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We've all dreamed about dating a real life Colin Firth or Jude Law, which is why we were intrigued to hear about a new dating site called I Love Your Accent, which pairs U.S.- and U.K.-based singles.

One London-based economist says the odds of finding love in London are about as slim as meeting an extraterrestrial, so clearly some people could stand to widen their dating pool. But hopping the pond is expensive. And British dentistry suspect. Is this a realistic idea?

Lemondrop asked founder Rochelle Peachey to fill us in about what it's like to shag snag a British bloke, why we need her site now, and the key words you need to know to date in London. Hint: Do NOT say "fanny" on a first date.



Lemondrop: If our readers decide they're set on dating British men, what terms do they need to know?
Peachey: The first one is fanny -- it means something totally different in England. It's a slang word for vagina. If you've been on a water ride in England, do not say "my fanny is all wet." People will look at you.

Also, "fortnight" means two weeks. "Knock me up in the morning" doesn't mean "get me pregnant." It means "call me up." "Rubber" is an eraser. If someone asks for a rubber, they're asking for an eraser, not a condom. There's a pudding called spotted dick. Anyone in America who sees that, they fall about. [Ed. note: laugh hysterically.] Instead of "hood and trunk," we say "bonnet and boot." "Lift the bonnet" would be "lift the hood." "Put it in the boot" would be the trunk.

I would call suspenders "braces" in England. "Suspenders" in England is a garter belt. "Mean" in England would mean you're cheap: "I sat there all day and he didn't buy me a drink. He's so mean!" We'd also say, "He's nasty, he's so evil."

Tell us more about I Love Your Accent. Why now?
It's a dating site for people who want to meet each other from different parts of the world. We have people from Germany and Australia, too. But it's all about the accents. [Brits] get "I love your accent!" all the time. It can get us out of a lot of trouble.

It's a great time because so many people are falling apart, even in their 20s, but certainly in their 30s and 40s. They're tired of going to the bars. If you limit yourself to meeting someone just in your town, especially if you live in a small town, you're really limiting yourself. It's exciting to be talking to someone from London or Manchester.

You know, I'm not saying you jump on a plane every weekend. If you've got that kind of money, travel is always the best way to broaden the mind. People say, "I'd love to go to London, but I don't know anyone." Even if you don't fall in love, you could widen your circle of friends.

Do the English have a different approach to dating?
I think English people are not quite as outgoing. It can be a really good match because some American men have been known to think American women are brash. English women seem to be a little more refined and English Rose-y. However, the English women love American men. They love the way you speak. It's kind of romantic. "Oh my God! He's from California!" It conjures up some film star in the hills. We're a little more stiff upper lip, so one brings the other out.

But do English men behave differently from American men? We've heard rumors that they don't date, they just shag.
Shagging is such a horrible word! I think quite honestly if you're in a bar and the man buys you a drink, it's not because he likes your shoes. He's hoping you're gonna go home and have sex with him. I don't think English men are any different. Men are men the world over. I don't think there's any difference unless you're with a religious man.

If you don't mind us asking, is your husband American or English?
He's English. His father was American, but he was born and raised in England, so I've got the best of both worlds! Our kids were born and raised in England. They're all teenagers, but they speak like I do. When they're with their friends, they're full-on American, complete with "like" and "where you at." It's very funny. They're bilingual. I don't change. This is the way I speak. Most Americans love the accent. They try to imitate it. And no American can do a British accent. I might do a competition on the site, actually.