(no subject)

[growler_south]

"So, Brian, what do you do for a crust?", asked Dad in his least comprehensible combination of Kiwi accent and UK colloquialism.

"A what?"

"Crust. You know, a crust. What do you do for it?"

I intervened.

"Dad wants to know what you do for a job. He's speaking ancient English."

You really cant blame my parents for being a bit defensive whenever I bring home a new boyfriend, especially if they're not entirely employed. It's kind of sweet, even though I do regret the anguish I've caused them over the years.

Comments

[cuboz.livejournal.com]

That's SPOOKY!

That's the EXACT phrase I used when chatting via Skype with Nate (milcubb) the other day - and he didn't understand me either!

I don't know WHY it's in my vernacular - it's just some phrase I've always seemed to use!

:-)

[r-pity.livejournal.com]

Jobs are over rated!

[sctmpls.livejournal.com]

That's a cute colloquialism that I have never heard before. I'll have to remember it. For the record, I do IT work for a crust :-)

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

And what did he tell them? :)

Oh, yeah: what Americanisms strike Kiwis as completely opaque? Or has the giant, world-devouring octopus formed by our media obliterated any chance of that happening?

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

I don't know about Kiwis ... but I'll never forget one of the first times the British hosts of Junkyard Wars/Scrapheap Challenge had an American team involved, and the captain made a comment that running his team was like "herding cats."

The female host got this look on her face and said "...HURTING cats?!" at which point the American clarified "as in herding sheep" at which point light dawned.

I don't know if it was accent, unfamiliarity with the idiom or both....

[smellykaka.livejournal.com]

There are few of them - your media is all pervasive :)

Our Texan technical manager occasionally comes out with regional colloquialisms which she has to explain, but for the most part the Americans I meet are far more likely to have trouble understanding me than vice versa.

[bearringsd.livejournal.com]

Cute expression. Methinks perhaps it has to do with the christian notion of "earning our daily bread" aka crust.

Interesting how things get into the cultural vernacular.

[bluebear2.livejournal.com]

I like to dip mine in some yummy soup.

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

Heh...

I'd have caught that one (well - the idiom at least) but I'm sure there's tons of colloquialisms left that would baffle me.