UK vs North American Cultural Differences
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Oh I am pretty sure someone from the US posted a photo of some squirty cheese in a can! Don't think I have ever seen that here.0
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No, I think thong is funnier than fanny. As in one of my US friends was saying "Its so warm I'm going in to work in my thongs today":laugh: (Here a thing is what you would call a string, I think - really skimpy underwear - whereas she was referring to flip-flops)
Proms are getting bigger over here for post-GCSE (non-selective schools) and post-A-levels (selective schools - i.e. grammar schools).
Our houses and cars are smaller because we have less space to put them in! Our commutes to work take the same time for 1/4 distance for the same reason (although the same US firend thought it was because we all cycled on bikes with baskets on the front:happy: )0 -
Americans do not consume spotted d!ck.
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Americans do not consume spotted d!ck.
In fairness, I've yet to meet anyone in the UK that eats this!!! :sick:0 -
Spotted **** is awesome!! I love it
I love how guys in the US wear "suspenders"........ you bunch of kinky devils 0 -
I went to a British prep school for 11 years so my first stab at the English language was British English. I moved to the US the summer after I turned 11 and started school. It was frustrating when classmates/teachers spoke to me or when I had to pay attention during lessons. The grammar, punctuation, pronunciation, spelling etc., frustrated me to no end! When I visit my parents now I sometimes cringe at my own grammar. My mom giving me the side eye doesn't help either.
Also, my mom had to fight the school to put me in a higher grade. Their argument was because of my age, I would get intimidated by the older kids if they placed me in 7th grade vs. 6. I was so bored in 6th grade, the teacher had to create separate lessons plans and assignments for me. Which of course along with having a 'funny' accent, made me stick out even more. Eventually they moved me up one grade.0 -
I’m from the UK and find the recipe suggestions from US members perplexing.
In the UK I’m used to a recipe consisting of raw, fresh ingredients, whether you strive for a healthy diet or not.
Often a recipe submitted by a US member will contain ingredients where at least 50% are from a packet or a tin (can).
I watched the US Biggest Loser online and the coach was showing his team how to make a smoothie, I was so surprised that the base of the smoothie came out of a packet, why? What’s wrong with adding just fruit to yoghurt, milk or juice?
I hope I’m not being offensive but could this be the cause of US obesity, so, so many basic ingredients appear to be processed.0 -
Zucchini is 'Courgette' to us in the UK!0
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Neds in ScotlandUK > We have Chavs
US > You have Hicks
Aus...we have bogans
In Ireland they call em knackers, in Boston hoodratz lol.0 -
(I'm from the US).
One thing that I've always found weird is how we refer to the shortened version of the word "mathematics".
US: I need to go do my math. I solved this problem with math.
UK: I need to go do my maths. I solved this problem with maths.
Always drives me nuts..even though both of them make sense....0 -
I've worked in the car then motorcycle industry pretty much since I left school and depending on the marque I'd have to swing between USA/UK terms - Trunk/boot, hood/bonnet, fender/wing etc ... oh and in the UK most cars still have 3 pedals
At 44 I use grams and ounces as required - though for baking I use grams as they're more accurate but if I'm craving strawberry bonbons I'll crave a 1/4lb, never 114g! If I eat too many I'd say I'd put on half a stone but if I posted this feat on here, I'd say 7lb to avoid confusion.
I now know a gallon isn't always a gallon (Imperial vs US) but I know gas = petrol. And while I buy my petrol by the gallon (actually, I buy diesel but lets not complicate things), I only know the price per litre (yes, litRE ).
We buy milk by the pint but I wouldn't put it in my tea, although I do like it hot - I have no idea how much a quart is.
I still can't get my head around how you'd measure a cup of salad ... do you weight it down or just drop it in?
Bangs? I think it's a fringe but I'm not sure so if I ever visit the USA I'll get my hair cut before I go just in case.
As a kid I had an afterschool job in a sweet shop, not a candy store.
Lager should be ice cold but beer (ale, bitter, mild) should be cellar temperature (and not fizzy).
I used to smoke *kitten* but I gave them up.
But what would I know? I'm only a pseudo Brit as I'm from Northern Ireland where they make whiskey (never whisky) and someone in a caravan (trailer) would offer to tarmac (asphalt) your driveway for cash.
Oh and something I've always wondered from reading Stephen King books - do all houses in the USA have aluminium cladding? Maybe it's a Maine thing!0 -
Some people need to get out more . . .0
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UK born & based, on my first trip to Florida went into cafe, ordered a cup of tea, it turned up cold & iced, It just never occurred to me it would not be hot
later I asked if I could have some vinegar to put on chips [fries] look of amazement, seems ketchup [catsup ? ] is the normal
Oh, and was gob smacked at the size of food portions, they are just enormous compared to ours
Colleague was stopped by police because he was walking along the pavement [sidewalk] which apparently is only what rogues do it seems. Of course once the English accent was noted all was well.
McD's never got used to us turning up without a car & just trying ordering at the window0 -
Oh I have a friend in Texas who was once saying she was bored sat in the car waiting to pick her kids up and it turned out they line up in cars to drop off and collect their kids. Can't even imagine that. I know they have much more space so everyone has to drive everywhere, but not actually even getting out of your car and walking to the school doors seems weird. It's funny there are loads of differences when you start looking at it.0
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I was in the UK for work, wasn't very impressed with some of the food.. Ordered pizza at a restaurant and it was a bit different than in America, not sure if they use a different sauce etc or what.
I loved using the word Rubbish to refer to the trash can or when throwing stuff away.. I would yell it in a completely out of control context and get strange looks.. ya..
I laughed when reading Mind the Gap signs in the tubes (subway).. then was immediately uncomfortable with how close people get to you in those subway cars.
