Sunday, February 8, 2009
Vocabulary (2)
I really thought by now I must have discovered all the differences between British English and American English, but I've just discovered a new one. Americans do not use the construction 'double' (or 'triple') when reading out a number or spelling a name (eg. 'double zero' or 'double m'). They always say each digit or letter individually: 'zero zero', 'm m'. I've often wondered why I've had such trouble spelling the name of our road, which has two consecutive letter r's, over the phone. Now I know.
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3 comments:
Yep - try having a name like Raquel - you have to spell it for everyone, everytime! I have only ever talked to one other person with the same name!
Surely everyone knows your name from Raquel Welch (not to mention Delboy's wife in Only Fools and Horses - depending on your knowledge of UK TV sitcoms this may or may not mean anything to you). At least there aren't any 'doubles' in it though!
And, for various reasons, I'm not sure I would like to try having the name 'Raquel'...
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