A message from The Queen, to the Americans.

[EltonFrog]

That gag is so old its on the Statutory List of Humerous Muse of Special Anarchic or Historic Interest. If it was a building it would be grade two listed. I think there is a statue commemorating it in Trafalgar Square. Back in the 1980's the Post Office issued a stamp in its honour. It's nice to see it making the rounds again, only this time round it hasn't been Roneoegraphed.

 

[Over The Hill]

I had not seen it before - Great laugh!

I think a flogging for using the word "gotten" would be in order.

 

[User169]

9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. South African beer is also acceptable, as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth - see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

This must have been written twenty, thirty years ago, because it certainly isn't the case now.

 

[green1]

chavvy drivers and single teenage mums in pink shell suits breeding like rabbits from coast to coast...

You've never heard of rednecks then...

 

[asterix]

How about they are taught how to make a decent cup of tea?

 

[green1]

A wee mistake there: the UK has never really converted to metric, they have only been kidding the rest of the European Union, in an effort to fit in.
You didn't really believe on the continent we go about measuring stuff using the mm?

Try working in the oil industry, you should see the look of confusion on graduate engineers faces when they are asked for a length, diameter or weight in real money.

 

[green1]

It also confuses Lockheed Martin/NASA engineers!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider

 

[asterix]

When I started my French barn conversion I was used to Imperial measures. Now I can easily use both, sometimes at the same time, work in Fahrenheit of Celsius, drive on either side of the road according to which Channel side I am on and convert Km to Ms almost without thinking. Set in my ways? Moi? (Am still pretty basic at speaking foreign tho.)

 

[EltonFrog]

And Andie MacDowell was playing an American in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

 

[tyred]

Can they learn to build cars which go around corners at less than 45% body roll?

 

[black'n'yellow]

I think a flogging for using the word "gotten" would be in order.

'gotten' is actually an old English word. Ever heard the phrase 'ill gotten gains'..??

 

[mr_hippo]

The piece has been attributed to John Cleese given at a dinner in California in '76 celebrating 200 years of independence. Some internet sources put its origin as late as 2000.
Further variants on http://www.google.com/search?q=A+message+from+The+Queen,+to+the+Americans

 

[velovoice]

I think a flogging for using the word "gotten" would be in order.

Except that "gotten" is in fact originally English, taken to North America by emigrants/colonists from England (as it was then). There it survived, while dying here (with the exception of the variation "got" which is still common in the Midlands if not elsewhere).

An error I did note though: Andie MacDowell played an American in Four Weddings and Funeral.

ETA: Ah, I see both points have already been made. Guess I should read the rest of the thread before posting, eh?

 

[Over The Hill]

'gotten' is actually an old English word. Ever heard the phrase 'ill gotten gains'..??

OK I have given in to Aluuuminum and Jagwar so will add gotten to that list (accepted: but don't like)

So am I safe in moaning about them saying "fix" when they mean "make" or "regular" when they mean "standard".

 

[Over The Hill]

Or should it be Donuts at the Drive-Through ?