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Celtic Radio Community > Ye Ole Celtic Pub - Open all day, all night! > Usa To Uk English


Posted by: zeryx 19-Aug-2006, 11:28 AM
I was just chuckling at my friend telling me about her 8 year old son shocking a shop assistant in USA by going in to buy a rubber - he meant an eraser and didn't realise over there you generally refer to it as an eraser and a rubber means something else to most people!! lol.gif

So it made me think - what other things can you think that we use different words for?

Quickly I can think of some of the ones I've discussed with my American friend:

USA - UK
sidewalk - pavement
car trunk - car boot
eraser - rubber

Posted by: Dogshirt 19-Aug-2006, 01:49 PM
Generator-Dynamo
Driveline- propelor shaft
tires - tyres


I used to own an MG and the book I bought for maintainance was British. It was harder than hell to figure out ANYTHING! tongue.gif


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Posted by: TheCarolinaScotsman 19-Aug-2006, 03:37 PM
I remember seeing a copy of a UK ad for "Fags, great balls of goodness". Evidently, in UK, fags are meatballs; in USA, it is a slang term for someone with a different gender preference.

Posted by: gaberlunzie 19-Aug-2006, 03:45 PM
railroad - railway
gas - petrol
trash - rubbish
suspenders - braces
subway - underground, tube
elevator - lift
appartment - flat
french fries - chips .....

Posted by: zeryx 19-Aug-2006, 04:00 PM
QUOTE (TheCarolinaScotsman @ 19-Aug-2006, 10:37 PM)
I remember seeing a copy of a UK ad for "Fags, great balls of goodness". Evidently, in UK, fags are meatballs; in USA, it is a slang term for someone with a different gender preference.

smile.gif not quite ... fags are either cigarettes or someone with a different gender preference - you are speaking of faggots - they are very yummy meatballs biggrin.gif

Posted by: TheCarolinaScotsman 19-Aug-2006, 04:27 PM
QUOTE (zeryx @ 19-Aug-2006, 06:00 PM)
smile.gif not quite ... fags are either cigarettes or someone with a different gender preference - you are speaking of faggots - they are very yummy meatballs biggrin.gif

Faggots... still a "different" gender in USA. Here, "faggots" would enjoy "yummy meat balls".

Posted by: marti64 19-Aug-2006, 04:31 PM
UNITED STATES ................................. UK
zee(last letter in alphabet) .............. zed

sneakers ..................................... trainers

pacifier.......................................... dummy

wrench..............................................spanner

flashlight ...................................... torch

draughts ..................................... checkers

Posted by: zeryx 19-Aug-2006, 04:34 PM
QUOTE (TheCarolinaScotsman @ 19-Aug-2006, 11:27 PM)
Faggots... still a "different" gender in USA. Here, "faggots" would enjoy "yummy meat balls".

ROFLMAO lol.gif

Posted by: Aaediwen 19-Aug-2006, 04:51 PM
I assume the reversed meanings of 'Driveway' and 'Parkway' are accurate wink.gif
Isn't there a host of different terms used to refer to the police? I can think of a few I've heard, but I don't pretend to say they aren't just either stereotypes or me getting lines crossed.

And not to sound racist (Especially against a people I so admire), but is anyone an an area where a police squad car is referred to as a paddywagon? I've heard of the term, and heard it in stories or songs. But never heard anyone actually use it.


Also, what we refer to as chips here in the States, are crisps across the pond wink.gif

then there's tap vs faucet or spigot.

Posted by: birddog20002001 19-Aug-2006, 04:56 PM
usa - uk
hood- bonnet

Posted by: zeryx 19-Aug-2006, 05:07 PM
QUOTE (Aaediwen @ 19-Aug-2006, 11:51 PM)
I assume the reversed meanings of 'Driveway' and 'Parkway' are accurate wink.gif

And not to sound racist (Especially against a people I so admire), but is anyone an an area where a police squad car is referred to as a paddywagon? I've heard of the term, and heard it in stories or songs. But never heard anyone actually use it.


Also, what we refer to as chips here in the States, are crisps across the pond wink.gif

then there's tap vs faucet or spigot.

