It seems that people who know me and see me often have reached a consensus: I was born in the wrong country. Apparently, I'm as British as they come.
At first, I found this idea preposterous. Just because I have a predilection for many things British (including, but not limited to: authors, actors, television, and chocolate) does not mean I'm living in the wrong country. I mean, I like House quite a lot. And it's an American TV show. (So what if the lead actors is, in all reality, British?)
I'm also rather fond of Psych, Monk, Pushing Daisies, and Gilmore Girls. And when I pointed this out to one of my friends--in exactly those words, she began to laugh. Because apparently, it's not my tastes that make me seem more British than American. It's the way I talk and the way I talk. Several people have verified this.
Specifically, I'm fond of the adjectives "quite" and "rather." Indeed, when I'm enthusing to my co-worker about something she should read, watch, or listen to, I often find myself saying, "I found it rather amazing" or "Seriously. It made me quite happy."
It's rare that I become "ecstatic" or "enthused." Or any number of other adjectives my vocabulary allows for. I'm usually either "happy" or "quite happy," "sad" or "quite sad." Although, in all fairness, sadness does have variants of "depressed" and "quite depressed." Or, if I'm feeling variable, I'll subsitute "rather" for "quite."
And my argument against her characterization of me failed when I asked, unthinkingly, "Don't you think that assessment of me is rather over-exaggerated?"
2 comments:
Quite over-exaggerated.
I'm fond of the word "rather," but more so in writing than in speaking. I alway feel a bit self-conscious using it, though, because it is rather British.
Indeed. Well, British girls are often referred to as being rather more attractive than americans, so I'm sure it's meant to compliment.
Post a Comment