English to USA Translations

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  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    Another one I've run across here on MFP:

    US drive-through > UK Take-away

    A take-away here just means food to eat at home from a Chinese/Indian/Italian, etc, restaurant.

    Or in Scotland, alcohol purchased from an off-license or other shop for consumption at home. Disclaimer:may only apply to Glasgow! Edinburgh likely has a completely different phrase :laugh:
  • WTJoyce
    WTJoyce Posts: 86
    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.

    Weird, I'm from the NE and we don't even have roundabouts (which is what they'd be called if we did). Of course, Boston is a bit of an aberration... :tongue:

    Oh Really, says the guy from Boston who still pronounces his Rs. :wink:
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I just want to point out, prawns are not another way of saying shrimp. Prawns are completely different animals. It's a similar distinction as saying tuna vs salmon, or lion instead of tiger. It's got nothing to do with linguistics, it's just a different animal
  • jenlarz
    jenlarz Posts: 813 Member
    The first time I read about mixing alcohol with "squash" I thought someone had lost their mind.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Pahk the cah in Hahvid Yahd.
  • doorki
    doorki Posts: 2,576 Member
    Pahk the cah in Hahvid Yahd.

    My 8th grade Spanish Teacher had a thick Boston accent. Now I can't speak Spanish.
  • jcpmoore
    jcpmoore Posts: 796 Member

    UK: Plastic wrap/cling film USA: Saran wrap (I think!) NZ/AUS: Glad Wrap!!!

    Here in the Southeast US it's usually just plastic wrap, actually. Sometimes cling wrap. Saran wrap is a brand.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    "lorry" vs "semi"

    "biscuit" vs "cookie"

    How is lorry vs semi? Lorry being a large transport vehicle, and semi meaning....half? I don't get it.
  • WTJoyce
    WTJoyce Posts: 86
    entirely possible lol....Boston has so many dialects lol. She is from South Boston.

    Southy! That's a tough area.

    That's Southie, not to be confused with the South End. :wink:
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member

    UK: Plastic wrap/cling film USA: Saran wrap (I think!) NZ/AUS: Glad Wrap!!!

    Here in the Southeast US it's usually just plastic wrap, actually. Sometimes cling wrap. Saran wrap is a brand.

    Saran wrap is used in a lot of the US, though, like all plastic wrap is called that. Like Kleenex and Band-Aid. Might not be so common in the SE> I haven't really noticed here. In New York, it was called Saran wrap all the time, even if it wasn't.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    "lorry" vs "semi"

    "biscuit" vs "cookie"

    How is lorry vs semi? Lorry being a large transport vehicle, and semi meaning....half? I don't get it.

    A semi in the US is a large truck that hauls trailers. They are also called tractor trailers. The HUGE trucks you see on the highways hauling goods from one part of the country to another.
  • WTJoyce
    WTJoyce Posts: 86
    entirely possible lol....Boston has so many dialects lol. She is from South Boston.

    Southy! That's a tough area.

    Yeah, that is why I am trying to get in shape. Need to defend myself =P

    Southy isn't quite so bad anymore. Hell, Fort Point is even down right nice.

    :-)

    I'm mostly teasing. My ex lived in Boston when we were dating and a college friend (chum for the Brits!) lived in Southy. The outside of the building looked kind of like a warehouse, but their apartment was really beautiful.

    Yeah, Southy is where all the hipsters and yuppies are moving to now lol.

    Um, that would be the South End, although you'll fidn a few yuppies in Southie
  • ZombieSlayer
    ZombieSlayer Posts: 369 Member
    Also cilantro = coriander

    Really? Cilantro and coriander come from the same plant, but cilantro is the leaf and coriander is the seed. Two different spices with very different flavors/applications.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    UK Roundabout = US Rotary

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

    Depends on the location in the US -- here in New Jersey they're called Circles.


    a few more:
    profiterole = cream puff
    bum = bottom, rear end
    on the dole = on unemployment compensation
    custard = pudding
    pudding = dessert (various)
    tea (not the beverage) = lunch or supper
    dust bin = trash can
    rubbish bin = garbage can (although not too many towns have you separate the two anymore)
    bin diving = dumpster diving

    I am struggling to work out which side of the Atlantic you mean for which. I am English and say Profiterole, bottom, jobseekers, custard, pud, supper, bin (for bin you put rubbish in, be that dust or rubbish), and I have no idea what bin or dumpster diving are! I also say chips for the things you buy in packets that are made of slices of potato.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Also cilantro = coriander

    Really? Cilantro and coriander come from the same plant, but cilantro is the leaf and coriander is the seed. Two different spices with very different flavors/applications.

    Nope, in England we have coriander leaf and coriander seed. No cilantro.
  • ZombieSlayer
    ZombieSlayer Posts: 369 Member

    UK: Plastic wrap/cling film USA: Saran wrap (I think!) NZ/AUS: Glad Wrap!!!

    Here in the Southeast US it's usually just plastic wrap, actually. Sometimes cling wrap. Saran wrap is a brand.

    From the west coast. To me it's all Saran Wrap, just like all soda is coke, and all facial tissues (had to think on that) are kleenex. :smile: Oh... and all sticky bandages are band-aids.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    UK Roundabout = US Rotary

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

    Depends on the location in the US -- here in New Jersey they're called Circles.


    a few more:
    profiterole = cream puff
    bum = bottom, rear end
    on the dole = on unemployment compensation
    custard = pudding
    pudding = dessert (various)
    tea (not the beverage) = lunch or supper
    dust bin = trash can
    rubbish bin = garbage can (although not too many towns have you separate the two anymore)
    bin diving = dumpster diving

    I am struggling to work out which side of the Atlantic you mean for which. I am English and say Profiterole, bottom, jobseekers, custard, pud, supper, bin (for bin you put rubbish in, be that dust or rubbish), and I have no idea what bin or dumpster diving are! I also say chips for the things you buy in packets that are made of slices of potato.

    Looks like the words on the left are the British words.
  • emma110984
    emma110984 Posts: 124 Member
    I love this thread... it's making my laugh!! All the innocent mistakes are cute!
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Question for the British: What do you call the cart you put your groceries in while shopping? We have a few variations between northern and southern US. In the north, it is either carriage or shopping cart. In the south I have heard people call them buggies.

    Trollies
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    UK Roundabout = US Rotary

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

    Depends on the location in the US -- here in New Jersey they're called Circles.


    a few more:
    profiterole = cream puff
    bum = bottom, rear end
    on the dole = on unemployment compensation
    custard = pudding
    pudding = dessert (various)
    tea (not the beverage) = lunch or supper
    dust bin = trash can
    rubbish bin = garbage can (although not too many towns have you separate the two anymore)
    bin diving = dumpster diving

    I am struggling to work out which side of the Atlantic you mean for which. I am English and say Profiterole, bottom, jobseekers, custard, pud, supper, bin (for bin you put rubbish in, be that dust or rubbish), and I have no idea what bin or dumpster diving are! I also say chips for the things you buy in packets that are made of slices of potato.

    Looks like the words on the left are the British words.

    I don't agree, then. Everyone I know says dinner or supper (usually supper) Tea is something you have between 4 and 5 pm, and involved the drink.

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