I'm British but my partner isn't, and I found out some standard expressions are very funny to some non-Brits. "I shit you not" is the one that cracked her up the most.

"The United States and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language" - George Bernard Shaw

I had a British co-worker years ago. We had to have a whole conversation about understanding our communication styles. I was so sad when she left. She introduced me to my first biscuits.

I married my British man last November. We met online during the pandemic. Your observations are spot ON! I think that the little bits of pop culture that we only come across once in a while can be considered like little Easter eggs in our future. I love learning these little things about my partner, it keeps things so fresh. Our sense of humour is indeed more similar as a Canadian/British pair vs the states. The dead pan delivery is my favourite thing tbh. Mike Myers is one great example of a mix of our two countries 🇨🇦 🇬🇧

Alanna I'm from Sunderland and my girlfriend is from Newcastle,we've been together 21 years and even now she say's things I've never heard in my life and there's only about 12 miles between our cities! 😅

I have an american friend who was convinced I hated her because I was doing the banter thing and I didn't realise there is a cultural gap when it comes to banter. My australian friends get it but north americans don't (on the whole)

My wife is French, I’ve given up trying to make jokes 😢

I am from Lancashire (North West England) and when I started dating a Scots lass (from Ayrshire) some 38 years ago, I had exactly the same experience as you - if not worse. My brother wouldn't answer the phone in case it was her as he couldn't understand a word she said! Don't think you have to come from outside the UK to feel like a foreigner. ;-) In case you were wondering, we have not long celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary. ;-)

I totally get this video. We spent the last month with some Canadians and Americans on a cruise ship. Chatting to a Canadian couple we found that we both experienced problems watching tv or films from the other cultures. We both said we had to resort to subtitles. Equally we gave up trying to go to any shows that we comedy ones because we just didn't find them funny. Of course, the real icing on the cake was when they started talking about vets and having special events for vets. It took a long time to work out they didn't mean animal doctors

I like the distance that the term partner gives. It's no-one else's business in most contexts what the exact legal status of your relationship is.

Having been married to an American woman for the past 8 years (we live in England) so much of what you said really resonates. Like you, I love exploring the differences of our respective heritages (apart from anything, we get the best of both worlds most of the time)

If you are still in Kent next spring - then please visit a bluebell wood. A true wonder of the world ✌️

I love how many UK businesses allow doggies. Not only is it more welcoming and heart warming, but I believe it's good business sense...🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🐶

As someone (Californian) who has been dating a British man for almost 8 years, I can confirm many of these. I do like the term partner, and it seems to be gaining more acceptance in CA as it's a more inclusive term. I'll be in Bournemouth next month and I'm so excited for more cultural differences! Awesome video, Alanna!

With your last few words in the video you gave a clue to how you have assimilated- “great British films” not movies but films. Welcome!

I guess the utility of the word 'partner' is that it implies an exclusive long-term relationship whilst avoiding traditional marriage terminology. Interesting to hear your perspective 🙂

I think Canucks and Brits have more in common than Canucks & Yanks. I've known quite a few over the years after being involved in hockey and the Canucks were far easier to get along with. You have the confidence without the arrogance from my experience ! By the way, have you ever explained how you two came to meet given the stretch of water between our nations ? Would be interesting to hear if you're both happy to share.

Yet another cracking video, Alanna. And I totally sympathise with your partner in his support of your KZfaq hobby without wishing to appear in (many) videos. I'm sure , though, that we saw a little bit of him some years ago when you went on walkabouts in other parts of the UK than the places where you have lived.

My wife's family always comment on her British accent when she goes home, despite the fact that to a Brit she still sounds 100% American. But then when she's comes back you can absolutely tell that she's been home, as she reverts very quickly to American phraseology, despite living in the UK since 1999.

I like the term partner, to me it implies the meaning equals, in a relationship.

Partner just sounds more mature to me, I always use it to describe my daughter's other half. That was interesting about The Butler's accent changing too, I had never considered that might happen. Good video.

As many don't get married or marry later, once you clear the age of say 35, it's a little strange calling your significant other boy/girlfriend. So 'partner' is a broad term that covers bases.

What an interesting and funny vid, Alanna! I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences. Cheers!

I haven't scrolled down the comments yet, so apologies if I'm repeating others, but the term 'partner', in the UK and Australia at least, usually has quite a specific meaning. It is used for an unmarried couple who are living together in a shared relationship similar to a conventional marriage. 'De facto' would be the legal term for it, I suppose. 'Boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' do not have that same specific connotation.

