English to USA Translations

Pengi81
Pengi81 Posts: 336 Member
in Chit-Chat
These just really amuse/interest me.

I love how you call Porridge - Oatmeal, makes it sound much more appealing
A pavement is a sidewalk
Rubbish is Trash

Anyone got any others? Likes or pet hates?

I made a bunch of friends in Florida once so we were taking it in turns to speak in each other's accents - hearing them trying to be English and saying the word "bottle" was too funny! :laugh:
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Replies

  • saturnine15
    saturnine15 Posts: 140
    We say "tons"
    You say "loads"
    I always notice that. I kind of like it.
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,670 Member
    "lorry" vs "semi"

    "biscuit" vs "cookie"
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    i love when you guys say BOLLOCKS!
  • the_journeyman
    the_journeyman Posts: 1,877 Member
    Potato chips = Crisps
    Candy (like hard candy & similar = Lollies

    JM
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    car park = parking lot
    gateaux = cake
    prawns = shrimp
    lemonade = lemon lime soda (7up, Sprite)
    chips = fries
    cossie = swimsuit
  • doorki
    doorki Posts: 2,576 Member
    I once saw a daycare called "Little Bugger's PreSchool."
  • BrionyTallis
    BrionyTallis Posts: 90 Member
    spanner = wrench
    boot = trunk (car)
    windscreen = windshield (car)
    mate = buddy, friend
    *kitten* = cigarette
    cheers = goodbye

    My favorite story is from a male friend that was stationed there and was told by a woman at the end of the evening to "OK knock me up in the morning." A discussion took place as to what the woman meant as in USA "knock up" means to make make pregnant not to wake up by knocking on the door.

    I know more but I can't think of them now and someone will probably post them later.
  • DalexD
    DalexD Posts: 236 Member
    Potato chips = Crisps
    Candy (like hard candy & similar = Lollies

    JM

    We call lolly pops lollies, hard candy would just be called sweets I think :laugh: or hard boiled sweets :tongue:
  • lorforde
    lorforde Posts: 68 Member
    They are called lollies in Australia and New Zealand.
    Irish(me) and English call them sweets :smile:
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
    Pavement = sidewalk
    Crisps = chips
    Chips = french fries
    Biscuits = cookies
    "It was quite good" = i didn't like it ;)
    prawns = shrimp
    baps = buns

    ugh cant think of any more atm but my boyfriend and i are constantly hearing eachother say words we've never heard of :s
  • freder1ck
    freder1ck Posts: 44 Member
    fortnight. I worked on a project once with an Australian, and he used fortnight as a timeframe, and I had to look it up to see that it means 14 days (not 4).
  • charliedavisxxx
    charliedavisxxx Posts: 53 Member
    haha we don't say 'knock me up' or 'gataux'
    love that Americans think we do though.

    you say 'pissed' to mean angry.... i keep thinking you're describing yourself as 'so drunk' not 'so angry'...

    xxx
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    spanner = wrench
    boot = trunk (car)
    windscreen = windshield (car)
    mate = buddy, friend
    *kitten* = cigarette
    cheers = goodbye

    Good try but Cheers = Thank you :-D
  • thrld
    thrld Posts: 610 Member
    sneakers = trainers
    briefs = v-fronts
    costumed = fancy dress
  • the_journeyman
    the_journeyman Posts: 1,877 Member
    I loved being in Australia and comparing the words. Maybe I just like linguistics..

    Que = Line
    Pissed = Drunk

    JM
  • JTH11706
    JTH11706 Posts: 3,030 Member
    This one can be amusing:

    trousers = pants
    pants = underpants
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    "smart" vs. "nice"
    "carry on" vs. "go past"

    I should have a ton. The boyfriend and I spend every Saturday night watching British sitcoms, but my brain shuts down when I actually try to think of anything!

