English to USA Translations

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  • LondonEliza
    LondonEliza Posts: 456 Member
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    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
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    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
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    *kitten* = *kitten*
    Trousers = Pants
    Pants = underwear
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    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
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    trump - fart
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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:
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    one word....
    fanny

    Doesn't have the same meaning across the pond.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    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

    :laugh: well in my defense, only heard it spoken and never written! How the heck did 'lilo' come about anyways? In America Lilo is the press nickname for Lindsay Lohan!
  • LondonEliza
    LondonEliza Posts: 456 Member
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    In England: A snog
    In Ireland: A shift (yes really)
    In the USA: A kiss
  • doorki
    doorki Posts: 2,611 Member
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    trump - fart

    That brings a whole new meaning to my old Top Trump card sets.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    I love how you call Porridge - Oatmeal, makes it sound much more appealing
    Porridge sounds better to me!
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
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    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.

    This would depend on the region you're in. I'm from "up North" and here we'd say *kitten* and pasta the same...not sure how you Americans say them so not sure if its the same or different :-D
  • Pengi81
    Pengi81 Posts: 336 Member
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    I apologise for generalising on the UK to USA translations... all translations are fun!

    I didn't want to have Eggplant in the USA because I literally thought it would taste of egg! Didn't realise I was missing out on Aubergine at the time!

    Oh, and I'm Southern UK but I still think "*kitten*" sounds better the way it's pronounced oop north, which is how I always say it!
  • BrionyTallis
    BrionyTallis Posts: 90 Member
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    spanner = wrench
    boot = trunk (car)
    windscreen = windshield (car)
    mate = buddy, friend
    *kitten* = cigarette
    cheers = goodbye

    Good try but Cheers = Thank you :-D

    Thank you for the correction
  • Sp1nGoddess
    Sp1nGoddess Posts: 1,138 Member
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    one word....
    fanny

    Doesn't have the same meaning across the pond.

    Dam! Beat me to it! = )
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
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    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

    :laugh: well in my defense, only heard it spoken and never written! How the heck did 'lilo' come about anyways? In America Lilo is the press nickname for Lindsay Lohan!



    Lol I have absolutely no idea?!?!

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