Differences between British and American English

[travel-to-go]

I only learned this a few years ago upon seeing the shock of two English ladies when one of us Americans used the term fanny pack at the bar one night. After the ladies left, some of the younger Brits had a great time suggesting definitions for fanny pack, none of which can be repeated here!

 

This leads to another question: do Brits and Aussies have problem with the woman's name Fanny? Not exactly a common name, but still used occassionally in USA. Probably most famous Fanny was Fanny Brice.

 

Bob

 

Fanny Farmer and Fanny Flagg

Reading through this thread it appears that in Australia we mainly use British words except that we have American vegetables. As Americans call the toilet "the bathroom", what do they call the room where they bath, shower and wash their hands? Also when they ask for cream in their coffee, do they mean milk, or is it actually cream?:eek: I love cream when it is piled high on scones (which we pronounce skons), but find it sickly in coffee and could not imagine it in tea at all.

I HATE cream in Tea or coffee. Ugh! My first attempt at coffee they asked if I wanted "regular" which I assumed meant not decaf! But it meant cream and sugar. I thought I hated coffee! Until I tried it without the cream, which tasted weird to me! But if you ask for cream, it is usually either cream or half and half

 

In "propper" English you'd sat napkin:)

 

 

The porper English sit on their napkins? How odd! <G>

 

Karie,

who has NEVER mad a tpypo <LOL>

[Cruachan]

This leads to another question: do Brits and Aussies have problem with the woman's name Fanny?

 

I don't know if anyone on the board remembers a terrific series of books that were published in Britain back in the 60's I think (they may still be available for all I know). They were all called "The Art of Coarse.......whatever"

 

In "The Art of Coarse Acting" they provided an illustration of how not to deliver your lines with the immortal, exchange:

 

"Has the doctor seen her, Fanny?"

"Yes, and he say's there's not much hope"

 

The key was not to gloss over the comma in the first sentence!! :) :)

 

Jimmy

[happyscot]

That would be a sleeve.:)

 

You are SO awarded Scottish citizenship with laural wreaths and thistle. Hee hee.

 

xx

[happyscot]

I only learned this a few years ago upon seeing the shock of two English ladies when one of us Americans used the term fanny pack at the bar one night. After the ladies left, some of the younger Brits had a great time suggesting definitions for fanny pack, none of which can be repeated here!

 

This leads to another question: do Brits and Aussies have problem with the woman's name Fanny? Not exactly a common name, but still used occassionally in USA. Probably most famous Fanny was Fanny Brice.

 

Bob

 

 

Would you please, PLEASE, stop talking about vaginas. Thank you.

 

:D

[FranKes2000]

In the U.S. a large truck for hauling freight is a semi or or a transfer truck

 

In England this truck is a lorry? Right?

 

In the U.S. that lovely town in England is called CANterbury

 

In England, it is called CAWNterbry

 

In the U.S. when I was growing up, I always heard Wooster sauce.... now I hear WorcestSHIRE sauce

 

An interesting thread....please keep it going....

 

Laura

 

Depends where you live in Britain, Canterbury or Caanterbury never heard it with a "w". different areas put the accent on different syllables.

 

Lorry is a panel truck

Pantechnicon is a large transport truck or semi

[FranKes2000]

This leads to another question: do Brits and Aussies have problem with the woman's name Fanny? Not exactly a common name, but still used occassionally in USA. Probably most famous Fanny was Fanny Brice.

 

Bob

 

A more problematic name is Randy

[jgsmuzzy]

In the U.S. a large truck for hauling freight is a semi or or a transfer truck

 

In England this truck is a lorry? Right?

 

In the U.S. that lovely town in England is called CANterbury

 

In England, it is called CAWNterbry

 

In the U.S. when I was growing up, I always heard Wooster sauce.... now I hear WorcestSHIRE sauce

 

An interesting thread....please keep it going....

 

Laura

 

You call them Lorries when talking to small kids. Trucks or Artics is the norm

 

I can safely say than I have never heard anyone pronounce Cantebury with a W. Strange that you obviously have. Seems to me the people you were talking to were effecting an accent

 

It is not Wooster sauce, but a shorter version on Worcestershire sauce, namely Worcester. You will never hear Brits calling it Worcestershire sauce, even though it says that on the bottle.

[jgsmuzzy]

In the US Catnip, here is it Ketchup

[travel-to-go]

A more problematic name is Randy

 

Never been a problem to me!

 

And I almost married one!

 

And he was!

