Questions FROM the UK and FOR the UK

karenjoy
karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
edited September 20 in Chit-Chat
OK I have asked several questions on here about things, usually that I don't know what things are or what something means etc I was just wondering on a more general basis if there are any questions about the UK anyone would like to ask, and if anyone from the UK has any questions about either the US or other countries, maybe people would be kind enough to answer them?

Can I start with baseball, why is it called the 'World Series?' what other Nations take part?
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Replies

  • gurgi22
    gurgi22 Posts: 182 Member
    It is the world series because America has an ego the size of the world :tongue: and because we generally have all the best player here from all over the world. They come here because we are crazy enough to pay them millions to play a game.

    Go Yankees!! I look forward to adding another to the 27 championships we already have. :)
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    So no other nations take part in it? lol how strange.
  • StaceG1986
    StaceG1986 Posts: 350
    Great topic Karen, although I can't think of anything to ask at the moment! :laugh:

    Although I'd be very happy to answer questions FOR the UK! :happy:
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    Our clocks go forward this weekend in the UK, do they in other places at the same time?
  • staps065
    staps065 Posts: 837 Member
    Canada has two teams that play in the American League and National League so adding Canada makes it a World Series..
  • staps065
    staps065 Posts: 837 Member
    Our clocks move forward or Srung Ahead two weeks ago...
  • mellers1313
    mellers1313 Posts: 105 Member
    our clocks here in Ireland go forward too :)
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    Excellent thank you.

    In the UK we have roundabouts on our roads, I know that they have some in some parts of Canada, do they have any in the US?
  • craftyrei2
    craftyrei2 Posts: 6
    like traffic circles? Some states have them, some dont. New Jersey has a ton of them.
  • BassBoneBabe
    BassBoneBabe Posts: 226 Member
    We do have roundabouts, but I don't think nearly as many.
  • supermodelwannabe
    supermodelwannabe Posts: 4
    I want to know if you really drink a great amount of tea? That's all we ever see when we watch movies and tv shows from your country.
  • erikazj
    erikazj Posts: 2,365 Member
    I drink a lot of tea, but my husband drinks a lot of coffee!
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    I hate tea and never touch the stuff, when I meet with my friends we always have coffee, I have never been to anyone's house and had a tea. It's always come round for a coffee. We all drink coffee at work too, one or two will have a tea in the afternoon, but mainly people I know drink coffee. My parents generation drank more tea, my Mum always used to have a cup of tea NEVER a mug lol, with her breakfast.
  • wolf23
    wolf23 Posts: 4,277 Member
    The fam and I visited the England and Wales last year and drove counter clockwise around the country and I have to tell you I would get roundabout anxiety attacks :noway: (yes I was the crazy in the blue mini van) but toward the end of the vacation I was an old pro :wink:

    Why do they call the roadside restaurants Happy Chef when they don't make me too happy? (The food we got was horrible)

    I would go back in a heartbeat...the countryside is beautiful :flowerforyou:
  • smdonovan
    smdonovan Posts: 8
    I've never quite understood what "taking a piss" means in the UK. In the US, it generally refers to going to pee. Also, do you say "soddy" or "sodding" a lot? Brits on tv here always do.
  • m3allitt
    m3allitt Posts: 5
    hee hee - "taking the piss" - is like taking the micky out of someone or teasing them..... or if someone does something rude to you like borrowed some money and never gave it back, we'd say "they're taking the piss"..... (piss is a swear word!! lol!!)
    Yeah, we say "sod" - in the context of "sod off"!

    I think fanny packs are funny too - we call them bum bags cos the word fanny isn't a good word to use!! lol!!
  • erikazj
    erikazj Posts: 2,365 Member
    I've never quite understood what "taking a piss" means in the UK. In the US, it generally refers to going to pee. Also, do you say "soddy" or "sodding" a lot? Brits on tv here always do.

    'Taking the piss' is making fun of someone, or also 'taking the mickey'.

    My dad says sodding a lot, but I use slightly stronger language!

    E
  • m3allitt
    m3allitt Posts: 5
    When you think of it, there are a lot of differences....
    petrol and gasoline
    fanny packs and bum bags

    I love the way the language changes so much. I have a very good friend who is American and she is married in an English man and when I met with them both, he often has to translate for us both - it's so funny!!!!
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    Yes I find fanny pack hilarious, as fanny is a low level rude word for something only a lady has over here.

    Wonder why you call it a bathroom when you call a bath a tub? (there is a comedian over here who does a sketch about an American visitor asking to use the bathroom, and him asking if they need to have a wash? or the 'restroom' and asking if they need to have a lay down'

    As to Little Chefs, the food used to be lovely when I was a child, then it want all burger and fries on us and somehow went totally down the pan.

