In the U.S. people say cheers if they are about to take a
shot or drink together, but here it’s different. I was walking down the hall at
my internship today and after holding the door open for a guy he said “cheers.”
This wasn’t the first time I had heard it and although I had a pretty good idea
of what it meant, I asked him what he meant by it. He told me it’s almost like
saying “thanks!” I thought it was interesting because you never hear that in
the U.S. Then I asked if it would be weird if I started to say it too, like if
people would be offended if I said it in an American accent. He didn’t think
people would seem to mind, even if they knew I wasn’t from England. Then he
backed up and said “well I guess it depends how you say it” and laughed. If I
did want to say it, I would probably add the English accent to it so that it
would sound correct. Although now, I don’t want to say it because I might pronounce
it wrong or something, but I doubt it would be a big deal. There is also a
second meaning, that would be more like “best wishes.” I had noticed this when
I was reading an email from a CAPA staff member, she ended with “Cheers,” then
her name, where in the U.S. we would end with a “Sincerely.” Being here and
hearing the word cheers tossed around every once in a while, makes me want to
start using it. Maybe when I get back to the states I will start using it as a
way of saying thanks. Add a little fun to the English language.
A second thing I seemed to notice very quickly was the use
of “toilet” instead of “bathroom” or “restroom.” A friend of mine at my
internship asked a fellow co-worker where the restroom was, and the co-worker
pointed her in the direction of the “Staff Tea Room.” Later, I had asked a man
where the restroom was and he thought for a minute then pointed me in the
direction of the nearest restroom. Before I headed to the restroom I asked him
what they would generally call it and he said just “toilet.” I still refrain
from saying toilet because in the U.S. it’s a little informal to say “toilet,”
instead we use bathroom and restroom, although I don’t know why Also, I noticed
that many of the signs directed toward the restroom’s say “toilet” or “WC” for
Water Closet. Now that I think about it, it is a little odd to say “bathroom”
because it’s not really a room in which you bathe. Either way, I believe the
best way to get the point across that you have to use the restroom is to use
the term “toilet,” not too difficult to remember right?
Cheers!
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