Lost in translation...
Mar 27th 2004, 3:19 pm
#1
With 'er indoors :-D
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Location: DE, USA
Posts: 162
Lost in translation...
What have you seen/read/heard in the States that would be soooo out of place in England but doesn't have the same meaning at all over here?
Like my neighbor is proud to tell everyone that his 14 year old daughter came home from school full of spunk!
Like the very existence of 'fanny packs'!
Like when I buy English Muffins in Walmart and the receipt proudly states '1 x English Muff'!
My two favorites though have to be:
The childrens book I saw the other day called "roger the puppy" - hopefully it's not an instructional manual!
And the other day I met someone with a name that has always been fictional to me in the UK, Wayne Kerr!!! Of course it has no meaning here just like the rest but for me it was very hard to keep a straight face
Like my neighbor is proud to tell everyone that his 14 year old daughter came home from school full of spunk!
Like the very existence of 'fanny packs'!
Like when I buy English Muffins in Walmart and the receipt proudly states '1 x English Muff'!
My two favorites though have to be:
The childrens book I saw the other day called "roger the puppy" - hopefully it's not an instructional manual!
And the other day I met someone with a name that has always been fictional to me in the UK, Wayne Kerr!!! Of course it has no meaning here just like the rest but for me it was very hard to keep a straight face
Mar 27th 2004, 5:38 pm
#2
Essex Girl
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: me-UK / him-US
Posts: 64
no but I have one the other way round. Recently I was waiting for something to happen. I told my man in Chicago, if it happened 'I would be so happy I would do a little jig' He nearly choked and asked if I had a fetish for black midets then. I was totally lost and had to ask him to explain. I laugh at it now tho.
Appologies to any black midgets reading of course.
Helen
Appologies to any black midgets reading of course.
Helen
Mar 28th 2004, 3:09 am
#3
Pagan Sex God
Joined: May 2002
Location: Living in Oblivion
Posts: 3,668
Another candidate for new forums. Another subject that has been done to death and is done is continually done to death every month.
Fags and Fannies Where people discuss the hilarious differences between the British English Language and the American English language with stories about how an american said "have you seen my new pants" or "I went running last night and now I have a tight fanny" and you cried with laughter. Or the time you said "I going outside for a fag" and your workmates all spontaneously combust from the shock. Or the time the american on tv said "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction" meaning which really translates to "I am lying, cheating radical". Oh what fun!
Lets just accept foreigners are funny and lets have done with it, because I bet non of our american friends and neighbors are laughing at the way we speak.
Fags and Fannies Where people discuss the hilarious differences between the British English Language and the American English language with stories about how an american said "have you seen my new pants" or "I went running last night and now I have a tight fanny" and you cried with laughter. Or the time you said "I going outside for a fag" and your workmates all spontaneously combust from the shock. Or the time the american on tv said "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction" meaning which really translates to "I am lying, cheating radical". Oh what fun!
Lets just accept foreigners are funny and lets have done with it, because I bet non of our american friends and neighbors are laughing at the way we speak.
Mar 28th 2004, 3:12 am
#4
Pagan Sex God
Joined: May 2002
Location: Living in Oblivion
Posts: 3,668
Originally posted by helenw
no but I have one the other way round. Recently I was waiting for something to happen. I told my man in Chicago, if it happened 'I would be so happy I would do a little jig' He nearly choked and asked if I had a fetish for black midets then. I was totally lost and had to ask him to explain. I laugh at it now tho.
Appologies to any black midgets reading of course.
Helen
no but I have one the other way round. Recently I was waiting for something to happen. I told my man in Chicago, if it happened 'I would be so happy I would do a little jig' He nearly choked and asked if I had a fetish for black midets then. I was totally lost and had to ask him to explain. I laugh at it now tho.
Appologies to any black midgets reading of course.
Helen
Mar 28th 2004, 3:53 am
#5
Arrogant ****
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 4,323
Patrick, given what a miserable sod you are, why do you bother reading these boards at all? Does it make you happy to feel so superior, perhaps?
Mar 28th 2004, 3:58 am
#6
British/Irish(ish) Duncs
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Cambridge MA, via Mississippi and Belfast Northern Ireland.
Posts: 700
Originally posted by Patrick
Another candidate for new forums. Another subject that has been done to death and is done is continually done to death every month.
Fags and Fannies Where people discuss the hilarious differences between the British English Language and the American English language with stories about how an american said "have you seen my new pants" or "I went running last night and now I have a tight fanny" and you cried with laughter. Or the time you said "I going outside for a fag" and your workmates all spontaneously combust from the shock. Or the time the american on tv said "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction" meaning which really translates to "I am lying, cheating radical". Oh what fun!
Lets just accept foreigners are funny and lets have done with it, because I bet non of our american friends and neighbors are laughing at the way we speak.
Another candidate for new forums. Another subject that has been done to death and is done is continually done to death every month.
Fags and Fannies Where people discuss the hilarious differences between the British English Language and the American English language with stories about how an american said "have you seen my new pants" or "I went running last night and now I have a tight fanny" and you cried with laughter. Or the time you said "I going outside for a fag" and your workmates all spontaneously combust from the shock. Or the time the american on tv said "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction" meaning which really translates to "I am lying, cheating radical". Oh what fun!
Lets just accept foreigners are funny and lets have done with it, because I bet non of our american friends and neighbors are laughing at the way we speak.
Mar 28th 2004, 4:06 am
#7
Through the square window
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,723
Originally posted by dbj1000
Patrick, given what a miserable sod you are, why do you bother reading these boards at all? Does it make you happy to feel so superior, perhaps?
