That's Not English. Britishisms, Americanisms and What Our English Says About Us

Foreword
by Lynne Truss xi
Introduction
Quite
In which we find out why Americans really like quite and
the British only quite like really.
Middle Class
In which wefind a far more stable class hierarchy in
Britain, where class and cash are but loosely linked.
Moreish
In which we are surprised to discover that the British
eat more chocolate than Americans do.
Mufti
In which we find out why the British love uniforms so
much.
Gobsmacked
In which the British creative class appears to take over
the American media, bringing new slang with it.
Trainers
In which America and the United Kingdom are shown to
be among the world's fattest countries, despite their
apparent dedication to fitness.
Sorry
In which wefind out why the British refuse to apologize
for their overuse of sorry.
Toilet
In which we attempt to bring back a useful old word
(while simultaneously discouraging the use of a vulgar
one).
Cheers
In which we find out why Queen Victoria said, uGive my
people plenty of beer, good beer, and cheap beer, and
you will have no revolution among them."
Knackered
In which our children arrive to collectively lobotomize
us.
Brolly
In which the rain, it raineth. Every. Single. Day.
Bespoke
In which a ven erable old word is seized upon by
vulgarians-but not Americans.
Fortnight
In which we unpack the reasons why the British take
more-and longer-vacations than Americans.
Clever
In which we detect a common thread of anti-
intellectualism running through both countries.
Ginger
In which ancient conflicts and prejudices continue to
make life difficult for British redheads.
Dude
In which a word typifying American ease is revealed to
have had more urbane origins.
Partner
In which an expatfinds that her frustration with British
reserve is not always justified.
Proper
In which we learn thatpeople-and be proper
without being pretentious.
OK
In which American earnestness and moral relativism are
shown to be two sides of the same coin.
Whinge
In which the existence of the British "stiff upper lip* is
called in to question.
Bloody
In which we swear-and share-alike.
Scrappy
In which we recognize the difference between
American- and British-style self deprecation.
Pull
In which we close our eyes and think of England.
Shall
In which a word seldom heard in America still speaks to
the British .
Sir
In which the great and the good get gongs (and I
explain what that means, in English).
Yankee
In which we delve into the origins of a controversial
nickname and uncover its unexpected relationship to
pie.
Skint
In which the money-talk taboo buckles under the
weight of the recent recession.
Crimbo
In which we explore the pagan side of Christmas with
our mutual friend Charles Dickens.
TiP
In which a gracious art is defended from its detractors.
Tea
In which the drink-and the rituals surrounding it-are
shown to be considerably stronger than they appear.
Way Out
In which the Moorefamily comes to an enchanting
place, and we leave them there.
Acknowledgments
Selected Bibliography