Strange American sayings from an English Perspective

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  • elsdonward
    elsdonward Posts: 81 Member
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    That saying about the tosser is typically Brit - and still hilarious to me. If we go on like this eventually we will be unable to tell the mericans from the brits - we will just be running around like a load of old gadgies
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
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    OK, so you all over there use "flan" kind of the way you use "pudding."

    Over here, pudding is a very specific dessert, while there it's just general dessert.

    Here, flan is a very specific Spanish dessert, as pictured.
    Oh, yeah, that! I'd be very sad indeed if I got served a piece of cake when I ordered pudding expecting custard!

    Well, except for the part where it's still *CAKE*!

    Saying pudding for dessert can be a bit of a regional thing, where I'm from we'll use both but if you're from 'down south' you'd probably say dessert. A typical 'pudding' for us would be something warm and stodgy served with custard like treacle sponge, jam roly poly, or you could even go for spotted d*ck, its a real pudding, honest haha!! x
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    Sorry but did anyone bring up FUPA yet? That word fascinates me.

    Assuming you mean "a socially awkward or tactless act", I think you are saying it wrong. My hubby does that. Its "faux pas" and it's a real word.
    And French!

    But I wonder if FUPA is along the lines of SNAFU and FUBAR, in which case I'm not researcing on my work computer!
    Oh my, do you really not know what it stands for? "Fat Upper P--- Area" :laugh:
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
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    Brits and American slang...interesting

    http://www.dooryard.ca/index0.html try this site....Canadian/American/French/Brit/ Newfie influences....

    Here is a couple for you...

    Door yard...your yard....back or front
    blat - Cry
    bumble - go for a drive (usually on a back road in a 4x4 truck with some beer and music)
    unthaw - my fav...take it from freezer to thaw....don't ask
    willy wags - out in the middle of no where.
    over (insert word) cross'd - Go to the states,
    overhome - your house when you are not there

    They can't have door yard.

    In leaves of grass, by Walt Whitman, we find the following

    In the door yard, fronting an old farm house, near the whitewashed palings
    Stands the lilac bush
  • elsdonward
    elsdonward Posts: 81 Member
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    In the picture above the dessert is called a creme caramel in the UK
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
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    OK, here's another. I know that you say "jelly" to mean a gelatin dessert, and jam for the stuff you put on toast. But here in the States, we differentiate the stuff that goes on toast. Jam is usually made with real fruit in it, and jelly is just the juice that's been made to set up, or maybe just sugar water with food coloring and flavoring that's made to set up.

    Do y'all differentiate?

    Don't forget preserves!

    We just basically call them all jam, whether it has fruit in it or not. Jelly is something we have with ice cream at kids parties x
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    Saying pudding for dessert can be a bit of a regional thing, where I'm from we'll use both but if you're from 'down south' you'd probably say dessert. A typical 'pudding' for us would be something warm and stodgy served with custard like treacle sponge, jam roly poly, or you could even go for spotted d*ck, its a real pudding, honest haha!! x
    At least you get points for using real suet in your pudding. It's like pulling teeth to get my hands on suet to make mincemeat for Thanksgiving/Christmastime! Nobody carries it, and there's really no substitute.
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
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    And I call 'athletic shoes' sneakers and the roundabout downtown is called the square.

    I call sneakers "trainers", but in Newcastle, trainers are formal wear. Geordies love their trainers and track pants. A lot like New Jersey.

    Are you a Geordie living overseas or have you just been fortunate to visit that part of the world?

    I've visited the area and have worked with quite a few Geordies.

    Oh I see, I'm from the neighbouring (rival) city Sunderland, where we're known as Mackams!

    Yeah, I've seen and heard Mackam in reference to football matches and calling out Sunderland fans.

    Of course us Mackams are the better part of the North East, haha!!
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    Saying pudding for dessert can be a bit of a regional thing, where I'm from we'll use both but if you're from 'down south' you'd probably say dessert. A typical 'pudding' for us would be something warm and stodgy served with custard like treacle sponge, jam roly poly, or you could even go for spotted d*ck, its a real pudding, honest haha!! x
    At least you get points for using real suet in your pudding. It's like pulling teeth to get my hands on suet to make mincemeat for Thanksgiving/Christmastime! Nobody carries it, and there's really no substitute.

    what is the difference between suet and lard?
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
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    OK, here's another. I know that you say "jelly" to mean a gelatin dessert, and jam for the stuff you put on toast. But here in the States, we differentiate the stuff that goes on toast. Jam is usually made with real fruit in it, and jelly is just the juice that's been made to set up, or maybe just sugar water with food coloring and flavoring that's made to set up.

    Do y'all differentiate?

    Let's not forget preserves.