Patrick, given what a miserable sod you are, why do you bother reading these boards at all? Does it make you happy to feel so superior, perhaps?
Mar 28th 2004, 4:31 am
#8
Cuppa tea and a biccie !!
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 248
It just cracks me up that people still name their sons Randy over here. (Come on, we've all seen the Austin Powers movies so why do they still do that??)
Mar 28th 2004, 2:35 pm
#9
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Lost in translation...
Originally posted by Rumplestiltskin
..... And the other day I met someone with a name that has always been fictional to me in the UK, Wayne Kerr!!! Of course it has no meaning here ....
..... And the other day I met someone with a name that has always been fictional to me in the UK, Wayne Kerr!!! Of course it has no meaning here ....
A couple of months ago a local classic rock radio station, here in NC, was running a "buzz-word bingo" competition and the theme was words used to descibe fans of the New England Patriots. The words were, in the run up to the Super Bowl, all derogatory, and included the word "w@nkers".
Mar 28th 2004, 2:43 pm
#10
Pagan Sex God
Joined: May 2002
Location: Living in Oblivion
Posts: 3,668
Originally posted by dbj1000
Patrick, given what a miserable sod you are, why do you bother reading these boards at all? Does it make you happy to feel so superior, perhaps?
Patrick, given what a miserable sod you are, why do you bother reading these boards at all? Does it make you happy to feel so superior, perhaps?
One sense of humor, if found please return to dbj1000, answers to the name of jackass
Mar 28th 2004, 3:15 pm
#11
Arrogant ****
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 4,323
Originally posted by Patrick
Missing
One sense of humor, if found please return to dbj1000, answers to the name of jackass
Missing
One sense of humor, if found please return to dbj1000, answers to the name of jackass
Oh for those happy, joyful days!
Mar 28th 2004, 3:40 pm
#12
Pagan Sex God
Joined: May 2002
Location: Living in Oblivion
Posts: 3,668
Originally posted by dbj1000
Too right Patrick. Other people find your posts fücking hilarious, I'm sure. Until I misplaced my sense of humour I always loved to read the rants of condecending, abusive whingers. Nothing made me laugh more, and it would brighten my otherwise dark and empty life.
Oh for those happy, joyful days!
Too right Patrick. Other people find your posts fücking hilarious, I'm sure. Until I misplaced my sense of humour I always loved to read the rants of condecending, abusive whingers. Nothing made me laugh more, and it would brighten my otherwise dark and empty life.
Oh for those happy, joyful days!
So, if you knew my first reply was a joke and was written with tongue in cheek why did you get so pissy? If you, which you should by now, realised it was not a serious go but written with a smile why, oh ******* why did you get so shirty.
If your going to take my posts seriously you should not read them, they are for grown ups who understand irony, sarcasm and subtlety - not for people who throw tantrums. Now be a good a boy and sit in the corner and be quiet while the grown ups talk and if your good I will buy you an ice cream.
Patrick
Mar 28th 2004, 4:06 pm
#13
Arrogant ****
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 4,323
Originally posted by Patrick
...they are for grown ups who understand irony, sarcasm and subtlety...
...they are for grown ups who understand irony, sarcasm and subtlety...
Mar 29th 2004, 1:38 pm
#14
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Hinsdale, IL
Posts: 469
Re: Lost in translation...
Originally posted by Rumplestiltskin
What have you seen/read/heard in the States that would be soooo out of place in England but doesn't have the same meaning at all over here?
Like my neighbor is proud to tell everyone that his 14 year old daughter came home from school full of spunk!
Like the very existence of 'fanny packs'!
Like when I buy English Muffins in Walmart and the receipt proudly states '1 x English Muff'!
My two favorites though have to be:
The childrens book I saw the other day called "roger the puppy" - hopefully it's not an instructional manual!
And the other day I met someone with a name that has always been fictional to me in the UK, Wayne Kerr!!! Of course it has no meaning here just like the rest but for me it was very hard to keep a straight face
What have you seen/read/heard in the States that would be soooo out of place in England but doesn't have the same meaning at all over here?
Like my neighbor is proud to tell everyone that his 14 year old daughter came home from school full of spunk!
Like the very existence of 'fanny packs'!
Like when I buy English Muffins in Walmart and the receipt proudly states '1 x English Muff'!
My two favorites though have to be:
The childrens book I saw the other day called "roger the puppy" - hopefully it's not an instructional manual!
And the other day I met someone with a name that has always been fictional to me in the UK, Wayne Kerr!!! Of course it has no meaning here just like the rest but for me it was very hard to keep a straight face
She replies...well what else did you think i meant? I only wanted to shag......
I had to have a large ale afterwards to cool down. That's a real story!!!!!!
Mar 29th 2004, 2:46 pm
#15
British Trailer Trash
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 316
Originally posted by Patrick
So, if you knew my first reply was a joke and was written with tongue in cheek why did you get so pissy? If you, which you should by now, realised it was not a serious go but written with a smile why, oh ******* why did you get so shirty.
If your going to take my posts seriously you should not read them, they are for grown ups who understand irony, sarcasm and subtlety - not for people who throw tantrums. Now be a good a boy and sit in the corner and be quiet while the grown ups talk and if your good I will buy you an ice cream.
Patrick
So, if you knew my first reply was a joke and was written with tongue in cheek why did you get so pissy? If you, which you should by now, realised it was not a serious go but written with a smile why, oh ******* why did you get so shirty.
If your going to take my posts seriously you should not read them, they are for grown ups who understand irony, sarcasm and subtlety - not for people who throw tantrums. Now be a good a boy and sit in the corner and be quiet while the grown ups talk and if your good I will buy you an ice cream.
Patrick