It's official -- I'm turning British.
I hadn't realized it until the other night, when I went to PetsMart. I paid for my purchases (those animals are spoiled rotten, but that's another day's Mumbling), took the bag from the cashier and thanked him. So far, so normal. I got 2 steps away, and he said "Wait a minute....what did you say?" Think for a second....what did I say? " took the bag, smiled, said "Cheers" and walked awa--- oh, that's it. I said "Cheers" instead of "Thanks." He asked where I was from, and I had no choice but to say "Here." After all, I grew up in the sleepy little town of Loveland, Colorado (about an hour north of my current hometown of Centennial) -- not exactly the sort of place where one picks up any interesting phrases.
Huh. Hadn't realized that I'd actually worked that into my everyday conversation. Now, when I'm in Britain (which isn't nearly often enough), or in a British or Irish pub (which isn't nearly often enough), I think I tend to say "Cheers" to the friendly bartender handing my my pint of Strongbow, or to the Tesco clerk handing me my purchase of 2 dozen Kinder eggs (yet another Mumbling) to either pretend that I'm in Britain, or to fit in better when I am. But apparently, I either pretend more often than I should (very likely), or I watch too much BBC America (also very likely), or I simply have a propensity to adopt phrases, words and inflections from other cultures into my own vernacular (a proven fact).
It's a combination of all 3, I know. Let's start with the proven fact. If I'm to believe my mother (and why wouldn't I?), I amused my family when I was about 2 or 3, on a trip back to Colorado from our Army-inflicted temporary home of El Paso, Texas, by calling my maternal grandparents "Nana" and (here's the cute part) "Gray-umps" instead of "Nana" and "Gramps". Even at that age (or perhaps, particularly at that age), I was easily influenced by the speech patterns of those around me. At about age 14, I had the opportunity to attend a sort of expanded camp/workshop in North Carolina, and when I returned from the 2 weeks, my parents say they could hahdly uhn-dehstay-und a worhd Ah said, through the Nohrth Carolyhnah acc-ayunt Ah'd picked uhp. It took a couple of weeks to undo the cute southern twang I'd inadvertently adopted, but it did clear up.
As for the other 2 reasons I'm turning British......I do spend far too much time dreaming of traveling to or being in Britain. I've looked into it, and they won't let me move there just because I fancy a flat in London. I'd have to have a darned good reason for being there, namely a decent job, or a long-term beau, neither of which have come across my plate yet. But I'm keeping my options (and hopes!) open. In the meantime, I'm afraid the BBC America has taken up permanent residence in my home. It's not just the cute accents, mind you. I've gotten some good decorating ideas from Changing Rooms, learned how to spot a Tunbridge Wells piece from Cash In The Attic, and I'm realizing that many actors did not, in fact, have their first roles in "Love Actually" -- they came from BBC shows.
So, I'll be more mindful of the fact that not everyone knows what I mean when I say "Cheers", I'll try not to ask for crisps with my sandwich, and I'll do my very best to stop saying "Bugger!" when my computer freezes. Actually, no....I think I'll keep that one. I know what the meaning is, but HR won't haul me into the office for yelling it out. And maybe....just maybe....I'll try to put the 'k' back into "schedule".
Right -- I'm out. Fancy 'aving a pint with me? I'd be chuffed if you'd join me. We won't get too pissed, promise.