Language Please

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  • jeffryjirraf
    jeffryjirraf Posts: 179 Member
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    I use Brekky for breakfast - since I used to live in the UK

    Australia has a lot of words that were new to me when I started having to read Aussie news articles. (my definitions my not be quite correct)

    compo - work related employee compensation
    hoon - racing around in a car in a dangerous way
    yobbo - unsavoury person (UK also)
    Fair dinkum - the real thing
    digger - soldier
    jumper - sweater (UK also)
    never never - in the wilderness (outback)
    tucker - food (in the UK tuck)
    singlet - T-shirt
    sheila - girl
    bikkie - biscuit->cookie
    pokie - poker gambling machine

    did you lot not come up with skite as well? That is a good word
  • pixtotts
    pixtotts Posts: 552 Member
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    lol took me a good few days to realize that people meant when they asked me "do yo have a *kitten*" when I was over in london (totally unrelated I know)... still don't get why they call smokes *kitten* though? anyone know?

    "smokes" - cigerettes :P

    i googled for you

    "It seems that it originates in a term used in sailing, or shipping. In ship or sailor terms, a "*kitten*-end" was a rope that was frayed and useless at the end. Cigarettes have a non-smokable butt (or filter) on one end that is useless, so the term "*kitten*" got applied to the butts, and ended up being used for the whole of the cigarette. "

    im british but id never dream of saying "*kitten*" they are cigarettes to me *shrugs*
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Queue = Line (like in queue up to get into the film)
    FYP :wink:
  • tubbyelmo
    tubbyelmo Posts: 415 Member
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    lollipopman_zpsb133e280.gif

    Hope it works...
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I live in England and last year me and my friend went to America. We were in a shopping centre and my friend asked a sales helper 'were the loos where'. she was met with a blank look so she then translated that 'wheres the loo' meant 'wheres the toilet'. later we found out it was rude to you the word toilet and that you should ask for the 'bathroom' even if your just going for a pee and not a bath! seems very strange to me! I hope we didnt deeply offend the poor girl!! haha

    I've lived in the US my whole life and I wouldn't find it rude for someone to ask for the toilet. We usually use "bathroom" or "restroom," but I don't know anyone who finds "toilet" rude.

    And most of us know what "loo" means. That clerk must have been very sheltered!
  • Em_runs_away
    Em_runs_away Posts: 194 Member
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    Bump
  • Gail3260
    Gail3260 Posts: 354 Member
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    I think the spelling differences are more interesting.

    curb vs. kerb
    tire vs. tyre
    misspelled vs. misspelt

    Curb and kerb are completely different words with different meanings, as are tire and tyre in the UK, both misspelled and misspelt are used widely here.
  • DollyPocket
    DollyPocket Posts: 33 Member
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    its different with spelling too.
    Colour and Color

    to me the second one is spelt wrong!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I think the spelling differences are more interesting.

    curb vs. kerb
    tire vs. tyre
    misspelled vs. misspelt

    Curb and kerb are completely different words with different meanings, as are tire and tyre in the UK, both misspelled and misspelt are used widely here.

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kerb?s=t

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tyre?s=t

    They may mean something different to you, but the dictionary backs up the OP.
  • painauxraisin
    painauxraisin Posts: 299 Member
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    I know that theres the language difference but some french words are the same as English ones but mean different things; They're called 'faux amis' if you're interested!

    Sensible means sensitive (looks funny on a bottle of hairspray).
    Preservatives are NOT to be found in your jam! Look that one up!
  • heygurlheyyyy
    heygurlheyyyy Posts: 84 Member
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    I've lived in the US my whole life and I wouldn't find it rude for someone to ask for the toilet. We usually use "bathroom" or "restroom," but I don't know anyone who finds "toilet" rude.

    And most of us know what "loo" means. That clerk must have been very sheltered!

    ^^I was thinking the exact same thing.

    I have a British friend who points out to me that pants and trousers are not the same thing. (The way Americans use "pants" is wrong, apparently. lol)

    Friends in London call pitchers jugs. It was fun watching the bartender give them funny looks when they asked for a jug of beer.

    And they called their sweatpants joggybottoms. That was my favourite. LOL
  • Gail3260
    Gail3260 Posts: 354 Member
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    I think the spelling differences are more interesting.

    curb vs. kerb
    tire vs. tyre
    misspelled vs. misspelt

    Curb and kerb are completely different words with different meanings, as are tire and tyre in the UK, both misspelled and misspelt are used widely here.

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kerb?s=t

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tyre?s=t

    They may mean something different to you, but the dictionary backs up the OP.

    I suppose it just depends on the dictionary you're using. I doubt many in the UK would use 'curb' to describe the edge of the pavement (sidewalk to our US friends).
  • maab_connor
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
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    I live in England and last year me and my friend went to America. We were in a shopping centre and my friend asked a sales helper 'were the loos where'. she was met with a blank look so she then translated that 'wheres the loo' meant 'wheres the toilet'. later we found out it was rude to you the word toilet and that you should ask for the 'bathroom' even if your just going for a pee and not a bath! seems very strange to me! I hope we didnt deeply offend the poor girl!! haha

    I've lived in the US my whole life and I wouldn't find it rude for someone to ask for the toilet. We usually use "bathroom" or "restroom," but I don't know anyone who finds "toilet" rude.