QUOTE
I assume the reversed meanings of 'Driveway' and 'Parkway' are accurate wink.gif


To me a driveway is where you park your car off the road, in a part of your garden (which you apparently call your yard). A parkway would be something I'd refer to as a road name, not a term I'm particularly familiar with.

QUOTE

And not to sound racist (Especially against a people I so admire), but is anyone an an area where a police squad car is referred to as a paddywagon?  I've heard of the term, and heard it in stories or songs. But never heard anyone actually use it.

Not something I use either ... but there's a bit about the term here biggrin.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddywagon


Posted by: Aaediwen 19-Aug-2006, 05:39 PM
QUOTE (zeryx @ 19-Aug-2006, 06:07 PM)

To me a driveway is where you park your car off the road, in a part of your garden (which you apparently call your yard).  A parkway would be something I'd refer to as a road name, not a term I'm particularly familiar with.

QUOTE

And not to sound racist (Especially against a people I so admire), but is anyone an an area where a police squad car is referred to as a paddywagon?  I've heard of the term, and heard it in stories or songs. But never heard anyone actually use it.

Not something I use either ... but there's a bit about the term here biggrin.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddywagon

Yup, apparently our definitions of driveway are the same then. And yes, it's generally a paved, concrete, or gravel area in the yard ('lawn' is a term also used).

A parkway is a limited access highway, often at least initially a toll road (Although several of the ones in Kentucky have had the toll removed once they are paid for). Also, the parkways I'm aware of (Bluegrass Parkway from Winchester West, and William B. Nunn Parkway paralleling 80 out of Somerset to Bowling Green, soon to become part of Interstate 66), are completely within one state.

Posted by: zeryx 19-Aug-2006, 05:44 PM
A lawn to me is the grass in your garden smile.gif

I'm not aware of any roads in the UK that would match your 'parkway' description ... we have toll roads such as bridges and parts of busier motorways

Posted by: Aaediwen 20-Aug-2006, 01:08 AM
Trunk instead of boot wink.gif


Also, I just thought of an error in my earlier post. BG Parkway goes East out of Winchester.... Dunno what I was smoking earlier. And considering I'll be on that road here in a few hours, I'd better know where it goes wink.gif

Posted by: gaberlunzie 20-Aug-2006, 06:14 AM
American businessmen tend to use the term "bird" as an airplane. As in 'I just got off the bird this morning'. In Britain "bird" means a girl - another one to get you into trouble! tongue.gif biggrin.gif

Another great phrase is "keep your pecker up", very British and more or less means "be positive/keep your head up". In the US it is down right rude as 'pecker' refers to the male anatomy. eek.gif oops.gif

In the U.S. "flitting" is used when moving house - as in "I'm flitting". I am sure in the South of England this would be confused with the term "moonlight flit" which means leaving without paying your bills.!!! rolleyes.gif

"Durex" in the U.K. is a make of "condom", whereas, I believe in the UK and Australia this is a self adhesive tape - NOW THAT COULD GET YOU INTO TROUBLE!!!! laugh.gif

Posted by: zeryx 20-Aug-2006, 11:09 AM
QUOTE (gaberlunzie @ 20-Aug-2006, 01:14 PM)
American businessmen tend to use the term "bird" as an airplane.  As in 'I just got off the bird this morning'.  In Britain "bird" means a girl - another one to get you into trouble!  tongue.gif  biggrin.gif

Another great phrase is "keep your pecker up", very British and more or less means "be positive/keep your head up".  In the US it is down right rude as 'pecker' refers to the male anatomy.  eek.gif  oops.gif

In the U.S. "flitting" is used when moving house - as in "I'm flitting".  I am sure in the South of England this would be confused with the term "moonlight flit" which means leaving without paying your bills.!!!  rolleyes.gif

"Durex" in the U.K. is a make of "condom", whereas, I believe in the UK and Australia this is a self adhesive tape - NOW THAT COULD GET YOU INTO TROUBLE!!!!  laugh.gif

lol.gif yes I'd heard about the Durex name in Australia being for sticky tape too smile.gif

I believe here in the UK the term 'flitting' to mean moving is more common in the Yorkshire/Lancashire areas but it is used smile.gif

I've just been reminded of another one whilst reading a thread on here.

