Different terminologies by country.....

Camera_BagintheUK

It's weird how languages evolve when you consider Britain, Australia and America speak "English" yet there are so many variations between the countries and even the state's/counties. No wonder none native speakers get confused. I am English and it confuses the he'll out of me sometimes.

Well, but I aways say, we share a largely but not entirely common vocabulary and grammar. Other than that we speak completely different languages! I think it's fascinating!

Camera_BagintheUK

We have stores that just sell liquor which we call "liquor stores" or "wine and beer stores" or in Saskatchewan....liquor board store (cause it is owned by the province). Dear DIL used to call them "bottle shops".

When I lived up north, they called them 'package stores' or 'state stores'.

We call them Off Licences.

Camera_BagintheUK

I have now read through this entire discussion and found it very interesting. Dear son went travelling years ago and when he returned, he brought home his Aussie partner. They lived with us for a few months and I found out a few things that were interesting from the Aussie dialect.

Firstly, the "garden" in Aussie is basically the backyard or outside space around your home. In my life, the "garden" has always represented the plot where we grew either vegetables or flowers and we would call them the generally the garden for vegetables or flower garden. That took me by surprise as they brought a house which had a huge "garden" and I keep looking in the backyard to find the "garden" plot....silly me!

Also, my DIL and my son call their baby (my g-baby)..........bubs or bubba. Further, she would change the baby's "nappie" as opposed to our diaper.

And I love chock....

When they lived with us, she would also walk down to the shops....we also just called them going to the store (s) or going downtown...(downtown kinda symbolized where all the stores were before big box stores and malls took over).

We have stores that just sell liquor which we call "liquor stores" or "wine and beer stores" or in Saskatchewan....liquor board store (cause it is owned by the province). Dear DIL used to call them "bottle shops".

That's my little input for this interesting thread!

Speaking of Saskatchewan (a province in Canada), they are unique, they call "hoodies" or long sleeved sweaters with a hood and a front pocket a ''BUNNY HUG". Not sure of that origin however, I think Aussies may call them "kangaroo jackets" because of the front pocket.

In the UK too, the plot of land around the house is the garden. You only have a yard if you live in a tiny city terraced house with a very tiny little yard at the back, walled in, and probably concreted over.

Our babies wear nappies. (or one nappy at a time usually :laugh: )

We would say "go to the shops" or "pop to the shops" - that kind of implies a quick trip to local shops, like popping out to a local baker or corner shop, most probably for groceries. "Going shopping" or "Going in town" suggests a bigger shopping excursion to a shopping centre, or city centre, for other items like clothes, or going to a big supermarket for a big grocery shop.

Camera_BagintheUK

US - AUS

sweater = jumper (or sloppy joe as my dad calls them, I don't think young people call them that now)
sneakers = runners/joggers/sand shoes (another old one my dad uses)
tracksuit pants = trackies/tracky dacks
sunglasses = sunnies
panties = undies (I don't call anything panties unless they're very fine lingerie. Otherwise, it's all undies to me lol)
swim wear = cossies/swimmers/togs (though togs is something the kiwis around me seem to use more often!)
pumps = high heels. I don't think I've ever heard anyone call heels "pumps" in Australia.

Can anyone think of anymore clothing related terminologies? I'm blank right now xD

UK: We wear jumpers too. Or pullover. Or jersey. Sand shoes is a particular type of shoe I think, otherwise I think sneakers would be trainers here. But we have a myriad of names for the shoes that you wore at school for sports! Plimsolls; sandshoes; daps; trainers; pumps; probably loads more names, and they vary from region to region.

We don't have tracksuit pants - we have tracksuit bottoms.

Sunglasses are the same, or shades.

Ladies would wear knickers and panties would, as for you, be something particularly slinky or skimpy!

Chaps would wear pants, shorts or (my dad's generation) Y Fronts.

Swimming costumes might also be cossies here. Men wear trunks.

What we call pumps would be flat shoes here!

