T19:36:41Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > Why will this factoid never die? Which factoid are you replying to? Since you didn’t quote anything. If you mean the “Happy Christmas” thing, why do you think it’s false? I have absolutely heard that phrase used in British media. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/912 "2024-12-23T19:40:12Z")
Yes that one. Saying Brits say “Happy Christmas” is like saying “Americans live in trailer parks”. You can find some that do but it’s a very small minority, and the overwhelming default phrase is “Merry Christmas” Pretty much every time it comes up it gets widely debunked by all actual Brits., but it doesn’t stop it rearing its head again. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/913 "2024-12-24T00:36:53Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Impressed. Can you say who it was? > > j [Richard Humphrey (1848-1906)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Humphrey_(cricketer,_born_1848)) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/914 "2024-12-24T00:48:40Z")
I learned it from one of the Beatles’ Christmas records. George Harrison chanting the maha-mantra: Happy Christmas Happy Christmas Christmas Christmas Happy Happy ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/915 "2024-12-24T02:16:46Z")
I was just in Australia and New Zealand here in the run-up to Christmas. Happy, happy, happy, and not a “merry” to be heard. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/916 "2024-12-24T21:49:11Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > You can find some that do but it’s a very small minority, and the overwhelming default phrase is “Merry Christmas” It’s definitely Happy Christmas in Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/917 "2024-12-24T23:51:18Z")
A brief unscientific survey here in Sydney shows that people say “Happy” but Santas say “Merry”. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/918 "2024-12-24T23:57:02Z")
I am currently in a large WhatsApp group where greeting are coming in from UK, Philippines, Singapore, Pakistan, UAE and Australia and there are zero Merry Christmas. All are Happy Christmas. Now these are older folks (average age close to 60). Maybe that makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/919 "2024-12-25T19:05:39Z")
I went out for a walk this afternoon and the few people I saw greeted me with “Merry Christmas”. The one that made me smile was the two guys walking their dogs with pints of beer in their hands (the guys, not the dogs). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941/920 "2024-12-25T20:08:47Z")
I just saw mention of a TV special called _Doctor Who at the Proms_, which some googling showed me isn’t an episode where The Doctor attends a series of formal high school dances. > **[BBC Proms](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Proms)** > > The BBC Proms is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall in central London. Robert Newman founded The Proms in 1895. Since 1927, the BBC has organised and broadcast The Proms. Each season consists of concerts in the Royal Albert Hall, chamber music concerts at Cadogan Hall (or occasionally other venues), additional Proms in the Park events across the UK on the Last Night of the Proms, and ... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941.md?page=45) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-britishisms-most-baffle-americans-what-americanisms-most-baffle-brits/1008941.md?page=47)