Language differences

oz'smum

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Although we all (well most) come from English speaking countries, there are some differences in our languages, and there are also local words others might not know. I thought it might be fun to share our languages. Apart from the obvious:

Butt - British - something to collect water in the garden
American - your backside.

And Muffin - British - a heavy bread roll
American - an oversized cup cake

Also we have the words Sarnie, and Butty, for sandwiches locally.

What can you share?
 

pinkdaisy226

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When I first moved to America after living in England here are the words that confused me:

Chips... in England they are what in America we call French Fries. In America they are like those bags of potato chips, known as crisps in England.

Lemonade... for some reason I thought lemonade meant Sprite but in America, it means lemonade, lol!

Fringe... what we in America call bangs. Whenever I went to a hairdresser and asked her to cut my fringe, she'd look at me weird.

Boot... in America that's a kind of footwear. In England it's the trunk of the car. I think I still sometimes call it the boot though.
 

pinkdaisy226

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Originally Posted by rosiemac

We call them "Bangers", you call them Sausages
You know, in my family whenever my mom buys a specific brand of sausages (the British kind), we call them bangers. Oh they're soo good... the best ever! When my fiance tried some he looked at us like we were freaks for calling them that though!
 

flisssweetpea

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Pavement - in America it's the road. In the UK the pavement is what Americans would call the sidewalk. Treacherous if you get it wrong!!

Elevator (US) - lift (uk)

bonnet (UK car) - hood (US car

soda (US drink) - pop (UK)

I'm sure some more will come to mind.
 

flisssweetpea

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Originally Posted by pinkdaisy226

When I first moved to America after living in England here are the words that confused me:

Chips... in England they are what in America we call French Fries. In America they are like those bags of potato chips, known as crisps in England.

Lemonade... for some reason I thought lemonade meant Sprite but in America, it means lemonade, lol!

Fringe... what we in America call bangs. Whenever I went to a hairdresser and asked her to cut my fringe, she'd look at me weird.

Boot... in America that's a kind of footwear. In England it's the trunk of the car. I think I still sometimes call it the boot though.
Ari - I didn't know you lived in England - well....it's amazing what you learn!
 

katspixiedust

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My grandmother was from Wales and she used to say lift when in America we would say elevator. And everytime I'd be wearing shorts she'd say, "Oh Katherine look at how short your knickers are!" Does everyone in England call shorts knickers, or was that just my grandmother? My grandmother was hilarious btw, VERY cockney!
 

pinkdaisy226

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Originally Posted by flisssweetpea

Ari - I didn't know you lived in England - well....it's amazing what you learn!
For about 4 years... we came back when I was 6, and my brother was born there. I don't remember that much of it though... but everytime I've gone back to visit, I've loved it... I so wish I could go again soon and bring Dillon wtih me (he's never been).
 

rosiemac

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Originally Posted by katspixiedust

My grandmother was from Wales and she used to say lift when in America we would say elevator. And everytime I'd be wearing shorts she'd say, "Oh Katherine look at how short your knickers are!" Does everyone in England call shorts knickers, or was that just my grandmother? My grandmother was hilarious btw, VERY cockney!
No we call them shorts but what your grandmother was calling knickers is what you would call panties


Or another word for them "Drawers"
 

katspixiedust

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Originally Posted by rosiemac

Ari i've been to the states a few times and the sausages i always saw were small thin ones, do you not do the big fat ones like we do?

Breakfast sausages are small ones or patty like ones, dinner sausages are the big, fat ones. Usually like Italian Sausages.
 

tulip2454

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Originally Posted by katspixiedust

My grandmother was from Wales and she used to say lift when in America we would say elevator. And everytime I'd be wearing shorts she'd say, "Oh Katherine look at how short your knickers are!" Does everyone in England call shorts knickers, or was that just my grandmother? My grandmother was hilarious btw, VERY cockney!
Ha Ha.
No - knickers are knickers, shorts are shorts.
Your gran sounds like a great lady - a Welsh cockney!!!!!!!!!!
 

katspixiedust

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Originally Posted by rosiemac

No we call them shorts but what your grandmother was calling knickers is what you would call panties


Or another word for them "Drawers"
Goodness she must have thought my shorts were REALLY short!


She was great though, a teen in WWII.
 

katspixiedust

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Originally Posted by tulip2454

Ha Ha.
No - knickers are knickers, shorts are shorts.
Your gran sounds like a great lady - a Welsh cockney!!!!!!!!!!
Oh yeah!! She was quite interesting. ALWAYS hitting on my boyfriend's and when I was really young she taught me how to CHa Cha. The other British women our family knows would always make comments about "what a dreadful cockney woman" she was. She was fairly catty, so women didn't like her.
 

katspixiedust

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Originally Posted by tulip2454

I'm confused!!!!!!!!!!! A cockney is a Londoner. Wales is a different country

She was born in wales and in her teens I believe her whole family moved to London (where my great uncle still lives). But let me tell you, she was as cockney as they come.
 

dawnofsierra

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I'll share a story Danielle told me a while back about a difference she learned when she was visiting here, and I will try to do so in our family friendly environment. In the US, some people say they are going to "root" for such and such sports team. In Australia, to "root" means to have physical relations. Dan said the first time she heard a girl say she was going to root for the football team, she was appalled!
 
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