    I wish I could speak British instead of American, but I can't do accents (other than the one I have) and I would just sound silly.
  • charliedavisxxx
    charliedavisxxx Posts: 53 Member
    oh yeh... the 'candy' 'chocolate' thing confuses me. to me candy is old style hard boiled sweets x
  • _Elemenopee_
    _Elemenopee_ Posts: 2,665 Member
    spanner = wrench
    boot = trunk (car)
    windscreen = windshield (car)
    mate = buddy, friend
    *kitten* = cigarette
    cheers = goodbye

    My favorite story is from a male friend that was stationed there and was told by a woman at the end of the evening to "OK knock me up in the morning." A discussion took place as to what the woman meant as in USA "knock up" means to make make pregnant not to wake up by knocking on the door.

    I know more but I can't think of them now and someone will probably post them later.

    knock me up in the morning....ARE YOU SERIOUS? I'm laughing hysterically at this as I type!!!!!!
  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
    My junior year of college, I watched only British TV and listened to only British bands. I had to start re-Americanizing myself when people stopped being able to understand me!
  • LondonEliza
    LondonEliza Posts: 456 Member
    An American friend of mine was going to Ireland for the first time. He's a smoker so I said to him on the phone:
    "oh, there's a new law there now so you can't stamp out *kitten* on the street or it's a £200 fine"

    His reply was "WHAT!?!....."
  • Corryn78
    Corryn78 Posts: 215
    Different...but along the same lines...

    When I was in Ireland they would say "gather" instead of "pick up" for our ride in the morning. Apparently pick up would indicate a slightly more intimate experience haha.

    When I was very young and in Germany someone offered my male friend a douche before dinner. In our young age we thought this was hilarious...not realizing they were talking about a shower :)
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    *kitten* = *kitten*
    Trousers = Pants
    Pants = underwear
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    You say lie low, we say floaty/air mattress/inflatable. That one got me confused for a second while on vacation with Brits and Aussies :happy:
  • rgunn02
    rgunn02 Posts: 169 Member
    trump - fart
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    You say lie low, we say floaty/air mattress/inflatable. That one got me confused for a second while on vacation with Brits and Aussies :happy:


    hahaha lilo not lie low hahahahaha Sounds the same I'll give you that but this made me laugh!!! xx
  • thrld
    thrld Posts: 610 Member
    spanner = wrench
    boot = trunk (car)
    windscreen = windshield (car)
    mate = buddy, friend
    *kitten* = cigarette
    cheers = goodbye

    My favorite story is from a male friend that was stationed there and was told by a woman at the end of the evening to "OK knock me up in the morning." A discussion took place as to what the woman meant as in USA "knock up" means to make make pregnant not to wake up by knocking on the door.

    I know more but I can't think of them now and someone will probably post them later.

    knock me up in the morning....ARE YOU SERIOUS? I'm laughing hysterically at this as I type!!!!!!


    I was an exchange student in England, and another American said that to a British classmate (girl) in front of her father. Turns out, the American meaning was taken. Boy was the girl red, and the dad upset.
  • ickybella
    ickybella Posts: 1,438 Member
    So I'm American living in the UK. When I say "we" I mean Americans.

    We say suspenders, you say braces

    We say garters, you say suspenders

    My old boss used to say "for belts and braces" and I was more than confused, haha, since for us, braces are a brace (the metal things on your teeth to make them straighter)

    Also cilantro = coriander
    zucchini = courgette
    eggplant = aubergine

    Why we felt the need to call those something else is beyond me.

    Also love the difference in pronunciation of some things over here. Yoghurt sounds like boggart. You say *kitten* the way we say pasta and we say *kitten* the way you say pasta.
  • AyanaSan
    AyanaSan Posts: 93 Member
    I have relatives from the West Indies, so I know tons of these.

    We say sweater you call it a JUMPER

    I take the subway.. you take the tube

    Diapers - Nappies

    barrister - lawyer

    Bugger off, feck, gobstopped, sod off, snog

    Candy floss - Cotton Candy

    Car park - parking lot

    Caravan - Trailer

    Loo- toilet
  • bio_fit
    bio_fit Posts: 307 Member
    car park = parking lot
    gateaux = cake
    prawns = shrimp
    lemonade = lemon lime soda (7up, Sprite)
    chips = fries
    cossie = swimsuit

    Sort of - a gateau is a very specific type of cake (like black forest gateaux). Cake is cake. A gateau is a gateau :smile:

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