Bermudian English

Bermudian English is the variety of English spoken in Bermuda, a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic.

To British ears, Bermudian English sounds similar to American English, although there are affinities with British English, namely the pronunciation of the letter 'z' as 'zed', not 'zee' (also found in Canadian English), and the use of 'football' as opposed to 'soccer', while British spelling is generally followed. However the islands' relative proximity to the United States means that US influence, through television and the large number of tourists is increasingly strong.

A unique characteristic of Bermudian English is the pronunciation of 'w' as 'v', hence 'Bermudian words' is pronounced Bermewdjun vurds. The letter 'e' is often pronounced as an 'a', hence, 'letter' is pronounced 'latter'. The Bermudians' nickname for themselves is 'onion' on account of the fact that onions were once a major export, while Bermuda itself is often nicknamed 'the Rock', similar to the Rock of Gibraltar.

Other terms include 'paper Bermudian', to describe someone (particularly from the United Kingdom) who has acquired Bermudian status, and the right of abode, as opposed to a local Bermudian or 'onion', and the colourful 'go Europe' to describe the sound of someone vomiting. 'Ease me up!' is similar to the US 'give me a break!'