    I found the portion sizes in American restaurants scary large, and also found it very odd that vegetables are side orders. Here vegetables are generally part of the meal and not ordered separately. I also wonder what you give children to drink other than water, fizzy, juice or milk? We have squash and my kids found the lack of it during our holidays (that's another difference, we call all vacations holidays, it's not just Christmas) very hard, they were not allowed to drink fizzy and so struggled a bit.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    oh and in the UK pants are men's underwear and we call pants trousers. I also know that your sizes are different to ours, your size 10 is our size 12 and so on, so if I was in the states I would immediately drop a dress size! Yay!
  • TByrd1325
    TByrd1325 Posts: 920 Member
    I found the portion sizes in American restaurants scary large, and also found it very odd that vegetables are side orders. Here vegetables are generally part of the meal and not ordered separately. I also wonder what you give children to drink other than water, fizzy, juice or milk? We have squash and my kids found the lack of it during our holidays (that's another difference, we call all vacations holidays, it's not just Christmas) very hard, they were not allowed to drink fizzy and so struggled a bit.

    I saw this thread yesterday. I've never been out of the country, but England is on my list. =)

    I have to ask, what is squash? I'm guessing you aren't talking about the vegetable?
  • erikazj
    erikazj Posts: 2,365 Member
    Squash is like cordial, but not as strong. It's normally blackcurrant/orange/fruit based concentrate that you dilute with water. Doesn't taste like fruit juice though.

    http://www.britvic.com/Brand.aspx?id=55

    Robinson's and Ribena are big brands, but all the supermarkets do their own.

    Erika
  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    I live in England and just though I say Little chef does not make me happy either. We call it Little Theif instead based on their prices. The same goes for burger king, it becaomes burger ching. In america when i went it was like 3 dollars a meal. England is ridculously expensive now but I suppose i still love it.

    PS. I never understand the meaning of uptown and downtown when you refer to cities. Any americans wanna help me out?
    Ben
    :)
  • healthycat31
    healthycat31 Posts: 99
    the french fries/ fries/chips/crisps thing gets me every time

    also 'drugstore' & 'chemist'

    'zipcode' & 'postcode'

    'sneakers' & 'trainers'

    'bangs' & 'fringes'
  • healthycat31
    healthycat31 Posts: 99
    I live in England and just though I say Little chef does not make me happy either. We call it Little Theif instead based on their prices. The same goes for burger king, it becaomes burger ching. In america when i went it was like 3 dollars a meal. England is ridculously expensive now but I suppose i still love it.

    PS. I never understand the meaning of uptown and downtown when you refer to cities. Any americans wanna help me out?
    Ben
    :)

    Not American, but I think 'downtown' means the CBD. I remember sightseeing in New York City - In Manhattan, uptown covered Harlem and Central Park, & downtown covered Times Square, the Empire State Building, Chinatown, SoHo...
  • healthycat31
    healthycat31 Posts: 99
    I live in England and just though I say Little chef does not make me happy either. We call it Little Theif instead based on their prices. The same goes for burger king, it becaomes burger ching. In america when i went it was like 3 dollars a meal. England is ridculously expensive now but I suppose i still love it.

    PS. I never understand the meaning of uptown and downtown when you refer to cities. Any americans wanna help me out?
    Ben
    :)

    Not American, but I think 'downtown' means the CBD. I remember sightseeing in New York City - In Manhattan, uptown covered Harlem and Central Park, & downtown covered Times Square, the Empire State Building, Chinatown, SoHo...
  • wolf23
    wolf23 Posts: 4,277 Member
    I have a question about Marmite...does the majority like it? My tastebuds rejected that taste :noway: But I did love the traditional breafast with the tomato and beans :happy:
  • snookeroo
    snookeroo Posts: 2,105 Member
    I'm from the U.S. and am a HUGE fan of "Life On Mars".
    I caught it on BBC America and just had to go out and buy the box sets. I'm getting ready to watch season 2.
    I'm usually able to translate your English into our English (bin man, mate, git, snooker and flat = trash man, friend, idiot, pool and apartment).
    But, I just can't exactly figure out "gov" or "governer". I think it means "boss" or "superior". Can you help me out?

    Do you get any American "Tele" shows worth watching? I can't say I do.
  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    governer is as you said a sorta "street" way of meaing superior or in the police force like boss.
    And what wrong with Will and Grace, Friends all the NBC classics we get them here in the UK and I get addicted to them. I've heard '24' is good and if you enjoy that take a look at our version 'spooks' I love spooks and am looking into '24' when money permits.
    'git' i would refer to somone who irritates you rather than an idiot but then im being pernickety.
    Ben UK
    And i love marmite in sandwiches with cucumber!!
  • snookeroo
    snookeroo Posts: 2,105 Member
    governer is as you said a sorta "street" way of meaing superior or in the police force like boss.
    And what wrong with Will and Grace, Friends all the NBC classics we get them here in the UK and I get addicted to them. I've heard '24' is good and if you enjoy that take a look at our version 'spooks' I love spooks and am looking into '24' when money permits.
    'git' i would refer to somone who irritates you rather than an idiot but then im being pernickety.
    Ben UK
    And i love marmite in sandwiches with cucumber!!

    I do watch "How I Met Your Mother", "The Office", "The Big Bang Theory" and "American Idol" (go Chrystal!) as well as Seinfeld reruns...can't go wrong there.
    How popular was "Life On Mars" in the UK? It's really one of the best shows I've seen in a long time. The American version of that show wasn't really that good.
    I've never heard of "Spooks". I'll look it up.

    Over all, I guess I prefer to listen to music. '70's rock-n-roll! But I like so much more.
    I noticed your profile. I'll have to check out your music.
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