Literature The British English vs American English thread!

[Alice-Bee]

Yeah not even a thing...

 

[mlp]

I don't even think that's an American thing.

Yeah, I've never heard that used.

This.

Yup - I think that's a Jen thing.

Nod = yes/agree
Shake = no/disagree

 

[Calliegirl]

Maybe she's actually from Bulgaria.

During my first visit to Bulgaria, I was unaware that shaking your head left-to-right means “yes,” while nodding your head up-and-down means “no.”

http://internationalliving.com/2007/04/eletters_167/

 

[kazyeeqen]

Maybe she's actually from Bulgaria.



http://internationalliving.com/2007/04/eletters_167/

It's like the whole world is backwards!

In India they do that head wiggle for yes.

I understood Alice-bee's written accent, but I bet in person I would have to think about it for a minute.

 

[Muggle]

OK guys, help me out. 2% milk? What is it? 98% water and 2% milk?

 

[Renee1]

OK guys, help me out. 2% milk? What is it? 98% water and 2% milk?

Fat percentage of the milk.

 

[Joe]

Fat percentage of the milk.

Correct. This chart gives a detailed/comparative explanation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_content_of_milk#United_States

 

[Blobbenstein]

What floor am I on?

I live in a flat on the floor above the ground floor. I think British terminology has that as the first floor, and US has that as second floor....

I would prefer to say I live on the second floor, as that seems more intuitive.....If I say I live on the first floor, I think some people would think I lived on the ground floor.

 

[kazyeeqen]

What floor am I on?

I live in a flat on the floor above the ground floor. I think British terminology has that as the first floor, and US has that as second floor....

I would prefer to say I live on the second floor, as that seems more intuitive.....If I say I live on the first floor, I think some people would think I lived on the ground floor.

I would say second floor. Ground floor can be ground or first, but second is above it. But I have to think about that every time I get in an elevator.

 

[hungryraccoon]

First floor!

Although I agree that is confusing. Couldn't get my head around it for years.

 

[SummerRain]

First floor, confused me a lot as a child though, but now it just seems normal.

 

[shyvas]

What floor am I on?

I live in a flat on the floor above the ground floor. I think British terminology has that as the first floor, and US has that as second floor....

I would prefer to say I live on the second floor, as that seems more intuitive.....If I say I live on the first floor, I think some people would think I lived on the ground floor.

Same here. Overhere in France it is considered as the 1st floor.

 

[Alice-Bee]

I live in a house so its never come up. Although in department shops ground floor is on the ground, 1st is next one up and so on.

 

[ledboots]

I live in a house so its never come up. Although in department shops ground floor is on the ground, 1st is next one up and so on.

Ground floor is first floor in the US for the most part, but I have been in buildings in NYC where in the elevator it is Lobby 1 2 3 etc.

 

[Mr Crunchy]

And, of course, no 13th floor in the US.

 

[Amy SF]

If theater in America is spelled theatre in the UK, and center in America is spelled centre in the UK, then why isn't computer in America spelled computre in the UK?

And how do Brits know the difference between spelt (which we Yanks spell spelled as past tense for spell) and spelt the grain? Do Brits ever say "I spilt the spelt because I spelt it wrong?"

 

[shyvas]

If theater in America is spelled theatre in the UK, and center in America is spelled centre in the UK, then why isn't computer in America spelled computre in the UK?

And how do Brits know the difference between spelt (which we Yanks spell spelled as past tense for spell) and spelt the grain? Do Brits ever say "I spilt the spelt because I spelt it wrong?"

They don't as most of them don't know what Spelt is.

 

[FortyTwo]

I always thought "spelt" was the incorrect way of writing "spelled."

 

[Joe]

If theater in America is spelled theatre in the UK, and center in America is spelled centre in the UK, then why isn't computer in America spelled computre in the UK?

...

Well, Funny Lady, a good source for comparing British and American English is the Oxford Dictionaries Online site.

Oxford Languages | The Home of Language Data

You can switch from their British and World English dictionary to their US English dictionary.

The British dictionary does note that computer may present a spelling problem for the Briton.

Spelling help

Remember that computer ends with -er.
Spelling tip

computers provide electronic records.

 

[Blobbenstein]

a computre is what you use to play online golf games.