    ETA: SHould have scrolled a bit further.
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
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    Saying pudding for dessert can be a bit of a regional thing, where I'm from we'll use both but if you're from 'down south' you'd probably say dessert. A typical 'pudding' for us would be something warm and stodgy served with custard like treacle sponge, jam roly poly, or you could even go for spotted d*ck, its a real pudding, honest haha!! x
    At least you get points for using real suet in your pudding. It's like pulling teeth to get my hands on suet to make mincemeat for Thanksgiving/Christmastime! Nobody carries it, and there's really no substitute.

    Oh, I love suet dumplings that go crispy in the oven. If our postal systems would let me I'd send some over to you, but I've a feeling it'd get stopped at customs, haha!!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Sorry but did anyone bring up FUPA yet? That word fascinates me.

    Assuming you mean "a socially awkward or tactless act", I think you are saying it wrong. My hubby does that. Its "faux pas" and it's a real word.
    And French!

    But I wonder if FUPA is along the lines of SNAFU and FUBAR, in which case I'm not researcing on my work computer!
    Oh my, do you really not know what it stands for? "Fat Upper P--- Area" :laugh:
    Oh yes. I did see that once around here. I forgot. I know why now! lol
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    We just basically call them all jam, whether it has fruit in it or not. Jelly is something we have with ice cream at kids parties x
    Well, that's really interesting. Here we usually serve ice cream and cake. Jello is not usually for parties, it's more like an weekday dessert thing. Some people put whipped cream or cool whip on top. Oh, speaking of, do y'all call that "squirty cream"? Because it's a new one for me and to be honest, sounds like something rude! :bigsmile:
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
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    Don't forget preserves!
    Jam =/= preserves?

    Nope.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Saying pudding for dessert can be a bit of a regional thing, where I'm from we'll use both but if you're from 'down south' you'd probably say dessert. A typical 'pudding' for us would be something warm and stodgy served with custard like treacle sponge, jam roly poly, or you could even go for spotted d*ck, its a real pudding, honest haha!! x
    At least you get points for using real suet in your pudding. It's like pulling teeth to get my hands on suet to make mincemeat for Thanksgiving/Christmastime! Nobody carries it, and there's really no substitute.
    Gotcha. I always see and hear them call it pudding in the shows and movies and books. All the Harry Potter books call it pudding.

    The pudding you buy in the stores here is made with gelatin. I can't ever have it because of that, but it was never a favoite of mine. Except rice pudding, but that doesn't have gelatin.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    .
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    what is the difference between suet and lard?
    Lard is the rendered fat of pigs. Suet is the white, waxy fat from around beef kidneys. It's very specific, as it has a different melting point *from* (or *to*, if you're British! :laugh: ) all the others. It's kind of like a place holder in whatever you're baking, so that by the time it has melted, it has set up little air pockets in whatever has cooked and set up around it, not to mention anointed the dish with its unctuous deliciousness!

    I do usually manage to get some from the Whole Foods butchers; I just have to let them know far in advance that they need to save it next time they get in whole beeves.
  • Beastmode454
    Beastmode454 Posts: 340 Member
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    Well instead of "Butt hurt" which i have heard alot. I have also heard "Pepe Hurt" so its that the front part kinda hurt?
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    The pudding you buy in the stores here is made with gelatin. I can't ever have it because of that, but it was never a favoite of mine. Except rice pudding, but that doesn't have gelatin.
    Rice pudding is awesome. Oh, and also bread pudding! I guess we do call one non-custardy cake-like thing pudding here!
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Here's another one. The road next to the highway/interstate, do you call it: 1) access road 2)feeder road 3) service road or 4)something completely different?

    It's an off ramp =]

    Access road... and the off ramp is only part if it as there is a road that parallels the highway.

    It's all the same to me... off ramp.

    Another incosistency for me. Some days it's an exit, some days it's an offramp, or on ramp if you are getting on.

    But what do you call the ROAD that that off ramp leads to? Hehe. I call them on ramps and exits too, but exit onto the service and get on the on ramp to the highway. :-D

    "Old Route [insert route number here]", because that's what it usually is around here - the highway has replaced a state route, but they keep the old road because there's stuff on it. Everything else is just a street, usually because they run perpendicular to the highway, not parallel (ie - the road the on/off ramp leads from/to). There are a few places that have "access roads" in the sense that they're a road that leads to the road that the exit says it's going to, but they're roads unto themselves around here (with houses or businesses on them, and usually were built before the highway was).

    Unless it's going upward and has water barrels at the end. Those are runaway truck ramps (often seen on steep hills).
    Ohio. Vinegar on fries is good, especially if they're "fair fries," in a cup. lol

    Fair fries are the only thing I put vinegar on. All other fries are either bare, with ketchup, or "fry sauce" (made at eating time, because I live in Ohio, too, and so we have to mix our own ketchup and mayo, because it's not common around here).
    And speaking of roads: what do you call that circular road which has multiple entrances and exits going into it?

    Roundabout.

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