[hardleyouth]

(Original post by Sullen_Wind)
I'm 16 and I did my IGCSEs this year. I did qualifications that would be recognised in England because my parents knew we'd be moving to England for their work.

I'll be going to a sixth form just outside London to do my A-Levels. Will I fit in? Will people make fun of my accent? I'm from New York and my accent is pretty strong. This is the main thing that's worrying me

When you first speak to someone, prepare for a lot of 'OH MY GOD! YOU'RE AMERICAN!?'

But otherwise, yes, you'll fit in, people will love the fact you're different, you'll probably get asked a lot of questions about America as portrayed in Hollywood too :')

[amyelizabeth2681]

(Original post by Sullen_Wind)
I'm 16 and I did my IGCSEs this year. I did qualifications that would be recognised in England because my parents knew we'd be moving to England for their work.

I'll be going to a sixth form just outside London to do my A-Levels. Will I fit in? Will people make fun of my accent? I'm from New York and my accent is pretty strong. This is the main thing that's worrying me

Lol I was sort of in the same boat lived in the US for ten years then moved to the UK for my A Levels because of my parents work. Honestly I found it really easy to make friends. You'll get a bit tired of the inevitable "Are you American??" because of the accent (having lived here for three years, I STILL get it), but other than that everyone was really friendly! If anything I found the accent a really good conversation starter. My brother absolutely loved it, he had what me and my friends called "groupies" literally trailing after him in college. Was very odd, but funny to watch. Lol nevertheless, I'm sure youll be fine.

[F Ellen]

(Original post by The Marshall)
otherwise, use our words, we say it more better then the English do.

Oh, the irony.

[Nice.Guy]

(Original post by Jam')
Aluminium, not aluminum. That's Al-you-min-e-um

haha i remember the first time i heard an american say this, i was like 'say whaaaa??!'



OP, you should be fine, in truth we love america - there's a guy in our year who came with an american accent (though not actually american), and it was a great way to start conversations and stuff
nowadays, you'd never know he started off with an american accent

you're gonna get some stick at first when you say stuff like 'math' or 'restroom', but it's just playful, it's not serious

but, please, NEVER say soccer, that is a no-no. . . everything else is fine though, you'll gradually change your accent and dialect over time

[Top Banana]

It is very multicultural around London anyway, so you probably wont be the only foreigner. Many people will be jealous of you being American anyway!

[MKZebra]

You'll be different, so everyone will be asking you questions and find you interesting. As long as you're okay with being badgered all the time, you should be fine.

[Chlomc]

(Original post by Sullen_Wind)
Thanks a lot! Another thing that's worrying me is if I should change the words I use. Like I say math and not maths, chips not crisps, fries not chips, elevator, pants etc. Should I start saying these sort of words with the English pronunciations so people don't make fun of me saying stuff like that?

When ordering food I'd suggest saying "Chips" "Crisps". Just because it will avoid a lot of confusion and you may end up getting something you didn't order. Or try to make it clear what you want by saying something like "I'll have a BAG of chips" Or "I'll have a PLATE of fries"
The only reason why i'm suggesting this is because many British people may not understand what you want easily, not that people would make fun of you because you use those words instead of how we use words.

[hannah60000]

(Original post by Junaid96)
Well you got some of them:

maths not math
crisps not chips (chips are these http://diningroomonline.com/wp-conte...2/06/chips.jpg we still have fries, but they're a specific type of chips)
lift not elevator (you can say elevator and people wouldn't say anything because we hear it so often on tv, but it's a bit odd)
trousers not pants
pharmacy not drugstore
fresher not freshman
rubbish not garbage

the list goes on, but you'll pick it all up really quickly and everyone will know what you mean anyway



Are you kidding me? hahaaa



Yes because those sort of programs are so realistic

The first one sounds the same but are just different abbreviations

The other two are interchangeable and synonymous nowadays I use both rubbish and garbage to be honest

[Bellissima]

(Original post by Sullen_Wind)
I'm 16 and I did my IGCSEs this year. I did qualifications that would be recognised in England because my parents knew we'd be moving to England for their work.