I am Welsh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 and my wife is English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. There are certainly cultural differences and turns of phrase which differ, even without the Welsh/English language difference!

Learning about accents/speech patterns is fascinating. So neat how they change depending on what you are hearing and pick up on.

Great video! I can't believe people send angry emails because they don't get to see the butler!?! So many things to be outraged over...

Hi Alanna, what a wonderful video, interesting topic! I'm with you I love the term partner, I'm hearing it more and more in Canada! It's interesting to hear that your partner has changed how he speaks. I really don't blame him for not wanting to be in front of the camera...good for him...people are just generally nosy/curious so I wouldn't even worry about it...he sounds wonderful! I watch a few you tube channels that are from the UK & I really notice the difference in how they talk...I sometimes have to listen a couple of times, but I love it! I'd love to go into pubs just to hear everyone talk & of course it's wonderful that most places, it seems, allows dogs! Thank you so much for sharing, take really good care of yourselves, stay well! Lots of love Kathy x 💖💖(Ontario, Canada)

Have you had the British barbecue experience yet? It's getting to that time of year. What happens is, after three days of good weather, we convince ourselves we're in for a spell of it, and we all decide to have a barbecue in our gardens. Naturally, on the day we decide to have it, it pours with rain, and you get to see people eating moist hamburgers whilst hiding under the roof overhang and saying things like "Ooh, I can see a bit of blue sky over there, maybe it's clearing up..?".

All respect must go to "The Butler" for being totally supportive and not wanting to appear on screen 👍

A very entertaining video! As a Yorkshireman may I just say that the further North you go from Kent, the more direct people are!!

I’ve never said partner in my life! I will never say gotten either… the word is GOT ! 🙄

Partner: I am starting to hear this a bit more in Canada. It used to mostly just be used for non-traditional relationships, but it's becoming more common for traditional relationships these days, which I think is good. Humour: having been raised in Canada, but born in the UK and raised on British humour, I often confused my friends by saying something that they took seriously. Oh, and I loved that you referenced the Polka Dot Door (or Shorts), but don't forget about The Friendly Giant!!!

I’m a British born man, but my partner is a Lithuanian woman. She learned to speak American English at her school in Lithuania. When she first came here she found she couldn’t understand British English properly. She had a very weak sense of humour, the food she was used to was all Lithuanian, Latvian and Polish. She didn’t understand almost all of our cultural references, and that led her into a great confusion about British people and our broader culture. Since she’s been around me and my family, she’s learned so much British English. She’s learned so much about our sense of humour, even being able to refer to some of our British pop culture references now. She’s tasted British home cooking and found she loves it; so now she only eats Lithuanian food about once every month or two. She’s adamant about drinking her tea from a teapot like a “proper Brit”, despite the fact that nobody in my family uses a teapot to drink our tea. She insists on having a roast dinner on a Sunday, and she’s binging on British tv comedy shows, which she didn’t know about before we met. She’s becoming more British than me 😳

Definitely the video where we really should be hearing from Mr Naps! Would love to hear his perspective, get him to write something for us please Alanna.

As for weird accents, you should hear mine. I am a Scot who has lived in California for 30-plus years. I have had to sloooow down my speech and iron out the accent to even be understood. To the point that Americans think I sound Canadian. And I recently met a Canadian from Vancouver who asked me "what part of the Ottawa Valley are you from?" (I have spent a total of maybe six weeks in Canada in my life!)

My girlfriend is Canadian and I am British and we also have been together for 7 years but we live in Canada. She also couldn't understand a lot of the things I said at first but I introduced her to a lot of British shows and now she knows most of the slang

Born and raised in South East England, my father was born in Wales but left at the age of nine. I was stunned when talking to a young woman when she asked me 'which one of your parents was born in Wales?' She explained that she could hear a Welsh cadence in my accent. Even stranger she guessed my star sign to the point where she named the exact day of the month. I think she must have been a witch because we had never met before and she didn't know anyone connected to me or my family.

You didn't mention the awkwardness of how to hold and use a fork!

Great, really interesting post!! Thanks! ❤

Great, varied content on your channel - bravo, Alanna. 👏👏👏

The ‘partner’ thing is relatively recent. I think it became common when civil partnerships became a thing, before full equal marriage came in. When I was younger, partner would definitely have been understood as referring to a business partner, not to an intimate partner.

As a British guy who's dated a couple of American women I think the sense of humour thing can be overstated. I had one American girlfriend and our sense of humour just clicked on day one, but another where I had to be really careful about irony. Meanwhile I've dated people in the UK who seemingly don't understand irony either, so it's not as cut and dried as the cliché would have it.

