Brilliant!

Now here is a very interesting word, brilliant. Seems like every Brit uses this many times a day and it can have many meanings. To an American we might not catch the subtleties, "at the first go," (very English thing to say) but after awhile you learn to read between the lines. You are going along thinking wow they think I am smart. Though depending on the inflection brilliant  can mean many different things such as, smart, idiot, is he really serious, and just plan old fine.  When I first "cottoned on" (another English colloquialism)  was when Haley was catching the bus Christmas Day from Heathrow to Oxford. The bus was an hour late, Haley got on behind an American. The American woman was a head of her. This American proceeded to ask the bus driver why the last bus never came, in the loud demanding American voice I have come to know so well. The bus drivers response was, "Brilliant, you know it is Christmas"  with a smile. "And we may be a little off". Then the lady proceeded to say, " A little off! It did not even show up" . The bus driver said in his quite voice again, " brilliant, Merry Christmas"  with a smile. I love how these guys just "Carry On".

Aliumium, now this may be a tad difficult to say but the Brits make it twice as hard. I will try and write it out for you to say it.  Ah-lu-min-knee-um. Now try saying that three times fast.  This would not be too bad, but if you are working in a lab and the word comes up often every time you are talking about metallization , I have a very hard time taking the guy seriously. So now the first time this happened I smiled, and think,"they can not be serious." The second it was a chuckle, third I was almost LOL. Now trying to explain to them why you are laughing does not go over well, especially when you can not even say it to begin with. Brits just carry on and say polite things and pretend it never happened. But you know they are thinking those "pain in the *#>% Americans". But they keep a smile on their face and "Carry On".

Con-tra-ver-se, now you have to say every syllable, with the emphasis on tra and the "a" is short. Another LOL. Do not get me going on this one!

Filet- fill-let, yes you are having a fish fill-let for dinner. Now this one took me for a loop. Talking with the people I work with they were beginning to understanding the "Fact -or- Crap" game my family plays all the time. Say something with authority and they will believe you. Well our family can call "crap" on you anytime because we all are so full of BS. So I am thinking one of the Paul's, having now worked with me over the month was pulling my leg on this last one "filet". So I go and ask John, one always to give me a straight answer and sure enough we are having fill-lets for dinner. He said "only posh people say filet". I told him Americans also say that and I would not consider them posh. Loud, over bearing and obnoxious, but not posh.  

What a con-tra-ver-se as to whether to wrap the fill-let in a-lu-min-knee-um or not! Brillant! 

The Bus! OMG can not believe it, I still do not understand the standard bus catching etiquette. Get to the bus stop, right change in pocket,  in the dark and briar patch branching over my head. Look at phone only once, check OXONTime and see it is coming, 10 minutes. No problem. Put phone back in packet and stand between sign and briar patch in hope bus driver will have a better view. I see the bus coming, it gets a little closer, I wave, he puts his flashers on, I wave again thanking him, and he speeds right by me! Now I am running like a crazy women through the ditch and briar patch that is crowding the road and he finally stops. I look at him and he says " I thought you were waving me off!" Right ! Now I know, one wave, bus stop.... 2 waves bus does not stop. Will this ever end!