I'll be going to a sixth form just outside London to do my A-Levels. Will I fit in? Will people make fun of my accent? I'm from New York and my accent is pretty strong. This is the main thing that's worrying me

hey! yes you should fit in. there might be a bit of banter (friendly teasing) that you might see as "mean" because british humour is different and maybe a bit crueler than american humour... but most likely you will be fine and the fact you're american is more likely to be an advantage than a disadvantage. are you confident/chatty? if you are this will help A LOT.

[Dmon1Unlimited]

Bit awkward at first but you'll fit in...

Even more when you hit uni

[whatsnext]

I'm American, I moved to London when I was 10. I'm going to be completely honest and tell you it may not be easy. It completely depends on how nice the people in your school are, which of course is the same anywhere in the world, but I definitely encountered a lot of anti-American feelings, people mocked me for my accent routinely, for the words I said, held me accountable for dumb American stereotypes, etc. You may often get treated like you yourself represent the entire US govt, and be treated to arguments against the Iraq war or something, as though you were personally responsible. I was constantly asked what I was doing in this country. I did not have a good time for the first few years. Every single time I meet someone in school they try and (badly) attempt my accent, etc. But you get used to it.

This isn't meant to scare you--I went to a pretty bad school for the first year and the people there were just posh dicks, for the next five years, it was during early years of secondary school so everyone was still a dick. Sixth form should be much, much better, people care much less about that stuff in sixth form. So I'm just being honest and sharing my experiences, but please don't worry.

And you'll fit in fine--for me, living in London vs. America had essentially no difference. Everyone watches American shows and movies and downloads American music, they are not hugely different cultures.

I would advise changing some of your words because it will lead to confusion sometimes--for example, saying fries is fine, but if you ask someone to get you chips, they will get you fries. I once told people I hadn't bought any pants yet, and they were disgusted because they thought I meant underwear. Elevator is fine. Math is fine. (I always argue with people about it anyway.) Eventually you should be proud of your accent because it'll distinguish you! I like speaking for the first time in class or something.

[salty_candy]

(Original post by Sullen_Wind)
Are you treated differently in the UK because of your accent?



Not that many people will be new though. I'll be going to a school with a sixth form, with like 95% of people at the sixth form who went to the school since year 7.

You'll probably have to try harder in a school sixth form to make friends than you would a college, not because you're American but just because most people will already have their friendship groups, so it's quite likely you'd have to make the effort with them, but most people are nice so just be nice and it'll be fine, I doubt anyone will make fun of your accent to be honest, maybe the younger kids, but by 16+ most people aren't that ridiculous.

[boba]

you will make friends and fit in fine but people will comment on your accent yes. I don't think I went a week at uni without someone commenting on mine and I'm English just northern..
I also agree with what someone said earlier about "banter" (although I do hate that word I can't think of a better one at the moment) and getting used to english humour, realising that someone taking the piss is not necessarily actually being mean. I think Reginald D Hunter did part of one of his sketches about it which was quite funny.

[Namige]

Girls love foreign accents. Especially American. In the same way American girls are intrigued by guys with british accents.


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[boba]

(Original post by salty_candy)
You'll probably have to try harder in a school sixth form to make friends than you would a college, not because you're American but just because most people will already have their friendship groups, so it's quite likely you'd have to make the effort with them, but most people are nice so just be nice and it'll be fine, I doubt anyone will make fun of your accent to be honest, maybe the younger kids, but by 16+ most people aren't that ridiculous.

try going to live in a part of the country far away from where you are from and see if no one 16+ makes fun of your accent. It might be done in a friendly rather than spiteful way but people at uni constantly comment on and make jokes about my accent. The same with quite a few people there all from different places not just me.

[CJKay]

No, I know a couple of American girls that fit in fine.

[RastaMannn]

yes! i love americans

[ThePants999]

Just be glad you're not Canadian - Brits generally cannot tell the difference in the accents and always assume it's American

(If that sounds incomprehensible to you, the last time I was in the States I met people who thought I was Australian - and to a Brit, that's bloody weird, I tell you, they sound totally different.)

[recurring500]

The doors are quite narrow...


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[DeadGirlsDance]

I think most people will be really interested and would want to get to know you.