 

Karie,

who smiles, even now, remembering!

[pb82]

In the US Catnip, here is it Ketchup

Say what? In the US it's like "Heinz tomato ketchup" for burgers and hot dogs (Del Monte used to sell a similar product they called "catsup", but that was a long time ago). Catnip is what Malcolm uses to lure felines to their doom.

[marinearchit]

In the UK I think they say pop instead of soda...right?

Actually, I don't think that many people outside of where I live say soda....or know what a Tastykake is. (How we love our Tastykakes..and our Peanut Chews)

[Wadadli1]

Probably the most funny one for us aussies is the use of the american fanny pack.

Not quite a nice word for a part of the female anatomy.

we call it a bum bag.

 

I think that as we watch so much american tv here, we know all the differences.

 

The most amazing for me for was on the plane back from LA to sydney, when i asked for "white coffee" and the steward didnt know what i meant. I find that hard to believe as this was on the LA to sydney route, i couldnt have been the first aussie he had served.

I do know you call it coffee with cream but was it becuase of racial connotations?

 

In NYC they would know what a "white coffee" is. They also have "regular coffee", with is coffee with both cream and sugar.

[Wadadli1]

Wasn't Samuel Cunard born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada?

 

If so, is the pronunciation of KEW-Nard Canadian rather than English?

 

It depends. Nova Scotia means New Scotland. So it's not exactly Canadian.

 

I would have asked last Sunday when I was there if you'd asked last week. :p

[Wadadli1]

In the US Catnip, here is it Ketchup

 

No Muzz, not Catnip, Cat butt. :p

[jgsmuzzy]

Thanks Angela, my faith in humoUr is restored;)

[Wadadli1]

In the UK I think they say pop instead of soda...right?

Actually, I don't think that many people outside of where I live say soda....or know what a Tastykake is. (How we love our Tastykakes..and our Peanut Chews)

 

Oh goodness. I know of both soda and pop, and also Tastykakes.

 

And of course we could think of more, but this is US and UK, not various parts of the US. OTOH, maybe we could have a cockney rhyming slang thread, just for fun? :D

[jgsmuzzy]

First American to give me the meaning of "Bristols" and give the associated word series that gets to is wins a prize.

 

I will tell you what the prize is later.

[ozland]

Actually, I don't think that many people outside of where I live say soda....

 

You say "soda" .... I say "soft drink".....:)

[pb82]

First American to give me the meaning of "Bristols" and give the associated word series that gets to is wins a prize.

 

I will tell you what the prize is later.

Breast

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

(Redirected from Bristols)

 

Caution, the associated word series may doom this delightful thread; give your prize to Wikipedia (Redirected from PB82)

[Wadadli1]

You say "soda" .... I say "soft drink".....:)

 

I say "beer". ;)

[Wadadli1]

Thanks Angela, my faith in humoUr is restored;)

 

Tsk. Where had it gone? And are you aware that it's Caturday (Saturday) today? Ok, a little late, but there's always next week. I'll fill you in later if you tell me how low your humour can go. ;)

 

PS: The children have offered to buy a couple of beers for Hyacinth in January. Haven't we raised them well? (don't thread drift if you can help it! :D )

[Casshew]

My Father calls lunch 'dinner' and dinner 'tea'

 

So breakfast, dinner & tea, occasionally supper instead of tea. So if you invite him over for dinner - he comes at noon, or if you invite him for tea - meaning a cup, he expects supper.

 

I notice we say chesterfield where Americans say sofa.

 

I love the way my English husband pronouces garage, urinal and half & half. It's why I fell in love with him. :)

[guernseyguy]

Wasn't Samuel Cunard born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada?

 

No. He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, British North America and died in Kensington, London, Britain, in 1865. Canadian confederation came in 1867. He was born, and died, a Briton, and would have described himself as such.

[FranKes2000]

Breast

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

(Redirected from Bristols)

 

Caution, the associated word series may doom this delightful thread; give your prize to Wikipedia (Redirected from PB82)

 

If you had the full answer, Bristol City ............ rhyming slang, breast just misses the rhyme;)

[pb82]

No. He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, British North America and died in Kensington, London, Britain, in 1865. Canadian confederation came in 1867. He was born, and died, a Briton, and would have described himself as such.

I wonder. He knew of the colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada which became the United Province of Canada. Of course he was British, but in reply to another stating "I am an Englishman" he may well have replied "I am a Canadian". Just wondering, not arguing. Any Cunard diarist scholars out there?