Always gets tricky when you have business partners and a relationship partner, things can get confusing very quickly!

Alanna, I empathise! 😂 As an Anglo-East African (4th generation), schooled in UK and S and E Africa, who dated and later married a Prairies-born Canuk, I can tell you that even after 25 yrs together there were occasional communication glitches between us. My advice is to keep on truckin'. Btw, do I get a mild hint from you that you like mauve? 🤭

haha I took my cat to the vets today.. she's overweight and they've recommended a diet plan.. I told the vet I was struggling cos my cat was now begging for food. so she said.. 'i'll tell you what.. i'll make up another diet plan, especially for you' and with that i found myself singing out aloud the 1989 kylie/jason song 'especially for you'.. the vet laughed and sang along with me. lol got to love pop culture references..

I am Dutch and have lived in the UK for 17 years now with my British husband, and I can relate to so much of what you're saying. The cultural differences, the 'gaps' in pop culture or musical references (so many songs were also in the Dutch charts, but so many were not, or we had songs that never made it across the water), differences in food (my MIL asked me during my first week here 'How do you make your Yorkshires' (Yorkshire puddings) and did not understand when I said I had never made them at all.....) etc. etc. I whatsapp my family all the time, but once a week I Skype my parents, and I catch myself more and more often using British filler words, or using English grammar instead of Dutch. Oops.... ;)

At least you will never struggle with being at a loss for words, as you chat about all the mannerisms you don't have in common, love your observations.

My brother and I were born in England but grew up in Canada. He returned years ago, settled in Kent and has a family there now, having married someone Slavic (who obviously doesn't have an English accent either). I spent a year with him to help with a renovation when his children were young and over the course of a summer when my niece was out of school she picked up our way of saying certain words (notably "water") since she had no regular contact with Kentish children for months. This hadn't happened in earlier years when it was just my brother and his wife so there had to be something about the fact of there being two Canadian accent speakers around.

😂I definitely recognise that sense of "I understood all of those words, but haven't a clue what they mean in that order". I think the good natured cultural divide is a little narrower between the UK and Canada. The few times I've been to the USA I've always found it handy to have a Canadian near by to sort of ease us through any culture shocks like not recognising restaurant chains or knowing how the petrol pumps work, etc.

Great video Alanna! Very interesting. Used to love Postman Pat 😂

Interesting to hear your thoughts on perspective.....I guess that's what I get when watching American/ Canadian KZfaqrs reacting to, or talking about, the UK.....I get to look at my own culture from the outside for a few moments, and realise that just because we do something 'X' way, doesn't mean it's the only way, or always the best way (though obviously it usually totally is the best way! 😛😂 )

So interesting about accents and phrases in a relationship. Fascinating stuff which never occurred to me

I have a friend from New Zealand who lodged with me for several years. It was strange discussing TV shows that we both knew. We both knew the big shows that had been sold to New Zealand such as Doctor Who and Monty Python. However, he had never heard of minor children's shows such as the Herbs, Trumpton and Crackerjack.

My Canadian girlfriend (I’m Old Skool) says I use a ridiculous phrases for everything, such as “I’m not as green as I’m cabbage looking” (my nans favourite) “Why can’t you just say you aren’t naive”! She swears I’m using some sort of secret code to confuse her!

Totally relate,I lived in California for 13 years and had the same things language wise. Best experience ever living a life in another country helps to teach you who you are and to relate to the rest of the world

I don't know if it's more common in California or if it's my circle of acquaintances but partner is what I use and it seems pretty common. It seems to fit serious relationships better than boyfriend/girlfriend which feels less established a relationship. It also doesn't carry some of the historical and cultural baggage of husband/wife

I'm British. Been married to a Canadian since 2010. We lived together in the UK until we sadly separated a year ago and now she and the kids live in Canada. We went through all the same things you did. I found the "journey" of learning each other's language and culture quite fun, and often funny. It probably took about 7-8 years before those "what the heck are you talking about?" moments died down to almost nothing, but there's till the odd one or two. What is REALLY weird is now that my kids are into school in Canada, their accents have begun to change from British to Canadian! I'm not sure how long it'll take me to get used to that one! I never really lost my accent, because I was already 28 when we got married, but my wife's accent did "soften" and she started using British phrases and emphases on words. Her family would often comment on that. I expect she'll start reverting back now that she lives there again.