Over in the US you call trousers 'pants' ... here 'pants' are your underwear biggrin.gif

Posted by: Madadh 21-Aug-2006, 04:15 AM
When I was stationed in England, they gave us a list of US to UK phrases to try and help us avoid misunderstandings. I will try and get the list here, but some of my favorites pairs are:

US UK

1) Pants Trousers
Underwear Pants

2) Suspenders Braces
Garters Suspenders (Used for nylons)

Posted by: dundee 21-Aug-2006, 08:39 AM
dang the only one i can think of besides

shag= ahhhhhhhhh...... ummmmmm (thanks to austin powers) is

bum = a..... i mean buttocks biggrin.gif

do they still use the term pate for head?

Posted by: gaberlunzie 21-Aug-2006, 01:11 PM
QUOTE (dundee @ 21-Aug-2006, 04:39 PM)


do the still use the term pate for head?

I think so, there is the word "rattle - pate" ... tongue.gif rolleyes.gif

If you are an American guy named Randy and you want to introduce yourself to a British lady, please NEVER start with "I'm Randy" as "randy" means "horny"....could cause some confusion at least, eh? wink.gif

Posted by: stoirmeil 21-Aug-2006, 01:35 PM
Heh heh -- I remember shocking a scottish friend once buy using the word "boner," which here means (or can mean) a really stupid, wrongheaded mistake that should have been prevented. That's not what he thought it meant, though. smile.gif

Posted by: sisterknight 21-Aug-2006, 03:33 PM
I've got one that my grandmother used alot........knock you up......it meant knock on my bedroom door to wake me....

another was her dooryard...it meant her front yard

she loved her spotted dick(i'll leave you to figure that one yourselves!!! wink.gif ), then there was always bangers and mash.....treacle pie was another

Posted by: Aaediwen 21-Aug-2006, 05:50 PM
That's another one I've been wondering about since I first heard the Castles of Gold CD.

What on God's Green Earth is Treacle??????????????? Best I can figure by context on that CD is some kind of jam or preserves.

Posted by: Dogshirt 21-Aug-2006, 05:57 PM
Treacle is molasses.Another difference!


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Posted by: Aaediwen 21-Aug-2006, 06:43 PM
ohh, ok. thanks. smile.gif

Not something I'll be running out to find, personally. Never been a fan of the stuff. It's neat to watch being made though.

Posted by: stoirmeil 21-Aug-2006, 06:57 PM
There's different weights of it. The really heavy dark stuff is bitter and strange. It adds something indefinable bue necessary to the flavor of other things, though. I wouldn't make a bran muffin without it.

There's "cookie" and "biscuit" too. To me, a biscuit is a short dough kind of bread, not a sweet.

Posted by: Dogshirt 21-Aug-2006, 08:31 PM
And a truck is a lorry. Never figured that one out.


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Posted by: Raven 21-Aug-2006, 08:44 PM
This may be Scottish specific

UK - US
Baffies - Slippers

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 21-Aug-2006, 09:53 PM
Friends of mine were discussing language barriers over at another forum. One of our members who is actually from England sent us this.

Of course if you want a bit of fun how about this for language..
see if you can translate without looking it up or googling it!

The old trouble and strife went down the frog and toad in the jam jar, and upon returning went straight up the apples and pears to sheet street blanket hill..I was relieved I can tell you!

Posted by: Dogshirt 21-Aug-2006, 11:06 PM
The wife went down the road in the car. When she got back, went straight up the stairs to bed.

How close did I get?


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Posted by: zeryx 22-Aug-2006, 12:06 AM
Just about spot on Ed biggrin.gif it's not general language over here but Cockney rhyming slang.

http://www.sugarindia.com/treacle.htm is the dark black stuff that we buy here - there is also a lighter one called http://www.sugarindia.com/golden.htm (yummy with your oats!) I've got both in my cupboard smile.gif

Raven - yes baffies are slippers and it is a Scottish word.

The subject of Scottish dialect and words is a totally different topic!! lol.gif but you may enjoy browsing this site!
http://www.firstfoot.com/php/glossary/phpglossar_0.8/index.php?letter=*

Posted by: Madadh 22-Aug-2006, 04:09 AM
It has always been said of the US and UK, that we are two peoples separated by a common language. biggrin.gif

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