words in england that mean something totally different in america!!

Options
123578

Replies

  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    edited May 2017
    Options
    I found this interesting: for the movie Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, when the initial movie was shown to both British and American children, the American children were confused not only on certain specific words but on pronunciations, so an American version was released with the actors using some substitute words, speaking more slowly and trying to adopt a more broadly understandable (to non-English children) accent.

    I don't remember all the sub words but I do recall "marrow" is called "melon" in the U.S. release of the show since we Americans interpret marrow to be the stuff inside of bones. :) The two words "looked" identical when mouthed by the claymation actress.

    My kids and I love this movie...I looked it up at the time as I was curious about its production.
  • klkarlen
    klkarlen Posts: 4,366 Member
    Options
    blueyandcrazee wrote: »
    We also call fizzy drinks..like coke..a bottle of pop. Do you say that in america?

    It depends on where you are in the US. I've heard it called soda, tonic, pop, soft drink, carbonated beverage. . . it runs the gamut.

    Same goes for terms for a grocery or shopping bag, some parts of the country, they call it a sack instead of a bag.
  • curborough
    curborough Posts: 131 Member
    Options
    I don't think there's a wrong or right here..i just find it really interesting. I love the American way, it's my favourite place in the world and the people are great (awesome!). I just love how we mean the same but how different it can seem! Definitely no right or wrong..this thread wasn't meant to be about 'proper' english
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    Options
    Well, nobody here knows what a "Bluey" is here......unless they are a serious 'football' fan. They probably think you are a Chelsea supporter.
  • curborough
    curborough Posts: 131 Member
    Options
    Ipswich town forever...bluey and crazee the 2 mascots
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Options
    klkarlen wrote: »
    blueyandcrazee wrote: »
    We also call fizzy drinks..like coke..a bottle of pop. Do you say that in america?

    It depends on where you are in the US. I've heard it called soda, tonic, pop, soft drink, carbonated beverage. . . it runs the gamut.

    Same goes for terms for a grocery or shopping bag, some parts of the country, they call it a sack instead of a bag.

    its also called a poke in some areas,by some people. my sister worked at a gas station/diner type place*here in west Virginia),. some guy asked if she had a poke he could have, she looked at him funny and thought he was being crude, she had to ask another person there what the guy meant. we are from the east coast so never heard the poke thing
  • nightengale7
    nightengale7 Posts: 563 Member
    Options
    Snogging - in the States we call that making out or kissing.
    Ring on the telly - in the States it's call on the phone
    Digestive - cookie here in the US. I still think calling something as wonderful and delicious as a cookie a "digestive" is a travesty. That word makes me think of the actual act of digestion, which isn't appetizing at all, lol.
  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
    Options
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    blueyandcrazee wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    I was educated this week that juice means something else in England.

    What was you told it meant?..having said that half the words the kids use here nowdays us older ones don't understand!


    I was advised that juice could mean liquid fruit flavored non-caloric water additives and not just the product produced by pulping/juicing a fruit.

    That's 'squash' or 'cordial' it's not 'juice' but is a common mistake.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Options
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    Merkavar wrote: »
    blueyandcrazee wrote: »
    Chips are what we call crisps. So if you go to America and ask for chips you're gonna be disappointed!

    A little off topic
    mwygdbev8wms.png

    Speaking of england, pants apparently mean underpants. which makes all the jokes on 8 out of 10 cats/UK tv make a whole lot more sense. "I was standing there in my pants" and I am thinking so what, you have trousers on, but they mean underpants/nickers/panties

    I think that person is just simple. I'm Australian and call all those things by names other than "chip"

    Nah your just americanised :tongue: you probably spell it americanized and use MM/DD/YY format
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Options
    I have it on good authority that this movie caused uproarious laughter in the UK when it was released. ("Shagging" is a kind of dancing particular to the Carolinas.)
    uf9vfw4mw29s.jpg

  • MarcelloPasquale
    MarcelloPasquale Posts: 212 Member
    Options
    Nice thread! Learning quite a few differences. As a non-native speaker, I tend to use a mix of the two.

