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!!
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
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.
railroad - railway gas - petrol trash - rubbish suspenders - braces subway - underground, tube elevator - lift appartment - flat french fries - chips .....
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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.
not quite ... fags are either cigarettes or someone with a different gender preference - you are speaking of faggots - they are very yummy meatballs
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I assume the reversed meanings of 'Driveway' and 'Parkway' are accurate 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
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I assume the reversed meanings of 'Driveway' and 'Parkway' are accurate
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
then there's tap vs faucet or spigot.
QUOTE
I assume the reversed meanings of 'Driveway' and 'Parkway' are accurate
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.
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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.
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.
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Trunk instead of boot
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
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!
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.
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.!!!
"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!!!!
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