My hubby on the Tely!

My husband, who teaches Catholic Theology, was on our local news program this morning talking about the Pope's resignation. I'm proud of him, of course! :-) Give it a looksie!

Anglotopia's Dictionary of British English - A Review

My good friend Jonathan Thomas of Anglotopia.net has put together a cute compendium of "British Slang from A to Zed". It's a slight, self-published tome and by no means exhaustive, but if you are, as Thomas says, a "viewer of British TV" and you have ever been stumped by a Scottish character saying "Wheeshd!" or "We're the quality polis!" or maybe you have no idea what a "bacon butty" or a "chancer" is. Or perhaps you're terribly confused when someone says "I'll just get my Macintosh" and instead of reaching for their Apple computer product, they grab a...jacket?

Thomas's dictionary explains those puzzling phrases and words that State-Side British-fans like us may want to brush up on before we sit down to watch a miniseries set in Wessex or even going on our own trip across the pond. It's split up into six categories of British slang (London, Cockney, Scottish, West Country, Yorkshire and Scouse) apart from the larger general dictionary and there's Australian slang and recognizable British insults thrown in for good measure.

Given its slender size and its emphasis on more recent pop culture linguistics in the U.K., this is more of a lighthearted look at British English, rather than an OED-sanctioned official reference, but that doesn't discount its usefulness. Especially if you're an Anglophile newbie or are too bashful to ask a native "Pardon me, but what exactly is a 'treacle'?" but yet you still burn with curiosity to know the truth, this will honestly be very helpful to you. There's even a British Slang Submission Form in the back so that the experts among us can let Thomas know what he needs to include for the next edition.

So, in sum, you need to buy this. Like right now. Do it! You can also read more and order the book directly at www.britishslangdictionary.net

As a companion piece to Thomas's book, I recommend another dictionary of sorts from The National Trust in England: "More Tea, Vicar? An Embarrassment of Domestic Catchphrases" is a compilation of nostalgic, cheeky sayings going back to the 19th century in Britain. Some were submitted by everyday folks who remember what their great aunt Florence used to say when all was said and done: "Everybody to their liking, as the old lady said when she kissed the cow." (page 58) ...Err, what? Cheeky and quirky, indeed.

Put the two books together and you'll have a nice combination of new and old  British catchphrases/slang. It will take the mystery and head-scratching out of watching British television and film forever.

Happy shopping! 

Commercial Break!

Do you want to read the London Times (as in, the complete paper), but *gasp* you don't live there? Check out this article by Anglotopia.net and they'll show you how.

Do you need some British-themed attractions to visit here at home (California, Missouri, Arizona, Virginia, Oregon)? Read this article from Anglotopia that lists some unique attactions around the States with a British connection, including a small one I didn't know existed in North Carolina!

My next installment will cover something similar to this. As I said, we'll learn how to use our heads as virtual hologram decks - at least, for you Romantics out there. ;-)

"The King in the Car Park" BBC Doc on YouTube! 8)

I'll get straight to it:

I've been obsessed with the Richard III business since last summer; I'm a Shakespearean/Plantagenent history enthusiast. This should not be difficult to comprehend, o gentle readers...

So obviously, I was quite ecstatic (along with several of my like-minded friends) when the news erupted a few weeks ago about the DNA conclusions and verification that yes, it was/is Richard. If anyone was following my Twitter or Facebook account, my joy would have been unmistakable.

And so I have another reason to be happy: the documentary which the BBC promised us last year "The King in the Car Park" has been posted on YouTube in its entirety. Caution: I'm having difficulty with the Internet connection or something along those lines; it's stopping and starting every 10 seconds; very annoying.

Nonetheless, if you don't want to wait until later this summer when it most likely will show up on National Geographic, you can watch it here. Good luck!

For more entertainment, read this related news item for a chuckle. Or consider this: If the groundhog saw his shadow this year and Richard III was discovered a few days later, does that mean that the winter of our discontent has officially been made glorious summer by the son of York?? ;-)

Season 1, Episode 2: The Best of Britain At Home

On to our next installment. Ok, so far we've discovered the *foodie aspects of Britain, now on to entertainment.