I laughed when seeing signs that said Attack the Fire and showed stick people hitting fire with buckets for a method to extinguish a fire in office buildings..
When ordering food in public or around people in a line, they would ask me what part of Canada I was from (no British accent obviously).. and would just assume I was Canadian.. only to seem disappointing that I was American0 -
Wow I'm almost 33 and have never used oz to weigh food - even at school!
Oz also refers to volume, not just weight. 3 oz of a beverage is different from 3 oz of meat.0 -
Americans do not consume spotted d!ck.
For a laugh, I once took a tin to the US, as my friends had never heard of this.
The customs officer saw it, and asked if it contained meat! :laugh:0 -
"I'm mad about my flat" means a very different thing on this side of the pond. LOL.
And don't tell an American you are turned on by Suspenders. Means something very different over there.0 -
I coudln't believe the size difference in just about EVERYTHING when I went to England. It's safe to say that everything here in the US is just bigger. WAY bigger.
But I have to say, I loved the people, the mushy peas, Liverpool and the clothes. Fashion here is "****E" compared to over there!
One more thing, many of the white people seemed REALLY, REALLY, REALLY white to me. Seriously... I did a double take a few times because some were white as paper. I was in awe of the whiteness... hahaha. (good awe, not bad awe..)0 -
Misfits, Being Human, AbFab, Shameless, Gordon Ramsey, The IT Crowd, Doctor Who, and so many more great shows (programs)
#cough# programmes0 -
Americans do not consume spotted d!ck.
For a laugh, I once took a tin to the US, as my friends had never heard of this.
The customs officer saw it, and asked if it contained meat! :laugh:
WHATTTTT??? what is this made out of, dare I ask?0 -
Tipping, I was amazed that I was not to tip my waitress when visiting England
We tip waitresses here, I think someone was pulling your leg. I wouldn't get your food analysed if you go somewhere regularly and don't tip them!0 -
Pot of yoghurt (adorable!)
You guys have WAY more flavors of chips, and candy bars (KITKAT!)
Tea breaks instead of coffee breaks
Those are the few I think of.0 -
I live in the US, and read a lot, including lots of British literature. I often spell things the British way, and would get marked incorrect in school for that. I just think grey looks more like the color than gray (maybe because ray is sunshine?). And I keep the u in, instead of deleting it like Americans do. So I have to go back and "correct" my spelling later.
Oh, courgette is French for zucchini which is Italian. I was surprised to see a French word used in British English!0 -
As a Brit on this board I've noticed just how many cultural differences there are between us an you guys across the pond when it comes to things like food...
Imperial vs Metric - I have no idea what an oz of liquid or food looks like!
Cups - you really measure stuff in cups? What if everyone uses a different size cup?
Coffee creamer - what the hell is this stuff? Do you not just use milk?
String cheese - WUT?
We take our tea hot and with milk (& sugar) and is English Breakfast blend unless otherwise specified...
Feel free to add...
A cup is 8oz standard.
Coffee creamer is cream, a lot of times flavored (vanilla, mocha, etc)
String cheese is just mozzarella in the shape of a stick, it peels apart easily into strings, hence the name string cheese.
Sadly, most American creamer is not cream or milk at all, it's just oil with flavor added. However, there has been a small turn around in the market for actual cream in coffee creamer. Most Americans like a heavier cream than typical milk in our coffee.
String cheese as described above is fantastic fun for kids and adults alike.0 -
Bloody Hell vs. F-bomb
I love using it even though I am from the US.0 -
I coudln't believe the size difference in just about EVERYTHING when I went to England. It's safe to say that everything here in the US is just bigger. WAY bigger.
But I have to say, I loved the people, the mushy peas, Liverpool and the clothes. Fashion here is "****E" compared to over there!
One more thing, many of the white people seemed REALLY, REALLY, REALLY white to me. Seriously... I did a double take a few times because some were white as paper. I was in awe of the whiteness... hahaha. (good awe, not bad awe..)
We're a bit cramped over here so we have to downsize accordingly lol
I think the average 3 bed house is about £250k ($380k) where I live which I'm sure would buy a helluva lot of real estate in the US. By 3 bed house I mean a house where only two of the bedrooms will be big enough to take a double bed and you can forget a games room!
The further north you go in the UK, people get progressively paler - we're planning on having summer on a Tuesday this year 0 -
Americans do not consume spotted d!ck.
For a laugh, I once took a tin to the US, as my friends had never heard of this.
The customs officer saw it, and asked if it contained meat! :laugh:
WHATTTTT??? what is this made out of, dare I ask?
Its a suet pudding that is normally steamed (not done in the micro like this tin advertises lol), with currants and spices. Very nice Not sure where the name comes from though haha. 0 -
one thing i think people need to realize when classifying things as being a certain way in the states is that this is a gigantic country and astonishingly different from region to region.
in discussions like this i always see a lot of talk about how gigantic our houses are. we don't all live in texas is these monstrous homes. for instance my husband and i live in a 1 bedroom 600 square foot (just under 56 square meter) apartment. i can not fathom living in one of these HUGE 2000 square feet (185 suqare meter) homes. so much wasted space. so much to have to keep clean.
i haven't owned an automobile in over 12 years. i only know a few people who actually do in my city. 80% of us live in urban areas.
hershey's chocolate does taste icky. you can get cadbury everywhere here that i have ever lived. ranch dressing is disgusting. hp sauce is delicious. iced sweet tea is a lovely summer time drink but i prefer my tea earl grey, hot, and with milk and sugar.
the majority (meaning over 50%) of us do not own guns and don't feel the need to.0 -
Bloody Hell vs. F-bomb
I love using it even though I am from the US.
calling someone a w@nker is the most fun known to mankind0
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