English to USA Translations

treetop57

Never remember hearing of a "knickerbocker glory"! Although I must have (done) since I've read the first Harry Potter book.

"A knickerbocker glory is an ice cream sundae that is served in a large tall glass, particularly in the United Kingdom." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knickerbocker_glory

It is interesting that they didn't change "knickerbocker glory" to "ice cream parfait," which I would guess is the best US equivalent. At least "didn't have enough ice cream" provides enough context to clue in the mystified trans-Atlantic reader!

Kenhabes

spanner = wrench

but...

hydrospanner = something you use to fix the Millennium Falcon.

beckajw

UK Roundabout = US Rotary

I've only heard them called roundabouts in the US. Rotary is a club (Rotary International).

I know they are Rotaries in the Northeast. My wife is from Boston and I grew up in the UK so we argue all the time about it.

In NY, NJ, and VT they're called roundabouts. Rotary must be a Boston thing.

InnerFatGirl

I'm British, but I've noticed I keep using American terms. At the moment, I'm a fan of the phrase 'it sucks'.

treetop57

That blows!

Peta22

Does anyone know how Americans came to drop the 'h' in Herb - pronounced 'erb'? There are several other words where the 'h' is dropped as well but I can't remember them now!

Also, why do Americans say 'write me' instead of 'write to me'?

ZombieSlayer

Does anyone know how Americans came to drop the 'h' in Herb - pronounced 'erb'? There are several other words where the 'h' is dropped as well but I can't remember them now!

Also, why do Americans say 'write me' instead of 'write to me'?

http://askville.amazon.com/Americans-erbal-herbal/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=2241530

For the "write me" vs. "write to me"... my only guess is pure laziness.

treetop57

I don't know why we drop the h in herb. French influence? Cockney influence?

Silent h words: herb, honor, heir, honest, hour. For some Americans: humble. I personally hate hearing humble pronounced 'umble.

amysj303

One I haven't seen on here yet is the English "bunches" referring to a hairstyle that (if I remember correctly) is what I grew up calling "dog ears". (Parted down the middle and made into a high tail on either side of the head generally above or slightly behind the ears.)

dog ears? I never heard that. We called them "pig tails", distinguished from the one in the back a "ponytail".

beckajw

Does anyone know how Americans came to drop the 'h' in Herb - pronounced 'erb'? There are several other words where the 'h' is dropped as well but I can't remember them now!

Also, why do Americans say 'write me' instead of 'write to me'?

http://askville.amazon.com/Americans-erbal-herbal/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=2241530

For the "write me" vs. "write to me"... my only guess is pure laziness.

We say write to me, not write me. I guess someone might say write me just to make it quicker. However, the proper way to say it is write to me.

I don't know why we don't pronounce the "h" in herb or hour or heir--probably other words too.

treetop57

A few strange (to my ear) British constructions:

1. "It was pouring with rain." We just say, "it was pouring rain," or even "It was pouring," period.

2. "Such and such will happen in fifteen minutes time." For us, it's just "in fifteen minutes," period.

3. "I met a man called Jones." For us, animals are "called" something; people are "named" something. To my ear, it's vaguely insulting to say "He is called Jones," instead of "He is named Jones."

mjterp

I don't think anyone has said this yet...My australian friend always teased me when I had to change a
DIAper instead of a NAPPie.

Malaika946

Innit = isn't it

Peta22

I don't know why we drop the h in herb. French influence? Cockney influence?

Silent h words: herb, honor, heir, honest, hour. For some Americans: humble. I personally hate hearing humble pronounced 'umble.

See thats strange though because we (Australian and UK as far as I know) don't pronounce the 'h' in honour, heir, honest or hour but we do prounced it in herb??? ... And definitely in humble!!!

It's a bizarre language really isn't it!

Oh - and, even though I was taught english in the traditional sense (the Queens English I believe they say) I must admit that I think American English makes much more sense from the spelling pespective... Just spell it the way it sounds!!! Much simplier!! :laugh:

treetop57

One I haven't seen on here yet is the English "bunches" referring to a hairstyle that (if I remember correctly) is what I grew up calling "dog ears". (Parted down the middle and made into a high tail on either side of the head generally above or slightly behind the ears.)

dog ears? I never heard that. We called them "pig tails", distinguished from the one in the back a "ponytail".

