Strange American sayings from an English Perspective

Fullsterkur_woman

A couple of things spring to mind:

re: censorship - while watching the US version of Top Gear, I was amazed to hear the phrase "holy *kitten*" beeped out twice, yet the when the presenter said, in the very next sentence, "holy cr*p", that was not beeped. How does that work?

re: "math" or "maths". The Americans treat "mathematics" as a singular noun, so shorten it to "math". The Brits treat it as a plural noun, so preserve the "s" when shortening. Hence the difference.

re: the Irish. "Craic" is indeed funny, but I was particularly amazed at the prevalence of the word "Feck" in Ireland. When my ma-in-law first said it, I nearly fell off my chair...

Well, "crap" isn't a swear word here. It's just slang. Shi-t is most definitely a (mild) swear word. Shi-te is far better to say in my opinion.

If we shortened "genetics" or "physics" we would surely leave off the plural, so... "math".

One of my Irish friends once explained it to me thus, when I told him how offensive the c-word is here. No swear word could be worse than another. If they found out that one word was worse than all the others, they would use it non-stop until it was leveled with all the others. I endeavor to shake it off for that reason now whenever I hear someone use it casually if they're from another country.

darrensurrey

Applications -> Apps.

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

Do other people use the phrase the *kitten* hole of no where to describe, in somewhat derogratory terms somewhere small/out of the way/no where near anything interesting.

We end the south use the phrase "BFE" or "bum f\/cked eqypt" to describe the middle of nowhere/small town.

For example
"where are you from in Alabama?"
"BFE"
"oh, so a pretty rural place, huh?"

I have no idea where this phrase came from.

Must be pretty specific to where you live. I know I'm a Yank and all, but I've lived in the South (rural Georgia and north Florida) for almost nine years and I know a lot of southerners, including half my BF's family. I have never heard that phrase.

I heard it a lot in the Navy. Except it was "Bumble Fvck, Egypt".

salsera_barbie

"Could care less..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7O0MFkmpw

this isn't an american saying, It's people not know how to say it correctly. It's the same as people using of in place of have. Or confusing then and than. It's not a saying, it's people being stupid.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Kind of random, but I hate it when people don't finish their phrases, like:

"When in Rome..."

"If I had a dollar..."

"Sticks and stones..."

My husband is especially guilty of this.

jacquejl

I was old by an Australian once that if someone was a "nerd" they were called a "full on wanker," lol!

k8blujay2

A word I use way too frequently as a Texan/Southerner.... Y'all

sayings I've been known to utter:

"Dad-burn-it"
"Dag-nab-it"
"Hotter-n'-hell out here" (exactly as it sounds)
"Devil must be whipping his wife" (raining while the sun is not hidden by clouds)
"Possum run over your grave?" (when you get just that one shiver up your spine)


and many many more.

I'm adding: Ustacould. As in: "I ustacould do something, but now I can't." I used this once when I was in the military, and all my non-Southern buddies about fell over laughing at me.

Also: Calling a shopping cart a buggy. Please tell me I'm not the only one that does this!

I say Ustacould occasionally... and of course fixinta and right quick.... but I have midwestern parents so I never learned or caught on to "buggy" as a shopping cart, though I do know plenty that say it.

humberstunner

Ok I'll concede
on the math question, but come on they ain't sneakers they're TRAINERS

darrensurrey

I hate it when

Now that's interesting, too.

I thought Americans say "I hate when"?

darrensurrey

but come on they ain't sneakers they're TRAINERS

I justify it in my head by thinking that you could sneak around in them or train in them.

nomeejerome

I was told there was a pool, but it was a pond. :ohwell:

Holly_Roman_Empire

Ok I'll concede
on the math question, but come on they ain't sneakers they're TRAINERS

Trainers? Seriously??? Hahaha. Although, mine might be worse. I call any kind of athletic shoes tennie shoes (like tennis shoes), even if they're not for tennis. Anyone else do this?

salsera_barbie

Ok I'll concede
on the math question, but come on they ain't sneakers they're TRAINERS

Trainers are a type of Sneakers.

Fullsterkur_woman

Ok I'll concede
on the math question, but come on they ain't sneakers they're TRAINERS

Trainers are the people that you work with to learn how to do something. Them jobbers you put on your feet when you go to the gym? Those are called tennis shoes or just tennies. Even if you've never played tennis in your life. Or if you simply must, "gym shoes". But don't. Sigh. My husband says "sneakers" a lot too. He is wrong.

rml_16

I hate it when

Now that's interesting, too.

I thought Americans say "I hate when"?

We say both, depending on the rest of the sentence.

dirty_dirty_eater

I always found people from across the ways saying "Can't be arsed" or CBA on forums pretty funny.

My husband said he worked with a dude named Randy and all the Austrailians thought it was HILARIOUS that you'd name your kid something as racy as Randy.

why is it racy?

You must know what randy means!

My understanding was that in Scotland, "Randy" meant queer. We once put a shipmate up to ordering beer by going to the barkeep, making a upward gesture with his forefinger and middle finger and saying "Two beers Randy."
My understanding was that meant "Up your kilt, *kitten*."

rml_16

Ok I'll concede
on the math question, but come on they ain't sneakers they're TRAINERS

Trainers are the people that you work with to learn how to do something. Them jobbers you put on your feet when you go to the gym? Those are called tennis shoes or just tennies. Even if you've never played tennis in your life. Or if you simply must, "gym shoes". But don't. Sigh. My husband says "sneakers" a lot too. He is wrong.

It's a Yankee thing. They're sneakers to me. Always have been and always will be.

salsera_barbie

Ok I'll concede
on the math question, but come on they ain't sneakers they're TRAINERS

Trainers? Seriously??? Hahaha. Although, mine might be worse. I call any kind of athletic shoes tennie shoes (like tennis shoes), even if they're not for tennis. Anyone else do this?

I've heard it. I hate when people call them tennies or tennis shoes. Especially if they aren't for tennis.

lwoodroff

Also: Calling a shopping cart a buggy. Please tell me I'm not the only one that does this!

In the UK it's a trolley

dirty_dirty_eater

Ok I'll concede
on the math question, but come on they ain't sneakers they're TRAINERS

Trainers? Seriously??? Hahaha. Although, mine might be worse. I call any kind of athletic shoes tennie shoes (like tennis shoes), even if they're not for tennis. Anyone else do this?

We called them "Tenny-runners."