You Say Sat, I Say What?

I've been thinking recently about the little differences between British English and American English. I think every blogger living in the UK does a post about this at some point, so here I go. I was on the bus doing some serious thinking about this, the place where I get most of my brilliant ideas. I swear, I should spend a few hours a day riding the bus and I would soon be rich off my ideas and inventions, or at least close to developing some really, really good things (people finder goggles, anyone?). I also thought about this last night as we were watching "The Only Way Is Essex," the brilliant show about not-so-brilliant people in, you guessed it, Essex. They were using the term "yous" which I LOATHE, as in "Dave and Riley, yous are coming with me to Sugar Hut Saturday night, innit." I threw "innit" in just for good measure as the majority of spoken sentences seem to end with that here. Literally. So aside from me hating "yous" there are other differences that in my opinion are so strange, and sound almost incorrect to my American English ears.

- Example: Sat/Sitting

American use - I was sitting in the kitchen spying on my neighbors, and simultaneously working on my people finder goggle schematics.

British use - I was sat in the restaurant while Dave ate his morning bacon butty.

- Similar Example: Stood/Standing

American use - I was standing on Hyde Park corner using my people finder goggles to much success.

British use - I was stood there, waiting for Dave and Riley to come back from buying meat pasties.

So basically standing/sitting do not seem to exist in British English. They use the past tense of both words.

- Example: Heating/Hotting

American use - Much to Dave's chagrin, the relationship between Riley and her boyfriend Alfie is really heating up.

British use - Katie Price's relationship with the random Argentinian guy who doesn't speak any English is really hotting up.

- Example: Could do (this is more British, as there isn't a specific American counterpart)

Use - Dave: Why don't you put Riley in her argyle sweater for our walk today?
         Laurie: I could do.
For some reason, "that" is missing. Or, conversely, "do" is added. In the US I would be much more likely to say either "Yeah, I could do that," or Yeah, I could."

I think that's my list for now. I just wanted to point out some of the differences you really only encounter while living here and hearing British English every day. I know it took me moving to London to hear the word "hotting," and really, it's not a word I needed to hear. I'll probably come up with other brilliant examples in the days to come, especially if I ride the bus.