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Published on May 7, 2004 By dharmagrl In Misc

I've been asked quite a bit recently about the different words we Brits use for stuff. I thought I'd write a blog about it. I'm just randomly throwing things out as I think of them, so I'm bound to miss a lot.  If you can think of any more, feel free to add them.

Chips = french fries

Crisps = chips

Biscuits = cookies (when I first came to the states someone told me we were having biscuits and gravy for breakfast and didn't understand why I was so disgusted!)

Scones = biscuits

Jelly = Jello

Jam = jelly

Path or pavement = sidewalk

Petrol = gas

Gas = propane

Tomato sauce = ketchup

Brown sauce = A1

Tart = slut

Slag = whore

Ponce = Playa'

Football = soccer

Rounders = baseball (sort of)

Netball = basketball (again, sort of)

Gearbox = transmission

Telly = Boob Tube

Boob Tube = halter top

"knock me up" = ring someone's door bell or knock on their door.

"give me a ring/bell" = call me on the telephone.

Then we get into the spelling differences -

Tyre = tire

Kerb = curb

Cheque = check

Programme = TV program or show

Colour = color

Favourite = favorite

 

That's all I can think of at the moment.  I'll add more as I recall them.

 

 

 


Comments
on May 07, 2004
So similar yet... so different.

Cookies and gravy... I'd be disgusted too =D
on May 07, 2004

Cushions = throw pillows

Pictures = movies

Wanker = idiot, moron, jackass...you get the idea.

To wank = to masturbate

 

on May 07, 2004
I know, I know!

boot = trunk of the car

bonnet = hood of the car

screen = windshield

The Dole = Public assistance, welfare

spanner = wrench

-- B
on May 07, 2004
One might also think to include terms relating to automobiles such as Bonnet, etc. I'd do so but I've forgotten the lot of them

Some things I picked up from an ER episode set in London: (no guarantees to acuracy)

Trauma vs. Emergency Room

"Male" or "Female" are not used as nouns but rather adjuctives only
Proper description of the patient is "Man" or "Woman"

If I remember some of the others I'll post up
on May 07, 2004
Nice, now we can finally understand English in this country!...lol

~Zoo
on May 07, 2004

Dharma I think you should go into the highly efficient use of the terms snogging, shifting, shagging and pulling (some of those might be more Irish than English--I'm not really sure), instead of the American "hook up."


 

on May 07, 2004
One more for your list: gaol = jail

Another aspect is pronunciation: e.g. bouy is pronounced boy in England but booey in the US
And you could also write a whole blog on the pronunciation of British towns like Leicester, Towcester and Worcester etc etc
on May 08, 2004

you learn something new everyday here... Some of these I was familiar with from long nights watching Red Dwarf, Dr. Who, and of course Benny Hill....

on May 08, 2004
So, Grey, if you watched Red Dwarf, you'd be smiliar with the term 'smeghead'...but do you know what smegma is?
on May 08, 2004
Amazing how we are so different in our usage of language.
on May 08, 2004

Sir Syrrus got me thinking about medical terminologies and related things that are different..

in England, we say "in hospital" instead of "in THE hospital".

Casualty = ER

'open your bowels' = poop

appendicectomy = appendectomy

migraine is sometimes pronouned 'mee-grain'.

drip = IV

Pronunciations of towns: Worcester = wuss-ter...ergo it's 'wuss-ter-sheer sauce'

Leicester = Less-ter

Towcester = Toaster.

Bicester (where I'm from) = Biss-ter.

Birmingham = burr-ming-um.

Hertfordshire = Hart-ford-shire, not 'hurt-ford-shire'

Basically, pronounce 'shire' when it comes as part of a County name (Lancashire, Buckinghamshire etc) as 'sheer'.

More to follow...