English to English translator

24

Replies

  • gemco
    gemco Posts: 129
    it's a bun, though can be transformed into a ham roll or a chip butty depending on the contents.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    thats true, if its got chips (fries) in it its a butty.

    a bap is bigger than a roll
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    i am totally going to call wipers wishy washies from now on. After all. I am British
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    if a handbag is a purse, what do americans call actual purses that you keep money in?
  • TheGoktor
    TheGoktor Posts: 1,138 Member
    i am totally going to call wipers wishy washies from now on. After all. I am British

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    The roll thing is so funny - I've never ever thought about it before but I do refer to the things you put burgers in as buns (or tummies!). Thinking about it, a bap is larger and softer than a roll, and a roll just about covers everything else. Well, as far as I am concerned! Can anyone tell me what a huffer is though?
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    a huffer is bigger than a bun I believe. Its just a massive roll. Possibly more oval than round
  • suzitkd
    suzitkd Posts: 110
    I'm English, these are some additions to the list
    weiner = hot dog
    in my experience pants are always underwear, never heard any English person refer to trousers as pants!
    living room and lounge are both used
    mudguard=fender (fender is a thing that stops a boat crashing into the dock wall, and it's also a nice make of guitar..)
    tap=faucet
    rubbish=trash
    football=soccer
    american football=football
    porridge=oatmeal
    fizzy drink=soda
    ice lolly=popsicle
    bin=trash can
  • diverdi
    diverdi Posts: 64 Member
    So a pocketbook is a purse, I always imagined it was something like a Filofax!

    Nightstick =truncheon (not really relevant to MFP though)
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    northerners (england) call trousers pants i believe, and even southerners might refer to tracksuit bottoms as trackie pants?

    its a bit hard to say UK english, because the variations are immense. You might go to Aberdeen, Glasgow, Newcastle, London and itll be almost a completely different language for everyday use
  • knkmfp
    knkmfp Posts: 295 Member
    pissed (US) = angry
    pissed (UK) = drunk
  • suzitkd
    suzitkd Posts: 110
    pissed (US) = angry
    pissed (UK) = drunk
    That one always confuses me in american films! Though to explain to our american friends, pissed off=angry in UK!
  • brocantrs
    brocantrs Posts: 273 Member
    aubergine - eggplant


    Id like to know what the Uk equivalent of 1 cup is
    I would think (but not sure) that it would be 240 ml.
  • Limeinthecoconut
    Limeinthecoconut Posts: 234 Member
    I have a couple of Australian ones...

    Vacation = holidays

    Trainers/sneakers = runners
  • evenidomhnaill
    evenidomhnaill Posts: 50
    Some Irish ones

    fun/news= craic (which could get you in trouble as people can mistake you for talking about crack eg any craic with you? or where's good craic around here!!!!!!)
    kiss= shift/meet/go with/see (depending where you come from)
    child= wayne (which can also be a name)
    its hot out= the sun is splitting the rocks
    fanny pack= bum bag
    toilet= loo or jacks
    annoyed or angry= crabbit ( only really in donegal where i'm from)
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
    There are differences in pronunciation which can throw you off guard.

    Simultaneous (long i (US) versus short i (UK))

    Missile (second i is short (US) versus long (UK)) - also fragile, sterile etc.

    Advertisement (ad-ver-tyz-ment (US) versus ad-vur-tiss-ment (UK))
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    And the British love their weather words.

    A french ex-colleague of mine had a chart on her wall showing her the order of "heaviness of rain" including spitting, drizzle, chucking it down, pissing it down, downpour etc.
  • CraigIW
    CraigIW Posts: 176
    Wait, wait, wait. I knew broil = grill (like others, initially I assumed it was some kind of high-temperature boil). But you have grill too?

    So, I'm guessing grill=flame underneath and broil=flame ontop?
  • Franticantics
    Franticantics Posts: 117

    Private school = public school (my partner lived in Rye as a child but was sent back to England to go to public school - apparently confused the heck out of some of his US chums!)


    In the uk we have, Public school, Private school, Grammer school, Prep school and State school...and they're all different...
    Having been to 4 of these types i can only just explain the difference!!