    And most of us know what "loo" means. That clerk must have been very sheltered!

    agreed.

    most travelers are encouraged to use the word "toilet" b/c it's more universal. most of the world knows what you mean when you say it. i think the cashier was probably what we like to call "dumb as a box of rocks".
  • jeffryjirraf
    jeffryjirraf Posts: 179 Member
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    I've lived in the US my whole life and I wouldn't find it rude for someone to ask for the toilet. We usually use "bathroom" or "restroom," but I don't know anyone who finds "toilet" rude.

    And most of us know what "loo" means. That clerk must have been very sheltered!

    ^^I was thinking the exact same thing.

    I have a British friend who points out to me that pants and trousers are not the same thing. (The way Americans use "pants" is wrong, apparently. lol)

    Friends in London call pitchers jugs. It was fun watching the bartender give them funny looks when they asked for a jug of beer.

    And they called their sweatpants joggybottoms. That was my favourite. LOL

    you see that is strange. those are all just normal words to me. But not to you
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I think the spelling differences are more interesting.

    curb vs. kerb
    tire vs. tyre
    misspelled vs. misspelt

    Curb and kerb are completely different words with different meanings, as are tire and tyre in the UK, both misspelled and misspelt are used widely here.

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kerb?s=t

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tyre?s=t

    They may mean something different to you, but the dictionary backs up the OP.

    I suppose it just depends on the dictionary you're using. I doubt many in the UK would use 'curb' to describe the edge of the pavement (sidewalk to our US friends).

    That was the point about the spelling. In the US, "curb" is the edge of the sidewalk OR it means to stop doing something or do it less. "Curb your use."

    So, if a "kerb" in the UK is the edge of a sidewalk, then the spelling is different there than in the US, which is what the OP said.
  • maab_connor
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
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    And they called their sweatpants joggybottoms. That was my favourite. LOL

    OMG i had forgotten that one! Brit friend of mine was appaled by ppl who showed up to her party in "joggybottoms and trainers" = sweat pants and sneakers.
  • DollyPocket
    DollyPocket Posts: 33 Member
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    I live in England and last year me and my friend went to America. We were in a shopping centre and my friend asked a sales helper 'were the loos where'. she was met with a blank look so she then translated that 'wheres the loo' meant 'wheres the toilet'. later we found out it was rude to you the word toilet and that you should ask for the 'bathroom' even if your just going for a pee and not a bath! seems very strange to me! I hope we didnt deeply offend the poor girl!! haha

    I've lived in the US my whole life and I wouldn't find it rude for someone to ask for the toilet. We usually use "bathroom" or "restroom," but I don't know anyone who finds "toilet" rude.


    And most of us know what "loo" means. That clerk must have been very sheltered!

    agreed.

    most travelers are encouraged to use the word "toilet" b/c it's more universal. most of the world knows what you mean when you say it. i think the cashier was probably what we like to call "dumb as a box of rocks".

    she was very blonde!!
  • jennibee70
    jennibee70 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    It is odd, I am from the east coast of Scotland and a lot of the words I used were just not understood by people down in England. Here is just a few that they had issues with. I would tend to not know why they were having such a problem understanding me.

    sweetie = candy (fairly self explanitory)
    messages = groceries
    scaffy = person who picks up the bins
    fish supper = fish and chips
    clegg = horse fly
    burn = stream
    chuckie = pebble
    workie = builder
    clype = telltale

    I'm Scottish too and sometimes I use words that I don't realise aren't actually English and then wonder why people don't understand me!
  • jennibee70
    jennibee70 Posts: 1,067 Member
    Options
    I think the spelling differences are more interesting.

    curb vs. kerb
    tire vs. tyre
    misspelled vs. misspelt

    Curb and kerb are completely different words with different meanings, as are tire and tyre in the UK, both misspelled and misspelt are used widely here.

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kerb?s=t

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tyre?s=t

    They may mean something different to you, but the dictionary backs up the OP.

    I suppose it just depends on the dictionary you're using. I doubt many in the UK would use 'curb' to describe the edge of the pavement (sidewalk to our US friends).

    That was the point about the spelling. In the US, "curb" is the edge of the sidewalk OR it means to stop doing something or do it less. "Curb your use."

    So, if a "kerb" in the UK is the edge of a sidewalk, then the spelling is different there than in the US, which is what the OP said.


    When my daughter was little her spelling homework was to write a word 5 times then use it in a sentence. Her teacher once gave her "curb". I asked her what her teacher said it meant, and she said the edge of the pavement. As we live in Britain, I made her write "My mother told me to curb my language" as her example! She was about 8 at the time!
  • jeffryjirraf
    jeffryjirraf Posts: 179 Member
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    It is odd, I am from the east coast of Scotland and a lot of the words I used were just not understood by people down in England. Here is just a few that they had issues with. I would tend to not know why they were having such a problem understanding me.

    sweetie = candy (fairly self explanitory)
    messages = groceries
    scaffy = person who picks up the bins
    fish supper = fish and chips
    clegg = horse fly
    burn = stream
    chuckie = pebble
    workie = builder
    clype = telltale

    I'm Scottish too and sometimes I use words that I don't realise aren't actually English and then wonder why people don't understand me!

    exactly! and also, they really should use some of the words. they are amazing

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