In the States, we would ask, “can I help,” if we saw someone in actual need of help (e.g., struggling to reach something on a high shelf, trying to get the top off of a jar, unhooking a bra, etc…). Here in London, the phrase means, “next,” and not much more. So when the person…
One of the clearest social rules in England is queuing (east cost translation: standing on line, west coast: standing in line). People want to know the bounds of the queue (where it begins, where it ends, single file or two-by-two, etc.) and they get very anxious when there are disruptions to the queue. Today I…
Five Abroad 