Hokey Cokey, Postman Pat, Rosie and Jim...I see your partner is very cultured. 😂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇬🇧🇨🇦.

I moved to the USA from Kent 16 years ago and can totally relate to all your observations from the opposite side - especially the references to pop culture.

Lived here all my life and I've never heard of Rosie and Jim either, had to check them out as well !

In the 90's, I went on holiday with my ex-partner to Washington State to stay with their school friend who had emigrated, worked at Microsoft and had married an American woman. We had a fabulous holiday and walked on Mt Rainier/glacier and Mt St Helens (across the badlands) and also had a trip (briefly) into Canada to Vancouver (which was fabulous). We were in our 20's and loved chatting over a meal and a glass of wine. The four of us talked about where we wanted to travel to. My partner's friends wife said "Why would anybody want to travel outside the USA?". Yikes! So many differences. We were complete strangers who happened to share the same language. It was really interesting to chat with her. She found us very strange!

Alana about, "Having heard my voice his accent has changed." Alana admitting she never stops talking.

your picture behind you is Kent and East Sussex. The most southerly sticky out bit is the town of Eastbourne. The big sticky out bit is Dungeness, the Kent/Sussex border. I'm a northerner who now lives in Kent, but I struggle too understand some northern and Scottish accents.

'Postman Pat' and 'Rosie & Jim' eh? - I think those kids-TV cultural references might just have given your partner's age away there! I'm sure he's got fond memories of DangerMouse too!

very interesting video again,i would hate to intrude on your privacy and hope i am not crossing a line Alanna but would you tell us how and where you met your partner,did he meet you in Canada or you meet him here.thank you.

As a Brit guy with a Japanese partner I quickly became aware of how much popular culture is embedded in how us Brits think and speak - for instance we never just come up with a plan. It'll always be a cunning plan. Certainly my generation often reference back to Monty Python, Blackadder, Young Ones, Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy, Red Dwarf and so on. My poor partner has no idea about that sort of thing. Blackadder is perhaps not even half as funny to someone who's not tuned into the wordplay and historical/cultural references. One thing that particularly astounded me: Once we were picnicking in a park near to Twickenham Stadium and the sound of music and cheering from a big concert started to echo out. Now, to be fair she's a classical musician so pop isn't really her thing, but all the same... "What's going on there?" she asked "Oh it sounds like a U2 concert. She looked at me puzzled. "What's a you two concert?" I be like 😯 that's a vast cultural divide right there!

Partner is also a safer word when talking to someone you do not know. Referencing their partner, you can't go wrong, the ball is firmly in their court.

You're doing great A&N... but what's up with the Jaffa Cake hatred (just kidding) I'm with you on the Hob Knobs (choc variety obviously!) though, Britain's gift to the the world of biscuits...

Id agree with most in what you saud there Alanna, I'm a Brit living in Canada, and my Canadian girlfriend is fascinated with my terminology and British phrases... I never even knew some of them were uniquely British..🤷‍♂️. I seem to constantly make her laugh especially when I say them very sarcastically... she is from a more rural part of Ontario though, so im quite novel, she hadn't met many Brita if any before me.... im glad I make her laugh though, its makes me smile when I do. 😊

We actually did have Polka Dot Shorts in the UK! I remember watching it when I was a little kid. I think quite a few Canadian children's shows were also broadcast over here

Hi Alanna, fyi Yorkshire people have the reputation of being very direct and possibly blunt. My wife would wholeheartedly agree with this (she isn't from Yorkshire and I am).

I love these blogs and your sparkle.

I didn't have the language issue as much because my husband is a linguist and has watched a lot of American TV so he used to love 'translating' British terms for me or asking what North Americans would say in our first few years together. 😂 So many cultural references still baffle me though, even after 10yrs in the UK. I distinctly remember when I first moved here and some guys I was chatting to at a party were shocked that I didnt know who Alan Partridge was!

You mentioned 'sense of humour'. Have you reviewed classic British comedy tv shows? I'd suggest: Blackwater, particularly series iv, Black Books, Dad's Army, Green Wing, and of course Fawlty Towers.

Fun fact.... John Cunliffe "John who steers the boat" on Rosie and Jim created Postman Pat. He also created "Brum" who first appeared in an episode of Rosie and Jim before getting his own show

Very interesting video. Polka Dot Shorts did air in the UK in the 1990's and is based in part on the BBC Children's programme Play School that ran from 1964-1988.

If you want direct speaking go to Northern Ireland - my wife is from there and even after 25 years I still hear new words and phrases, and they are very direct!

