People in the US have a wrong idea about the English. They think they’re so uptight – but the Bafta awards last night were so loose. Billy Bob Thornton thinks there’s a strong affinity between the American south and the English. Which explains why three Brits turn up unexpectedly in his latest film, Jayne Mansfield’s Car
whoopensocker (something extraordinary of its kind, especially a large or strong drink, chiefly used in Wisconsin) willywags (a New England term for an area with tangled underbrush), upscuddle (southern Appalachian term for a noisy quarrel), strubbly (Pennsylvania German term for untidy) and swivet (a term for a state of anxiety from the South)Dictionary of American dialect completed after 50 years
The brewing shed at Alpha Farm, Oregon, USA. Photograph: Gilles Mingasson/Getty Images
From tasteless mass-produced beers a decade ago, innovative, flavoursome American ales from a thriving craft brewing scene can now be found in the UK.
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