    Public school is like the poshest type, the oldest schools, generally boarding schools and I think to be public it has to have a focus on religion, and are independent, yeahp. Public schools are also known as Independent schools too.

    Prep school is generally the junior section of a public school, or a public or private school which educates children up to the age of 12/13. The education generaly finished with a C.E exam which you normally have to have certain results into get into public/private schools

    Private school is fee-paying, generally just for, or majoritively for day-pupils.

    grammer school is non fee paying, but generally has higher standards due to entrance exams

    State school is non fee paying and anyone can go
  • MrsM1ggins
    MrsM1ggins Posts: 724 Member
    US --> UK
    2 weeks = fortnight
  • ilsie99
    ilsie99 Posts: 259
    I couldn't get the water to run in my American friend's bathroom. "Hey the tap doesn't work!" I shouted. "The what?" she replied. "The tap, you know, the thing the water comes out of. "Oh faucet!" she said. So I forced it and it came off in my hand...

    I almost spit out my toast when I read this.

    I didn't know about the whole bread debacle! That's hilarious.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    Some Irish ones


    child= wayne (which can also be a name)

    wain (sp?) is scottish for child, as is bairn
  • mandykasase
    mandykasase Posts: 110
    what would Chavs be in the US?
  • ilsie99
    ilsie99 Posts: 259
    what would Chavs be in the US?

    That sounds like some kind of herb cheese to me, but I'm sure it's some article of clothing or possibly a gearshift knob in your car or something.
  • aimibean
    aimibean Posts: 243
    I'm northern UK and I've never ever called trousers "pants", nor have I heard anyone say that... :S
    Also call a bread roll a bread cake....
    Also, a bun is a small cupcake... not bread!!!
  • aimibean
    aimibean Posts: 243
    what would Chavs be in the US?

    That sounds like some kind of herb cheese to me, but I'm sure it's some article of clothing or possibly a gearshift knob in your car or something.

    It's actually a type of person... a stereotype... a loudmouth idiot...
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    what would Chavs be in the US?

    white trash?
  • mandykasase
    mandykasase Posts: 110
    what would Chavs be in the US?

    That sounds like some kind of herb cheese to me, but I'm sure it's some article of clothing or possibly a gearshift knob in your car or something.

    It's actually a type of person... a stereotype... a loudmouth idiot...
    Thinks K-Fed with sovereign madalions and burberry cap, jacket shoes and anything else that u can get in burberry, and that is a chav.
  • TheGoktor
    TheGoktor Posts: 1,138 Member
    In the uk we have, Public school, Private school, Grammer school, Prep school and State school...and they're all different...
    Having been to 4 of these types i can only just explain the difference!!

    Public school is like the poshest type, the oldest schools, generally boarding schools and I think to be public it has to have a focus on religion, and are independent, yeahp. Public schools are also known as Independent schools too.

    Prep school is generally the junior section of a public school, or a public or private school which educates children up to the age of 12/13. The education generaly finished with a C.E exam which you normally have to have certain results into get into public/private schools

    It was actually prep school which K got sent back to, before continuing on to public school...but I thought it might be a bit confusing if I'd put that!

    Sevenoaks was founded in 1432 (I believe)...which is pretty cool, and has many claims to fame; however, by far the coolest (aside from my partner and several friends), is that John Coppinger, who made Jabba the Hutt's head (and played several Wookiies!) was also a pupil there. And is a good friend of ours too!
  • TheGoktor
    TheGoktor Posts: 1,138 Member
    what would Chavs be in the US?

    That sounds like some kind of herb cheese to me, but I'm sure it's some article of clothing or possibly a gearshift knob in your car or something.

    It's actually a type of person... a stereotype... a loudmouth idiot...
    Thinks K-Fed with sovereign madalions and burberry cap, jacket shoes and anything else that u can get in burberry, and that is a chav.

    It's an oldie but a goodie!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL2Q5sRB-RY

    :laugh:
  • trapitt
    trapitt Posts: 93 Member
    My daughter asked my if I could remember that song about the rubbish in the boot of your car. It took me 10 minutes to figure out she meant watch a gonna do with all that junk, all that junk in that back of your trunk? We are Canadian but she was attending a British school in hong kong. I laughed so hard.
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