Hints and Things
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WORDS WITH DIFFERENT
MEANINGS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.Part 1
Since setting up this site I have become more aware of
the differences in language between the U.K. and the U.S.A. whether it be different
meanings for the same word or different words for the same thing, so thought it may be fun
to start a page listing some of these differences.This page has now been online
for several years and I had no idea how much interest it would
provoke. I now have a file full of comments, views and
definitions. My big problem is how to present all this information in
a way which is useful, informative and entertaining. This is still a
work in progress.Another thing which has become
apparent is the fact that there are no definitive answers; not only do
different counties/states use different terminology but there appears to be
differences between generations as well. All this makes it very
difficult to produce information with which everyone agrees.What has become very evident over the years is just how much language is merging between all the various countries. Here in the UK we have adopted many, many “Americanisms” into everyday language and, I believe, some British terms are now used in the USA. This is probably due to travel and the wide exchange of TV programmes etc.
I think this exchange of TV programmes may also be the cause of a lot of misconceptions. Many people contacting me see to think we still use the type of language which they hear on programmes such as Upstairs, Downstairs, Pride and Prejudice etc., which, of course, is not the case. Then, of course, there are programmes like Eastenders which is set in the East End of London and the language used is from that area (minus all the swearing of course) but people from other parts of the UK not only sound very different but use completely phrases and terms.
In short this is a very complex subject.
At the foot of this page you
will find just one example of reaction received from one visitor who was
very keen for me to put the matter straight.
Aubergine | Eggplant |
CV (curriculum vitae) | Resume Melissa In the US we In American Alex |
Biscuits | Cookies. Linda Rice kindly points out that “biscuits” in America |
Bun (a sweet individual cake, sometimes with dried fruit) | Muffin (nearest example I think!!!) Wouldn’t it be a Rachy Muffin is Simon Slade |
Roll or Bap | Bun Courtesy of LInda Rice |
Bottom/Bum/ (slang)/Posterior/Backside | Glutes Linda also sent in this one. Apparently usually used in ‘gyms’ Butt, Backside or Derriere Submitted by Michelle McLane |
Headmaster/Headmistress | Principal Submitted by Maxine Dorot |
Flagpole | Flagstaff * Both Linda Rice and “Rob” have contacted me saying they I have now been informed that both words are Thanks to William Hitch for this |
Silencer (on motor vehicle) | Muffler* *Both suggested by John Stevens |
Spanner | Wrench |
Shoelace | Shoestring Apparently another debatable one!!! |
Cinema | Movie-house Here |
Film | Movie William “Movie” Alex |
Postman/Postwoman | Mailman/Mailwoman |
Ladysfinger | Okra |
Courgette | Zucchini |
Swede (or yellow turnip) | Rutabaga Jack |
Wardrobe | Closet To be technical, wardrobes are David This made me In the Southern part of the It was used in “To Kill Valencia |
Class | Grade (pre-college schools) Class Thanks again to William Hitch |
Parcel | Package |
Lorry | Truck |
Most of the above were contributed by Swami Narasimhan for which we are | |
Toilet or Lavatory Loo or Bog (slang)* * Both of these are used, loo
Pav
| Restroom (or John I believe) Apparently “Bathroom” is more commonly used (thanks to Dr. William Hitch advises all the following can be heard in the USA We Brits find this very strange “why disguise You certainly wouldn’t want to “Rest” in British |
Flat | Apartment If In the US: an apartment can mean It’s possible that rural To be more specific, a flat Kim I Karin |
Garage We don’t call a ‘gas station’ a Paul Hedges
The term ‘garage’ can refer to It is the place where vehicles are or where vehicles are or where petrol etc. can be Years ago most garages that served
| Gas Station. A “garage” in America is where you park your car at night.