Hose would be tights - only where the two legs are joined otherwise they're stockings, and if they don't come over your knee they're pop socks. The really short ones are footsies.

Suspenders would be braces - or else they woud be holding up women's stockings.

When it's wet and muddy we wear wellies - short for wellingtons (rubber boots).

Oh, and when we get out of bed or out of the bath, we wear a dressing gown, not a robe.

Aussie/NZ equivalents????

Frankie_Felinius

I guess the "cover" vs "blanket/comforter" thing particularly piqued my interest because I work in a hotel. It isn't just the black people where I live...its black people from all over who stay here. I am not saying white people don't say it....I just have yet to hear it...in several years. I typically agree that words or phrases are not solely related to one's race, but rather region/socioeconomic upbringing, but in this case, it doesn't fit....I have heard it from travelers from all over the country.

I wrote a paper in college on "Ebonics/African American Vernacular English". I loved writing that paper, it was so fascinating and enlightening and my professor actually uses it now as an example for students. Cover vs blanket and face towel were the seeds that grew the idea for that paper...

contingencyplan

I guess the "cover" vs "blanket/comforter" thing particularly piqued my interest because I work in a hotel. It isn't just the black people where I live...its black people from all over who stay here. I am not saying white people don't say it....I just have yet to hear it...in several years. I typically agree that words or phrases are not solely related to one's race, but rather region/socioeconomic upbringing, but in this case, it doesn't fit....I have heard it from travelers from all over the country.

I wrote a paper in college on "Ebonics/African American Vernacular English". I loved writing that paper, it was so fascinating and enlightening and my professor actually uses it now as an example for students. Cover vs blanket and face towel were the seeds that grew the idea for that paper...

Growing up I've always heard "covers" used to refer to the full combination of blanket/comfortor/bedsheets. However if you're referring to an individual piece rather than the collective then you refer to it by proper name. From the US by the way, born in Miami, FL.

Lindymae1

USA (Michigan) born and raised here but after marriage to my military man we spent time stationed in both Japan (Okinawa) and England (Mildenhall). Anyway... when shopping in a DIY store (can't remember the name. Do It All maybe?) we were going to be getting several item and needed a way to carry them. Had a heck of a time finding a shopping cart. There weren't any in the store that we could see so we asked. After giving a description it was decided that we were looking for a trolly.

So...
Northern USA=cart
Southern USA=buggy
UK=trolly

Any more differences in other parts of the world?

US=stroller
UK=pram
AUS and elsewhere=?

US=napkin
UK=serviette
AUS+ =?

US=pastor/preacher/minister
UK=vicar?
Elsewhere=?

cingle87

We have stores that just sell liquor which we call "liquor stores" or "wine and beer stores" or in Saskatchewan....liquor board store (cause it is owned by the province). Dear DIL used to call them "bottle shops".

When I lived up north, they called them 'package stores' or 'state stores'.

We call them Off Licences.

Good old " just nipping down to the offy"

TheRealOrson

USA (Michigan) born and raised here but after marriage to my military man we spent time stationed in both Japan (Okinawa) and England (Mildenhall). Anyway... when shopping in a DIY store (can't remember the name. Do It All maybe?) we were going to be getting several item and needed a way to carry them. Had a heck of a time finding a shopping cart. There weren't any in the store that we could see so we asked. After giving a description it was decided that we were looking for a trolly.

So...
Northern USA=cart
Southern USA=buggy
UK=trolly

Any more differences in other parts of the world?

US=stroller
UK=pram
AUS and elsewhere= We use both..... Pram is more for very young infants to lie down in. Stroller usually has a fixed backrest position and the child sits up in it....for when the child is a little older.

US=napkin
UK=serviette
AUS+ = Both

US=pastor/preacher/minister
UK=vicar?
Elsewhere= Priest

TheRealOrson

Thanks for keeping this thread going guys.

I just remembered this and thought it was perfect for here: