Cambridge: Language

July 24, 2017

The English spoken in Cambridge is pretty comprehensible to me as an American. When I went to London, the English spoken there was also pretty understandable. However, I took a trip to Liverpool for a weekend to visit another student’s friend who lives and grew up there. The dialect there is much more difficult for me to get because the differences between American and Liverpoolean English are quite stark. The Liverpooleans (“Scouse” as they call themselves) I met were quick to inform me that it was, in fact, me who had a thick and incomprehensible accent. It felt like I needed the Rosetta Stone (housed just 220 miles away at the British Museum) to communicate sometimes.

Back in Cambridge, though, there are some words and phrases we don’t use in the States. One that caught me off guard is that instead of asking “how are you?” they will ask “are you alright?” I usually only ask people if they’re alright if I think something might be wrong. So, when someone first asked me if I was alright, I thought it must be because I looked upset!

This weekend, I’m taking a trip to Barcelona and I’m sure I’ll have some language difficulties there. I speak close-to-fluent Spanish, but the Spanish I know is a mix of Argentinian and Mexican Spanish. Spanish in Barcelona is similar in the words used, but the accent is sometimes difficult for me to understand. But Catalan is also spoken in Barcelona, which to me sounds like a mix of French and Spanish, and I can understand maybe 60% of it and speak close to none.

Written By

Nicholas Napolio

At Northeastern, I study political science with a particular focus on American public administration, public law, and queer politics. While abroad in Cambridge, I plan to immerse myself in British politics and further my understanding of American politics by comparison. I am taking courses on European legal history, British criminal law, and gender & sexuality informed by British culture. These courses are similar to courses I have taken at Northeastern but will allow me to study the differences between American and British conceptions of each. In addition to coursework, the University of Cambridge offers social and cultural opportunities such as pub tours, trips to London, and weekly banquets.