Could not care less. I’m here for you.❤

When a Canadian praises British people for being polite, that’s high praise indeed!!

The thing about children's TV interests me: I have used references in the past to work out whether people are older or younger than me, among other things. I just looked up "Rosie and Jim" and see that it started when I was beginning my first full-time job, which is why I know nothing about it at all. "Postman Pat" fits with when I would sometimes visit my young niece and nephew, so I have an excuse for watching that! My sister's age group were familiar with "Muffin the Mule" and "The Woodentops", but I only caught the very end of those. For me it was shows like "The Saga of Noggin the Nog", "Pogles' Wood", "Captain Pugwash" and "Ivor the Engine". Ah, those were the days...

Great perspective on accent

Partner is polite to everyone concerned, also extra useful when you’re older and find the word ‘boyfriend’ is inappropriate.

Postman Pat is well known in Australia. Mayby Australia facilitated more British influence than Canada.

Interesting to hear you experience of dating a Brit Alanna but how do Canadians react when you tell them you are dating the Butler also does the Butler tell people he is dating the Lady of the house. 😊

I'm 32 and i used to watch big breakfast, mr blobby, basil brush, noddy, pink panther, tom and jerry, drake and josh, i carly, dexters laboratory and many more during the 90s and 00s ... i love your videos they are very intriguing for me to know what you think of the UK ❤

I love the idea of your partner sitting you down to give you a deep dive into Rosy and Jim lore.

Don't feel embarrassed about the ones you don't understand immediately. I'm English and my wife is Scottish, even after 40+ years of marriage she is still capable of coming out with Scottish slang which catches me.

Depends on what part of UK. Northern folks in the UK are very direct. People in the south or particularly the south east are very indirect

Some of us in the US do use the term "partner". It sounds more modern than "significant other", which was previously used.

The way someone speaks is filled with culture. As you share your life with your partner, your cultures merge, as reflected by your accent.

Obligatory "Brit here!" opener. Liked this video, especially the bit where you were talking about the word "partner" but used the word "person" a lot to talk about romantic partners. Haven't noticed it much IRL. Think it's just an us-thing, not a regional-thing or a Brit-thing, but in my family we've always talked about someone being someone's "person" in the sense of "current other half" but also sometimes the sense of capital-P "Person" as in "Love Of Their Life". E.g. Mum doing that classic, cliched Mum-type thing of "It's a shame X didn't end up marrying Y, they were [made for each other/each other's Person]". Really interesting to hear you use the expression!

Idk how old your partner is, but as a 25 year old Brit, I definitely saw Polka Dot Shorts, it aired over here

Different culture? Nah, Canada and the UK are so similar. You have to remember, in the USA, its language development with the English ended and is still stuck in the 18th century. In Canada, an old aunt who lived there said it was very similar to the UK until the 1970s when more US TV was allowed on to Canadian television. It started to change after that.

Regarding popular culture, as you get older most people lose touch with the new cultural icons that appear, regardless if you live in the one place or not. Frequently I see headlines or in jokes about people or stuff that I am clueless about. And, yes, I hadn't heard of a Colin the caterpillar cake until you mentioned it. Nor have I had a Nandos, cheeky or otherwise.

One popular show I used to watch growing up in Britain was The Kids of Degrassi Street, though you've possibly never heard of it 😆

Have you never heard a proper Newfoundland accent?? A friend and I once went there on holiday, and we got talking to a woman in our hotel's bar, who we thought was Irish. I eventually asked her what part of Ireland she was from, expecting her to say Dublin, or thereabouts. Her response was that she was born and raised right there in St. John's and had never been to Ireland in her life, infact she'd never even been outside of Canada!

Fascinating

As a British man, i can confirm we are very fun & interesting to date, there's no better experience really. Not just my opinion, it's fact. So for those single & looking for a British man & a lifetime of smiles, laughs, security & knowledge (long list of positive etcs)...then look no further, lucky for you there's plenty of single & looking British men in the comments...Send us your CVs & we'll reply soon as we can 😁👍 If you want maximum handsomeness & a MASSIVE.....heart as well then definitely hit me up first 😁👍 Jokes aside, another from start to end enjoyable & interesting video. Your relationship sounds awesome! Getting slightly bored of each other would be impossible & learning everything about each other is endless. Love that! Look forward to your next vid, much love from the Medway Towns 💚🙂👍

Many years (decades!) ago I was lucky enough to have one teacher that was Canadian and another from New Zealand. We had great fun teasing them with sayings they had no knowledge of and blissfully unaware they had just been insulted!