Fun with Consonant Mutations

Weird things happen when you go abroad. For example: you start playing pick-up football (soccer) games, and liking it.

We three American girls asked the boys from Aberystwyth if we could borrow a ball, since we've been eating the refectory food (ick ah fi!) and not getting much exercise. "Sure," said James, "want to play tomorrow? During our lunch break?" "Oh, oh, sure," we said. "I mean, we suck, but sure..."

"It's a cultural experience," we told ourselves.

The boys showed up about ten minutes late, and weren't as frighteningly good as we had feared (James kept trying to head the ball, and missing), and we spent a pleasant hour or so kicking the ball around and shouting at one another in Wenglish (or Spanelsh-- Federico, from Patagonia, joined us for the game)-- "dim goal!" "dim lucas!" (no luck) and the like. Furthermore, we were playing in a narrow field next to the creek, and needed to fish out the ball whenever it went out of play. "And now we paddle," said James, as he and Adam started pulling off their shoes and socks. Erin, who was already barefoot, beat them to it and was made designated ball-retriever for the remander of the game. She slipped once, and her jeans are still hanging out her window to dry.

Kat was pleased to hear that Welsh swear words are reasonably similar to those in Saesneg, although she did have one slightly embarassing moment which I believe I shall use to start off the following selection of quotes.

Adam: Next time we'll have Phil and Dan. They're shithot players.
Erin: Shithot?
Adam: Really cool.
Kat: Shithot means really cool in Welsh? I'm so going to remember that!
Adam: Um, actually, it's English... English English.

Erin: We need a sideline over here... oh, I guess it's the river.

Alice: Yeah, but you see... Kat and I suck.
James: Well, so do I, and Adam... (turns to see Adam showing off with the ball)...Adam is from Devon.

James: What do you think? Celts vs. Saeses?

Adam is really nice, but a little spacy. He dresses like he's from San Diego, and because he's Celtic Studies from Aberystwyth, he already knows all of the most important words, even though he's in the introductory class. Example:
Tutor, in lecture on how to tell time: brawn--almost.
Adam, whispering to Erin: It also means breast.
Erin: Oh, I'll remember that.
(Some time passes, Erin returns to handout.)
Erin: Does brawn mutate?
Adam: I don't know. I usually say it so fast it doesn't matter.

And that leads me to the title of this post: Fun with Consonant Mutations.

Alice: Top Dog... Cary Grant... I forget the mnemonic for M mutating to F.
Kat: I can think of one, but it wouldn't be appropriate.

Addenda: In the realm of professional football, someone (who shall remain anonymous to protect the guilty) reports that "Cristiano Ronaldo still melts my butter". Erin has picked this up as her own phrase.