Although we all understand each other (most of the time!!!) There are many differences in everyday use of English, for example: UK - Fanny = vagina US - Fanny = bum UK - Toilet = place you go to urinate or have a dump (or other activities:wink US - Restroom = place you go to urinate or have a dump (or other activities:biggrin1: ) but there aren't usually any sofas or chairs so why is it called a restroom? AUS - Spunk = hunky guy UK - Spunk = semen List all the strange things that you have heard from other Anglophones
Food gets confusing: UK / US aubergine / eggplant biscuit / cookie candy floss / cotton candy chips / french fries conserves / preserves cornflour / cornstarch courgettes / zucchini crisps / potato chips fish fingers / fish sticks jacket potato / baked potato jam / jelly jelly / jello mince / ground meat (hamburger) porridge / oatmeal pudding / dessert sweet / dessert tinned / canned
UK Boot = Rear of a car US Trunk UK Tap = Domestic water source US Fawcet UK Jelly = Gelatin based fruit desert US Jello UK Chips = fried potatoes US French Fries UK Crisps = Flavoured thinly sliced fried potatoes UK Chips UK Lift US Elevator UK Treacle US Molasses UK Aubergine US Egg Plant
The concierge of a London hotel (hôtel for Alex) asked an American guest, "At what time would you liked to be knocked up?" She slapped him.
And let's not forget that putting a fag between one's lips in the UK means something completely different in the US.
"Napkins" used at the table, and the fact that "hamburger" contains no ham, still cause some consternation to one of my brothers in-law. That, and confusion between fries, crisps, chips, etc. I still appreciate the phrase "motoring with a fully laden boot". Not needed if one has a "lorry" or even a "caravan". Any auto repair manual with a sentence like "Use a Whitworth spanner to slacken the lower grunion banjos" can't be all bad. Around here, "thermionic valves" for my ancient "wireless" are not easily procured. Vacuum tubes for the old radio aren't such a challenge. It's the spelling which simply has to go. Civilisation, harbour, colour, waggon, reflexion, tyre - there's no excuse for such frivolities.
US - drunk UK - pissed US- waiting in line UK - queuing up US - progam UK - programme (identical to its French ancestor) US - jerking off UK - wanking US - truck UK - lorry
Yes, we've long had a taste for faggots, in the North at least. Size definitely matters though, I have managed four small ones before, but find one large one more than satisfying. Also our language changes, for example it is now quite common to call your friends cunt as an alternative to buddy, pal or mate. Furthermore to say fuck you is regarded as a term of endearment between friends on parting. So next time you are in the UK, my American cousins, it will be quite hip for you to say to any Brit, "Fuck you, cunt".
Does anyone understand: Get tee fuck yee bastart!!! Choob = Arsehole (SCO) Numpty = idiot (SCO) Totty = pretty girl (NE-England) dag = uncool person (AUS)
Well ... I have the amazing ability to like, put like in front of every like thought ... I don't know if that happens in like other English speaking regions like it does in the US ... :tongue:
I think that's reversed. I usually say "tap water". To me the fixture is "faucet". I do have empathy for folks learning English as a second language. English is tough enough w/o such variations.
Thanks for that - now I know how to spell your "faucet" correctly.:biggrin1: I agree with you on those learning English as a second language - must be very difficult.