While comparing ‘Dentist’ stories with a Canadian colleague I menitoned that a Dentist working for the UK "National Health Service’ had ‘told me off’ for
- causing a filling he’d placed 3 weeks earlier to fall out after only 2 days because I obviously hadn’t ‘bitten down’ properly on it during the original placement.
- crying when he subsequently gave me an injection to numb my mouth to replace the filling I’d recklessly dislodged. It hurt. I couldnt help the tears.
I told her that I felt the Dentists’ manner was
‘well out of order’
She couldn’t supress her laughter… ..then muttered an attempted imitation of the phrase in an English accent… …I’ve found another insensitivity criminal!
Hooray!
Wendy insensitivity-criminal-sorority-member
In an English accent, spoken to a US person…
‘fries’ sounds like ‘rice’
- whenever I order Fries’ in the works canteen, the server moves to add some ’rice’ to my plate. Even putting the word ‘french’ in front of ‘fries’ fails to solve this problem. I’m not sure what to do. Normally I say ‘No‘ repeat the word ‘fries‘ while pointing to the deep-fryer.
‘Hiya’ sounds like ‘How are you?’
- Which apparently is the phrase that lead to the truncated greeting that I use. I use ‘Hiya’ as a verbal greeting with friends and at work. A persistent personal habit picked up in Northern England in the 1980’s.
- Using it can be dangerous.
- In England people reply with a chirpy smile and another ‘hiya’. My US acquaintences generally reply by telling me how they are… often I’m unrepared for the earnest content and detail. Maybe I should start saying ‘Yo’?
- The greeting is popular for internet mediated communication, though not quite as popular as the even further truncated ‘hi’
Wendy truncate-and-concatenate-are-wonderful-words
My friend’s blackberry… …jammed…
I laughed
Wendy repeat-offender
(insensitivity crimes)
