Why the English Languages were not created Equal (and why nobody will apologize for it)

You know: where a scone is a biscuit and a biscuit is a cookie- where crisps are chips, chips are fries, and fries are a type of chip (also known as a crisp). Where speaking literally will not always get your message across and speaking figuratively confuses the masses. Have I lost you yet?

Traveling knowing the English language is a god-send. Knowing English in many places in Europe is just as good as knowing the native tongue. Travellers will speak broken English to a shop-keep who will speak broken English in return to have a conversation. However, not all English languages were created equal.
I come from the land of pencil crayons, duotangs, pylons, and the famous “eh?”. Canadian English is very literal. We tend to speak phonetically and say what we mean (even if we are polite about it).
Now Canadian English is different from U.S. English which is different from England’s English, then there is Scot’s English (God help us all).
Other than the obvious accents, the pattern of speech and words mean different things. For example:
“You alright?” In Canada is asking if I am okay, mostly in extreme sense of “are you dying? crying? concussed?” Where in the United Kingdom “You Alright?” is essentially a casual “you good? how’s it going?”. (Word of advice, “yea, you?” is the knee-jerk response to the U.K. version. It does take some getting used to constantly being asked if I am dying/crying/concussed but you will get there.) 
This extends to hand gestures. In Canada a backwards peace sign is a greeting-a thank you or hello. In Scotland it may as well be the middle finger. (I wonder how many times I flipped someone off before being taught this).
The English language somehow got lost in the mix of slang and combination of other languages: toque is a winter hat in Canada because of French being mixed in. “Ta” is thank-you in Scotland and Northern England due to the Scottish Gaelic “tapadh leat” for thank-you.
Using words where in your entire life means one thing, but in conversation with a fellow English speaker means another is a pain at times. There are often arguments made for Intent vs. Impact of what you have said. It’s difficult to be forgiving of another’s mistakes because they are speaking your language but in reality they aren’t. Sometimes you can be insulted by tone or wording because it isn’t the English that you know, but that doesn’t make it wrong.
While travelling I have noticed a sense of pride over one’s English dialect. Almost a Nationalist pride of cultural difference through speech. Nobody is willing to say “I apologize for calling you an idiot, the meaning of my words are different for where I am from.” Most of the time they just go “It’s different where I am from.” And leave unapologetically.
Why are we unable to let go of what we think is the English Language: this imaginary, single dialect collection of words, tones, and phrases that everyone abides by? Why do we hang onto ours like ours is the only right one?
If we treated English as it truly is: a collection of dialects surrounding a similar base I think we would be more understanding of the differences in it. Would you get mad at someone speaking English if it was their second language? Probably not. Then give that same understanding to those who are acclimatizing to your version of English.
If you accidentally insult someone- apologize. If you don’t use the same word for something- enjoy the learning experience and don’t debate about it.
Language is a neat thing. Often when I am with a group of international people we compare what we say and call things- because it is cool that we are different.  Diversity is what makes this world a wonderful place to explore and learn from.
Let go of your language-pride and be flexible, forgiving, and learn something. Use their version of English intermittent with yours (you will not lose your citizenship- I promise.)  Soccer can be called football, houses can be called cottages, cottages can be called camp, flats can be called apartments etc. Let’s be understanding of one another.
After all, it is just English…isn’t it?

“The language of friendship is not words but meanings.” – Henry David Thoreau