• Problem: I'm on the verge of going "Van Gogh" (may the reader understand) over the lack of Britishness in my life. I'm tired of watching American television. What's the closest thing I can get to ITV or BBC outside of 2 minute clips on YouTube? Please help...

Solution: Wisely surfing the Internet and BBC America.

 I could mention Netflix here as an option, but everyone already knows that Netflix will carry the non-truncated BBC version of the Cumberbatch Sherlock and other miniseries that we get here in the U.S. with about 10 minutes shaved off each episode when it airs. /sigh...

Anyhow, see if your cable provider carries BBC America. While the programming is limited and occasionally has nothing to do with the U.K. (Star Trek comes to mind - what does this have to do with Britain other than Patrick Stewart?), you *will* have new seasons of Top Gear, Gordon Ramsay spin offs and reruns of British classics like House of Cards. True, it won't be your average every day authentic BBC programming (if onlllyyyy!), but it's close enough for Government work.

Then there's Tunnelbear. I recently discovered this and have yet to try it out, but I'm researching it at the moment. Basically, it's a VPN (Virtual Private Network) program that lets you circumvent geoblocking of Internet media across continents. Before you start biting your nails, NO this is not illegal. Go here for a solid rundown from PC magazine of what Tunnelbear does. It will make you smile when you realize that getting through to the BBC website's media will be wonderfully easy! So smile. :-)

• Problem: I'm one of those weird Americans who think the SuperBowl is a waste of time. I'm bored. I also love Scotland (YAASSS!). I've seen Braveheart too many times and I can only eat so much Walker's shortbread....help me?

Solution: Look around in your area for the upcoming Highland Games. Problem solved. As Jolly Boy John would say, "FOR REAL!"

THE PIPES! THE PIPES!

In my area, we have some very good Highland games indeed. The Rural Hill Scottish Festival is a godsend for Caledoniaphiles: there's also a small market at the festival to buy British import delicacies. You can spend a good chunk of your wallet on this alone. (Erm...not that I ever have...heh..heh..) They usually run for a solid weekend, so buy tickets for the entire festival if you can and dig in. On the drive over, play the soundtrack to Braveheart in the car or better yet, put on some Albannach, a Scottish rock/folk band that does it the TRADITIONAL WAY! They're rebellious, proud and wild without being too cheeky, so I'm a big fan.

Highland games seem to be more popular in the Southeastern United States than anywhere else, but I may be wrong. Type in "Scottish Festival" and your Google browser will do the rest of the work.

Or just buy a croquet set. Seriously. It may come in handy when you throw your own Anglophile party this summer. Just think: some shandys, tea and sandwiches on the lawn, some union jack bunting and some Holst, Butterworth or Elgar on the iPod and you're ready to leave the cardboard American life behind you for some quality English time.

That's it for now. Next week: how using your imagination can often be the best escape to the Sceptered Isle and the best places to meet desperate people just like you (desperate for the U.K., that is)...

*I had forgotten to mention Abigail Rogers's e-book "Cooks and Queens" in my last post! Abigail is a fanastic gal and ardent advocate of all things British; her book looks at how British food is actually underestimated, whether it's Bubble and Squeak or a Cornish pasty and has recipes, historical background on different eras of food, the whole lot. Visit her blog Picture Britain while you are at it!

Cheers!

Short Interlude

This recent post from Anglotopia is in the same vein as my weekly series. Give it a readsy. :)

The Pope's Visit to Burnistoun...

...in Scotland, that is. The best of Scottish comedy there ever was. I've been hooked on this show lately and am now a devoted fan of Connell and Florence. Here's a wee skit for ye, timed appropriately. ;-)

Craving more? Check out the horse on the rotating slope. "Absolutely gorgeous!"

Stay tuned, I'll have another installment of my British in America series this week.

Crisps! Stateside! British! Yummy! Oh the crisps, the crisps!

I'm ecstatic! Which means every sentence has to be punctuated like this! I just found out today that Tyrrell's Crisps are now sold stateside and the closest crisp within my reach is only a few miles away!

I'M HAPPY

 

This is a smashing opportunity to use this post as an advertisement in between British-loving blog posts! Go to the Tyrrell's Store Finder page to locate your local Tyrrell's provider!

 

Eat, drink and be British.

 

 

Thank You!