    Just one thought: it is the UK that drives on the most logical side of the road, and indeed many countries changed in the last century. If you want to read more on the topic, here's a good article: http://www.worldstandards.eu/cars/driving-on-the-left/
    This doesn't mean I wasn't a bit unsettled the first time I went to a country driving on the left side, that is the right one.

    PS: it's aluminium, because the IUPAC says so.

    PPS:
    9nssx9ezinib.jpg
  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
    Options

    I think some of you are being given information out of context :smile:

    'Digestive' is a type of 'biscuit' as are chocolate chip 'cookies', Rich Tea, Mikado, Custard Creams and loads of other types - so the English for an American 'cookie' is 'Biscuit'.

    Btw - they're a plain biscuit, some are (half) coated in chocolate, or have caramel and chocolate, much nicer than they sound!

    Phones - we also use 'call' or in more informal settings/ slang 'give us a bell'.

    'Snogging' is correct, but just to confuse you, in Ireland you're 'wearing' or 'eating the face off' and the old favourite 'tonsil hockey'.
  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
    Options
    murph155 wrote: »
    Pardon. 'Excuse me' in the UK; what the Governor does to prisoners in the US.
    Boot has already been mentioned. Bonnet is the hood of the car in the UK; in the US it's a hat.
    Pissed. Drunk in the UK, mad in the US. I remember one of my English cousins seeing a t-shirt from here that read 'Jesus is coming and boy, is he pissed." Took on a whole new meaning!
    Lift - Elevator in the UK; here it's either a verb or something Tom Cruise wears in his shoes. ;-)

    We also 'pardon', or ask 'pardon me'.
    'Boot' either footwear or the rear storage compartment in a car (not sure what it's been described as on this thread)
    'Pissed' is either drunk or mad, Ie 'I'm pissed off with you'
    We also use 'lift' as well as 'elevator' and as items to increase a persons leg length.
  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
    Options
    HeliumIsNoble wrote: »
    They will all speak quite differently, but they're all English. Who is "true" English?

    People who are born in England - if you're born in Scotland you're Scottish, Wales is Welsh and Northern Ireland - well that depends what line you sit on. But you are correct, we all have our own accents and colloquialisms, even though we all share the same language.

  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
    Options
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    and while we're at it.... why is it acceptable for the Brits to drive on the wrong side of the road?

    it's dangerous!

    Only when Americans are driving on our wrong side :wink:
  • gcibsthom
    gcibsthom Posts: 30,138 Member
    edited May 2017
    Options
    I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said that Americans and Brits are separated only by a common language... something like that
    I also feel that it is not only a wonderful learning tool to hash these terms out, but also broadens our collective world view....viva la diferens.
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,503 Member
    Options
    rugratz2015 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    and while we're at it.... why is it acceptable for the Brits to drive on the wrong side of the road?

    it's dangerous!

    Only when Americans are driving on our wrong side :wink:

    I'll be visiting London in October.


    You might want to keep your head on a swivel.
  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
    Options
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    rugratz2015 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    and while we're at it.... why is it acceptable for the Brits to drive on the wrong side of the road?

    it's dangerous!

    Only when Americans are driving on our wrong side :wink:

    I'll be visiting London in October.


    You might want to keep your head on a swivel.

    I don't live in England, but I may be visiting Birmingham at the end of October, will I be safe then? :smiley:
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,503 Member
    Options
    rugratz2015 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    rugratz2015 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    and while we're at it.... why is it acceptable for the Brits to drive on the wrong side of the road?

    it's dangerous!

    Only when Americans are driving on our wrong side :wink:

    I'll be visiting London in October.


    You might want to keep your head on a swivel.

    I don't live in England, but I may be visiting Birmingham at the end of October, will I be safe then? :smiley:

    Birmingham?

    dunno.... Alabama can be treacherous in October
  • JetJaguar
    JetJaguar Posts: 801 Member
    Options
    I once worked on a project involving organizations in the US and UK, and one term that caused confusion in meetings is to "table" a topic of discussion. It means exactly the opposite in each country. In the US, it means to set aside the topic for another time, but in the UK it means you want to bring it up for discussion.

Categories