Cultural Nuances

"England and America are two countries separated by the same language." George Bernard Shaw.

Part of the fun of living in a foreign location is learning about the culture. It's especially challenging when you both speak English. There are as many ways to speak English as there are stars in the sky.

Yesterday a colleague was trying to illustrate a story using the characters in Thunderbirds. We got as far as 'Brains' and 'Lady Penelope'. I'm still not sure what the point was but we had a great laugh.

Another colleague was laughing at something in the Times.

"Ever since Sir Menzies Campbell became acting leader of the Liberal Democrats...around Westminster his new nickname was Ming the Merciless...for PMQs Sir Merciless had on smart black loafers...His first question on public services was demolished by Tony Blair...Ming gulped a glass of water."

" "Vodka!" shouted a Labour MP. It was a post-Kennedy moment, for no glass of anything has been allowed near that front bench in years."

"Ming jumped up again. "Perhaps the Prime Minister would like to explain," he huffed, "why it is that one in five schools does not have a permanent head teacher?" "

"What about a permanent leader?!" cried a Labour MP."

The Chamber erupted...finally Mr. Blair cried: "As he knows, it can be difficult to find the head of an organisation when the post is vacant, particularly if it is a failing organisation!"

"...Simon Hughes...also wants to be leader...by happenstance, he had been chosen to ask a question and we knew it would not be short, for his never are. The moment he stood up MPs shouted "Too long" and "that's enough". As he droned on, someone shouted "next", then "next leader!"

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"No political leader is going anywhere with a nickname like Ming."

"Why?"

"I'm not going to explain it to you."