2 countries separated by a common language..?!
Nov 16th 2010 | 7:07 am
#46
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
Nov 16th 2010 | 8:51 am
#47
Americano
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 70
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
Hi All
We've been here not quite a week - it's been great - and a little weird...
We've experienced things we never expected to, for example...
1 - Not only did we suffer jet lag - but so did our 3 dogs - still are, methinks!
2 - Shopping fun... Pickle, as in Branston, is actually 'relish', whereas pickle is pickles - as in 'gerkin'
3 - and don't get me started on 'squash' - I wanted something like Robinson's Barley Water, not a mini pumpkin!
4 - Lima beans? Why not just call them butter beans like everybody else - me & Mrs Harry The Arachnid looked high & low in Frys looking for these pesky critters!!
5 - Ham - is there any ham in the US that is NOT - bulked out by water, smoked in hickory, with added salt, sugar, vitamin X, Y and Z?
6 - Pavement/sidewalk - WTF?!
7 - Sloppy Joe's sauce - just who was Sloppy Joe and what was he sloppy with/about?
8 - 'Buttery taste' = not butter!!
9 - Bacon... made from beef?!
Don't get me wrong - we've had a giggle, and people have been very genuinely helpful and friendly. And I knew we had differences in language, but I hadn't expected this!!
I can't wait for my first day in the office - I may have to have fun with the usual suspect words, such as fag and fanny...
What other weird experiences have others had with language & meaning?
Cheers
H T S.
We've been here not quite a week - it's been great - and a little weird...
We've experienced things we never expected to, for example...
1 - Not only did we suffer jet lag - but so did our 3 dogs - still are, methinks!
2 - Shopping fun... Pickle, as in Branston, is actually 'relish', whereas pickle is pickles - as in 'gerkin'
3 - and don't get me started on 'squash' - I wanted something like Robinson's Barley Water, not a mini pumpkin!
4 - Lima beans? Why not just call them butter beans like everybody else - me & Mrs Harry The Arachnid looked high & low in Frys looking for these pesky critters!!
5 - Ham - is there any ham in the US that is NOT - bulked out by water, smoked in hickory, with added salt, sugar, vitamin X, Y and Z?
6 - Pavement/sidewalk - WTF?!
7 - Sloppy Joe's sauce - just who was Sloppy Joe and what was he sloppy with/about?
8 - 'Buttery taste' = not butter!!
9 - Bacon... made from beef?!
Don't get me wrong - we've had a giggle, and people have been very genuinely helpful and friendly. And I knew we had differences in language, but I hadn't expected this!!
I can't wait for my first day in the office - I may have to have fun with the usual suspect words, such as fag and fanny...
What other weird experiences have others had with language & meaning?
Cheers
H T S.
Nov 16th 2010 | 9:14 am
#48
Ginger Monkey
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,772
From: Cheeseland, WI
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
There's a rather handy dandy dictionary in the Wiki for some British/American word differences. 
Nov 16th 2010 | 11:57 am
#49
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,517
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
Someone was telling me about a store which was 'right across the street' when she was growing up. To me, that would mean directly opposite her house, but it turned out she used to get the bus there.
Nov 16th 2010 | 12:18 pm
#50
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,730
From: Silicone Valley
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
I told my boss I'd given the horses water butt a really good scrub out the other day, she choked on her coffee
Nov 16th 2010 | 12:30 pm
#54
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
oh yeah, we call that a 'barrel' here. 
DH is always on about the rain butts he's going to make for the garden & I just snigger.. haven't told him the translation yet. It will be fun to see him ask for about it in Home Depot.
Nov 16th 2010 | 12:38 pm
#55
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,730
From: Silicone Valley
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
Nov 16th 2010 | 12:54 pm
#56
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
Nov 16th 2010 | 1:35 pm
#58
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,498
From: My Old KY Home!
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
...I like it.
Nov 16th 2010 | 1:49 pm
#59
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
Nov 18th 2010 | 5:34 am
#60
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,532
From: Google Town
Re: 2 countries separated by a common language..?!
I was in HR with my boss a few weeks ago and the HR woman said 'I've come across some biscuits from England that I'm addicted to' and gets a packet out. My boss couldn't get over the fact that they are called 'Digestives'.
You can see her point, why would you name anything you eat that
.
Although I also used to laugh at the silly American words, after a few months I found it fascinating. Probably becuase I worked with some people who likewise found the English words fascinating, especially phrases we use, 'swings and roundabouts' took some explaining.
I can't say spackle without laughing though, in fact i'm smurking just typing the word.
You can see her point, why would you name anything you eat that
. Although I also used to laugh at the silly American words, after a few months I found it fascinating. Probably becuase I worked with some people who likewise found the English words fascinating, especially phrases we use, 'swings and roundabouts' took some explaining.
I can't say spackle without laughing though
, in fact i'm smurking just typing the word.
