An American influencer and her English boyfriend have lifted the lid on the different words they use to describe the same thing — even though they are speaking the same language.
Ella McFadin, 25, grew up in Newport Beach, California, while her beau James 31, is from Chiswick in west London. They now live together in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, after meeting on a dating app in New York two years ago.
Earlier this year, the couple went viral on TikTok after pointing out the glaring differences between American and British English. The video was so popular that she posted a follow-up this week.
Keeping with the same format as the original, Ella threw out a word that is commonly used in the U.S. and James responded with the British equivalent.
Ella McFadin, 25, grew up in Newport Beach, California, while her beau James 31, is from Chiswick in west London
The American influencer and her English beau went viral on TikTok this week after pointing out the glaring differences between American and British English
‘The first one that I think drives him the most crazy is that Americans say, “I did it on accident,”‘ she explained. ‘It’s by accident,’ James interjected. ‘You do something by accident, not on accident.’
‘I catch myself now. When I say “on” accident, I switch it to “by” because I realize that actually sounds more correct,’ she admitted.
When Ella noted that Americans say broccolini, James said the vegetable is known as tenderstem broccoli across the pond.
‘Yeah, I don’t think I ever heard that before,’ she responded.
Fries versus chips, chips versus crisps, popsicles versus ice lollies, and candy versus sweets were other food-related differences that they highlighted.
Ella said that if you were wearing a puffer vest, James would call it a gilet.
‘A hairstyle he would refer to as a barnet,’ she continued.
‘That sounds bad coming out of an American’s [mouth],’ he joked.
In the video, Ella threw out a word that is commonly used in the U.S. and James responded with the British equivalent. For example, she says fries, while calls them crisps
‘The first one that I think drives him the most crazy is that Americans say, “I did it on accident,”‘ she said. ‘It’s by accident,’ James interjected. ‘You do something by accident, not on accident’
James also calls a braid a plait, but there was some confusion when Ella asked him the British word for bangs.
‘We would say bangs,’ he said.
‘No, you say fringe,’ she argued.
‘Fringe and bangs are different things,’ he explained. ‘Fringe is a different haircut than bangs.’
‘I don’t think it is,’ she replied before moving on.
She later shared in the comments that James admitted he was confused and ‘thought bangs only meant side bangs.’
Ella went on to explain that while Americans put a ‘period’ at the end of the sentence, Brits refer to the punctuation as a ‘full stop.’
James also calls a swimsuit a swimming costume instead of a swimsuit, but he noted that he would also say bikini if someone was wearing a two-piece.
The couple has been together for two years now, and they are still learning new words and phrases that are completely different in their two countries.
The American-British couple went viral earlier this year when they shared the different words and phrases they say despite speaking the same language
Ella and James fell in love after meeting on a dating app in New York two years ago
The couple now lives together in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the half-way point between their two home cities
‘We were swimming in the pool where we’re staying right now, he was like, “Your best stroke was a front crawl” and I was like, “What the hell is that?”‘ she recalled. ‘We would say freestyle.’
Ella added in the caption that she says sunscreen, whereas James says sun cream.
The video has been viewed more than 400,000 times in one day, and hundreds of people shared their thoughts in the comments.
Many Americans noted that it is grammatically incorrect to say ‘on’ accident, and it should be ‘by’ accident.
‘Not sure why you say “on” accident, I’ve always said “by,”‘ one person responded. ‘I think you say it wrong lol.’
‘By accident is grammatically correct!!!’ someone else pointed out. ‘I’m passionate about this lmao.’
‘I think it’s because we say “on purpose” so people started confusing “on accident,”‘ another American deduced.
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