I've never heard dog ears either. But for me, pig tails are braided, while ponytails are not, because a pig's tail is curly while a pony's tail is not. A person can have two pony tails in my lexicon!

marylou1976

I met some Canadian girls on holiday once and said look at that bloke, and they said what's a bloke, I couldn't beleive they'd never heard that phrase, and I said oh sorry guy/man - I say bloke

also my scottish friend says "will I pick you up" I would say "shall I pick you up"

thegeordielass

A few strange (to my ear) British constructions:

1. "It was pouring with rain." We just say, "it was pouring rain," or even "It was pouring," period.

2. "Such and such will happen in fifteen minutes time." For us, it's just "in fifteen minutes," period.

3. "I meet a man called Jones." For us, animals are "called" something; people are "named" something. To my ear, it's vaguely insulting to say "He is called Jones," instead of "He is named Jones."

1) Well you know we love to talk about the weather! Might as well get as many words in there as possible. I'd normally say "it was chucking it down". I think the 'with rain' is more if you were really emphasising to someone how wet it was instead of just "oh, it was pouring" or something in a more casual way?

2) I think that's a more formal thing hat you'd head at a train station (well, that would normally be 'the train to xyz has been delayed by 30 mins') or feeding time at the zoo or something. Just another case of who you talk too and context I guess.

3) "I met" maybe. :P I guess that's just a cultural difference? Saying someone is 'named' something just sounds odd to me.

treetop57

American English has lost the "shall" in the first person too.

This makes sense to me:

Herb is a fine example of a type of linguistic conservatism found in American English. Until the sixteenth century the word was usually spelled "erb"-- it was a French word, who didn't say the "h" either. Right up until to the nineteenth century, long after the 'h' had been added due to further icky French influence, that was also the way it was said. "erb."

Seventeenth- and eighteenth-century colonists toward the Americas took their pronounciation with them. During the nineteenth century, the British people started to sound the first letter, in a "spelling pronunciation." So, the Americans are saying it the old fashioned way, and the Brits are playing around with their new-fangled words.

So, Eddie Izzard wasn't off saying that "We say herb like that because there's a f*&#in' 'H' in it."

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=874581

Peta22

A few strange (to my ear) British constructions:

1. "It was pouring with rain." We just say, "it was pouring rain," or even "It was pouring," period.

2. "Such and such will happen in fifteen minutes time." For us, it's just "in fifteen minutes," period.

3. "I meet a man called Jones." For us, animals are "called" something; people are "named" something. To my ear, it's vaguely insulting to say "He is called Jones," instead of "He is named Jones."

I'm guessing a lot of these 'abbreviations' are laziness and, from what I hear, Aussies are some of the best for pronunciation laziness! (think 'G'Day')... We say "it was pouring ain" or "it was pouring" & "in fifteen minutes" ... We'd say "his name is Jones" though.

I think what you've mentioned above is very proper english. I've often been told I speak very well but I know its all to do with my circumstances! If I'm trying to impress, I will speak very clearly with well formed words and proper pronunciation (apparently at these times I don't even have an accent), however if I'm with friends or chatting normally, then I'll tend to slur words together and use slang ect.

Peta22

American English has lost the "shall" in the first person too.

This makes sense to me:

Herb is a fine example of a type of linguistic conservatism found in American English. Until the sixteenth century the word was usually spelled "erb"-- it was a French word, who didn't say the "h" either. Right up until to the nineteenth century, long after the 'h' had been added due to further icky French influence, that was also the way it was said. "erb."

Seventeenth- and eighteenth-century colonists toward the Americas took their pronounciation with them. During the nineteenth century, the British people started to sound the first letter, in a "spelling pronunciation." So, the Americans are saying it the old fashioned way, and the Brits are playing around with their new-fangled words.

So, Eddie Izzard wasn't off saying that "We say herb like that because there's a f*&#in' 'H' in it."

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=874581

Classic!! Wow! I never would have guessed that 'erb' was actually the earlier version!!