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Trousers | Pants Now “Pants” is now being used by our younger generation as a |
Braces Another
It is also a term used in order to straighten | Suspenders
Suspenders are what ladies’ use to hold up stockings, although this As a Yorkshireman if you can borrow his ‘suspenders’ Suspenders in the US can mean what Suzanne The word suspenders in the Valencia Scott Colombo |
All | |
Queue | Line |
Lift | Elevator |
Pavement | Sidewalk |
Clothes Peg | Clothes Pin |
Bicarbonate of Soda | Baking Soda |
Rubber | Eraser |
Minced beef | Ground beef |
Roundabout | Rotary * I think that’s only Alex I’m pretty Kimberly |
Perambulator (or Pram) | Carriage* Stroller Daniel |
Chips | Fries* If you say CHIPS in Britain people think of quite large bits of Nik Shearer point this one out. |
Crisps | Potato Chips Another from Nik |
Holiday | Vacation* * All sent in by Debbie – thanks. |
Boot (car) | Trunk |
Bonnet (car) | Hood |
Petrol | Gas ** It has been pointed out by Gas in the U.K. and apparently Australia is an Gas can also be used to mean idle chatter. I am told “gas” means “funny” in Thanks to Effie Makris for
I’ve also heard the word Simon Definitely Alex |
Moulting (e.g. animal losing hair) | Shedding Sent in by Tamara Davis |
For other examples Part 2 ,Part 3 and Kristina Hackenburg Wow where are you getting your info? Bun– in the US we have cinnamon buns and sticky buns that are sweet too. Bottom/bum– we most def don’t use the word glutes unless we are working out or at a doctors Ive never heard the word flagstaff, just we DEFINITELY don’t use the word I HAVE never heard of the word movie-house. its As for movie and film. in school i would say film, to a friend i would say movie. do you want to watch this movie- is much more common then do you want to watch this film.. but say, an award for best new film- would not sound odd at all. class/grade– we say class of 2001, highschool class of 1994, or kindergarden class of 2000. we say what class do you have next referring to a specific subject (like biology).. and we say get to class, (if you are late for school), pick your classes (When in college) and also always, senior class, junior class, sophmore class and the whole freshman class.. now we always say 1st grade- 12th grade too for school before college. and when you get to high school you are a freshman in high school,. sophmore in also, when saying toilet– sometimes because we teach children to say “little girls room, or little boys room- sometimes in joking, teenagers or adults might say oh and we park in the driveway, and we drive on the trousers/pants– okay, we say pants as in anything that is a full length bottom.. but most commonly americans where denim, and we just call them jeans, and if they aren’t jeans, we call them by what they are- khakis, sweat pants, and if they are anything else we will say dress pants, work pants, depending on what we use them for.. dress pants are worn to church, or somewhere nice, work pants (if you are a painter) refer to pants you already ruined, but if you are a lawyer (work pants are dress pants). we dont say trousers.. if we did, i would assume they are khakis. oh and a side note: to pants someone (verb) is to pull there pants down in public. braces/suspenders.. suspenders in the us are not for socks, or stockings, women use garter belts for that with little straps that attach.. but suspenders attach at the belt loop on the outside of slacks/pants/trousers and are held up by your shoulders then attach on the back of your trousers on the belt loops. side walk/pavement – in the US we use either. my mother has yelled plenty at me when i was a child saying “get on the pavement, get out of the street” chips/ chips are hard and packaged in bags they aren’t served fresh those are fries. the bigger fries are called steak fries, then we have french fries (which is a common term for any) that are regular sized and then curly fries that come in curly cues. ground floor/first floor– we always say ground floor for the one that is the lowest (usually underground)(but not to be mistaken with the basement) the term ground floor is only used in big buildings, like hospitals that have floors underground that are used not for storage. and first floor for the floor that is the first floor above ground. dummy/pacifier.. we would never say dummy, unless we were referring to someone dumb, and we would never never be allowed to say dummy tit, because its offensive in america to say tit. pacifier is used, and we say angry just as much as we say tights/ panty hose.. ahh this is complicated.. okay tights are thicker that pantyhose, pantyhose are see through, pantyhose are also known as stockings, and tights are also known as stretch pants (but the word stretch pants is frowned apon because its like an old lady thing to say), all are also known as leggings, now if they go to the knee and no higher they are known as knee highs, and if they go to the thigh, they are thigh highs, and if they go above the stomach they are called control tops. we say taxi just as much as we say we say shops as in smaller stores time tables are what we call multipication “do you know your timetables estate agent– is called a we say jam just as much as we say we will never call jello jelly a garden grows vegetables or flowers, a we say plug for outlet too. and Jacob Kuntzman pub isnt uncommon in the names of bars here. but we dont say we are going to the pub solicitors in the us are people who come door to door to sell things. and there are tons of people with stores that say “no solicitors” on the fronts surgery is what you get when they cut you open. not where you go to get it done a tap is what you put in a keg of beer gravy is a brown sauce used on turkey, but many italian americans still refer to gravy as tomato sauce, and all the generations after them still use it PLEASE UPDATE“ Kim writes as follows:_ It mentions that roundabouts Pavement could mean Tap and faucet are Pissed off is used the Git, probably from movies Bum, derriere, backside, I’ve never heard anyone refer to The same goes for shoelaces. I prefer the word film, but movies Mailmen could also be Porridge and oatmeal are It’s never movie-house. A lounge means the same We do say waistcoat for A cafeteria could also be To be “sacked” Plug and socket are Dustbins are any bins you Old ladies say pantyhose. The underground can refer Fall is not the proper The ground floor is Most people say taxi. I Yes, mad means angry. But I’ve never heard of a fall hair We have jam, jelly, and If someone is ill, they’d A queue would be where This Differences between Different meanings a second list of Then there are all the
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