The rise of the 'Britishism': Americans are adopting words like 'bonkers', 'tune' and 'cheers' - as even Sabrina Carpenter reveals her love for British slang

1 week ago 8

She's one of the biggest popstars in the world. 

So it's no surprise that Sabrina Carpenter's love for British slang has sparked a surge in 'Britishisms' across the US. 

In a recent episode of Chicken Shop Date, the songstress, 25, revealed her love for one British word in particular - 'tune'. 

'I love when you guys say "that's a tune mate",' she told the show's host, Amelia Dimoldenberg

According to linguists, 'tune' - meaning a great song - is now one of the most popular British words that Americans are adopting.  

'The pop icon mentioned it was one of her favourite British slang words, and from there, the term just seemed to stick with her American fans,' explained the experts at Preply.

However, 'tune' isn't the only British word that Americans have started to incorporate into their daily conversations. 

In a recent study, experts from Babbel found the 'bonkers' is the most widely used Britishism, followed by 'amongst', 'queue', and 'wonky'. 

In a recent episode of Chicken Shop Date , the songstress, 25, revealed her love for one British word in particular - 'tune'. 'I love when you guys say "that's a tune mate",' she told the show's host, Amelia Dimoldenberg 

Babbel analysed a database containing 5 million transcribed words and 1,000 hours of spoken American English, collected between January 2023 and October 2024.

'Bonkers' - meaning absurd or wildly extreme - topped the list, accounting for 24 per cent of all Britishisms identified.

This word proved particularly popular among Gen Z and women - with a whopping 90 per cent of those who used the term being female.

'Bonkers' was followed by 'amongst' (14 per cent), 'queue' (13 per cent), 'wonky' (11 per cent), and 'cheeky' (10 per cent).

Americans also enjoyed using 'snarky' (10 per cent), 'cheers' (six per cent), 'keen' (five per cent), 'maths' (three per cent), and 'nil' (two per cent).

Meanwhile, several other Britishisms were also on the up - including 'nutter', 'trousers', 'b**ger', 'dodgy', 'kerfuffle', 'posh', 'aggro', 'banter', 'bo****ks', and 'flummox'.

According to Preply, there a several reasons why Britishisms are being picked up across the pond - including Sabrina Carpenter's love for British slang. 

'One of the biggest drivers is the UK’s growing cultural influence globally,' the experts explained.

In a recent study , experts from Babbel found the 'bonkers' is the most widely used Britishism, followed by 'amongst', 'queue', and 'wonky'

The most popular 'Britishisms' being used by Americans

  1. Bonkers (24%)
  2. Amongst (14%)
  3. Queue (13%)
  4. Wonky (11%)
  5. Cheeky (10%)
  6. Snarky (10%)
  7. Cheers (6%)
  8. Keen (5%)
  9. Maths (3%)
  10. Nil (2%)

'British TV shows, films, and music have exploded in popularity across the US in recent years. 

'Love Island, The Great British Bake Off, Top Boy, and artists like Harry Styles, Adele, and Lewis Capaldi are all introducing everyday British vernacular to American audiences.

'To really connect with these shows and artists, Americans have started adopting the words, terms, and phrases they hear, essentially using the language to feel more in-the-know.'

Social media is also a major factor, according to the experts. 

'Now, more than ever, the world is globally connected,' they said. 

'British TikTokers, YouTubers, and Instagram creators have become cultural icons in their own right. 

'As their audiences grow internationally, so does their influence, and that includes the slang they use. 

'It's not just what they say, but how they say it that’s catching on.

'Terms like "leng", "mugged off", and "proper" are now being used by Gen Z across the US, thanks to meme-worthy content and viral moments on social media.'

British slang may also appeal to American audiences because it's seen as 'cheeky', the experts added.  

'Americans may not always use these terms seriously, but that's part of the fun,' they explained. 

'Saying "I'm absolutely knackered" instead of just "tired" is quirky, playful, and makes everyday conversation a bit more colourful.

'So, it's safe to say that Americans are taking a leaf out of the books of Brits when it comes to language.'

WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER USE FULL STOPS IN TEXT MESSAGES 

You may think of emoji as silly additions to text messages, but a new study has revealed that the characters can help convey meaning.

The study found that far from being annoying, smiley faces, as well as abbreviations and acronyms, are valuable additions to text messages.

But ending messages with a full stop people was found to be a heartless move that changed the meaning of texts.

Researchers from Binghampton University in New York suggest that new additions to written communication called 'textisms' like LOL and CUL8 are not sloppy nor a sign that written language is dying a death, but provide vital clues only usually found in face-to-face meetings.

Even the use of slang such as 'yeah', 'yup' and 'nope' in text messages provides telltale signs of someone's real emotions and feelings.

Professor Celia Klin, lead author of the study, said: 'In contrast with face-to-face conversation, texters can't rely on extra-linguistic cues such as tone of voice and pauses, or non-linguistic cues such as facial expressions and hand gestures.'

In a spoken conversation, the cues aren't simply add-ons to our words; they convey critical information.

'A facial expression or a rise in the pitch of our voices can entirely change the meaning of our words.

'One way that texters add meaning to their words is by using textisms - things like emoticons, irregular spellings (sooooo) and irregular use of punctuation (!!!)', she said.

An earlier study by Dr Klin found that text messages ending with a full stop are seen as less sincere than text messages that do not end with a period.

These results suggest that punctuation can misconstrue or influence the meaning of text messages.

Skipping punctuation indicates you are answering more spontaneously and heartfelt.

The new study found that full stops are increasingly being replaced with abbreviations, emoticons and the even more recent trend of emoji which include pictures of a cake for someone's birthday or a pint of beer for a night out. 

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