NZ vs US vs British English: -ize, -ise

[GrumpyGoat]

Kiwis also say 'that's my one' and Americans say 'that's mine'.

This is one of my FAVORITES!!! Sooooo funny!


My american friend (who lives here married to a kiwi) and I LOVE the "my one" and "your one" --we use it all the time with great hilarity!

I also really like "grow-en" for "grown" and "know-en" for "known" --two syllable words for kiwis but only one for americans!

That extra little kiwi "ennnn" on the end!! Giggles!

[Mickfin]

When we first moved here, we lauged and laughed about the sing song way the kiwis say the ".co.nz" for their internet address on commercials. "dot co dot enn zed"

The kids were very young (2 and 4). I carefully explained to them that "zee" was now "zed" in their alphabet.

Well, this confused them to no end--my son said "so now a zebra is called a zed-bra?"

It took me awhile to figure out what the heck they were saying. TV N Said? My OH who obviously has a better ear then me had to tell me what was being said.

I did ask a Kiwi to tell me what they would call a horse looking animal from Africa with black and white stripes and she said it was a Zebra the same as I would. So the "zed" rule is not always followed.

Just one more exception to all the phonetic rules.

[JandM]

I did ask a Kiwi to tell me what they would call a horse looking animal from Africa with black and white stripes and she said it was a Zebra the same as I would. So the "zed" rule is not always followed.

But I don't think zebb-ra/zee-bra and zed/zee are part of any rule. Zed/zee seems to be something used by whole populations, hence the reason it confuses US newcomers to NZ or the UK (whereas the people going the other way tend to know 'zee' from widespread American films). And it only arises when there's the need to name letters. However, I know people in both the UK and NZ who say zee-bra, and others who say zebb-ra, so that pronunciation seems to be a more local choice, probably depending on what your family said, or your school.

[Dell]

The Kiwi accent is also changing. I think America and Oz have had a huge influence on the younger Kiwi accent.

I speak old Kiwi as I've been gone from NZ for so long. My aunt is close to 90 and her speech is full of words like 'crook' (sick). Both she and my father still use the term, 'of a morning' which I don't use.

Do you even hear 'crikey' any more in NZ?

[girlwithanewf]

Do you even hear 'crikey' any more in NZ?

Yes, at my house all the time! My daughter seems to have learnt that one at school.

[benandclare]

There was loud crikey from me today on the golf course as i hit an errant shot

[minnysian]

I always found that Americans speak English with a German accent. Probably because most of them were/are Germans.

[Duncan74]

I always found that Americans speak English with a German accent. Probably because most of them were/are Germans.

Possibly one of the oddest statements on this site, but I guess it's all a matter of opinions. Not sure about the second part though.

[minnysian]

Possibly one of the oddest statements on this site, but I guess it's all a matter of opinions. Not sure about the second part though.

Nothing odd about Americans having a German accent when Germans make up the largest ethnic group in America.

[Sam B]

Nothing odd about Americans having a German accent when Germans make up the largest ethnic group in America.

Do they? How come I have never heard of this? Why don't they ever have German accents in films?