Literature The British English vs American English thread!

[Blobbenstein]

in the UK this is flapjack:

oats+fat+sugar/syrup

 

[kazyeeqen]

Weeeeiiiird...

 

[Mel]

I've just spent 2 weeks in the UK and got a bad cold less than a week before our return. I went out to Tesco in search for some over the counter cold meds. Even the way Brits describe cold symptoms is different than in North America. For chest congestion/cough they say "chesty cough". For stuffy nose they say "blocked nose". There were other differences as well but I can't remember them all. I love noticing the little differences.

 

[das_nut]

Today I learn: UKians don't know the proper English terms for things.

 

[Yokel]

Today I learn: UKians don't know the proper English terms for things.

Aye, we English don't know how to speak English, just as the French don't know how to speak French and the Germans don't know how to speak German; and WTF is a 'UKian'???

 

[ledboots]

Aye, we English don't know how to speak English, just as the French don't know how to speak French and the Germans don't know how to speak German; and WTF is a 'UKian'???

I think that was just das nut joking around. I think I've seen him type USians as well.

 

[shyvas]

I think that was just das nut joking around. I think I've seen him type USians as well.

The word speaks for itself.

 

[Joe]

I have a question inspired by the confessions thread... is the past tense of **** in america ****? or ****?

Relevant to answering your question, perhaps.

 

[Joe]

I just saw a silly comedy movie called Gambit, set in London. In one scene, the tyrannical British boss demands of his harried employee, "Give me your boot!"
It appears the employee is trying to hand him a mobile phone. Is boot another name for a mobile phone in Britain?

 

[Joe]

I was watching a DVD of The Pretenders Greatest Hits, which includes interviews with many of Chrissie Hynde's friends and associates.
One of the people interviewed was British videographer Don Letts. He said he was "knocked for six" by something or other. I had a hard time finding a definition for this expression, but found one here:

To be completely devastated. It comes from the highest scoring action in the sport of cricket:- where the ball exits the circle without leaving the ground.

I was knocked for six after my husband left me

Urban Dictionary: knocked for six

 

[Amy SF]

Rabbiting On
Pet Store | UK | Bizarre, Crazy Requests, Pets & Animals, Wild & Unruly
(I’m working at my till when an old lady in a wheelchair approaches me. Our rabbit hutches are situated right next to our office that keeps the safe inside.)

Customer: “Hello, dear. I was wondering if you could give me some advice about your rabbit hutches.”

Me: “Of course. Is it just for one rabbit or two?”

Customer: “Oh, it would be two.”

(I take her over to the hutches and show her around explaining the features of each one.)

Customer: “I don’t have much room in my husband’s car and I really need one for today. Do you sell them un-built?”

Me: “I can grab a flat packed one from out the back if you’d like?”

Customer: “Could you bring one out to show me so I can see if it will fit?”

(I run out to our storage area and grab a flat-packed version of the hutch she had asked for. When I bring it out her attitude has completely changed.)

Me: “Here you go. This is the one. It’s really simple to build and will only take ten minutes.”

Customer: “FOR GOD’S SAKE. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GRAB ONE GODD*** ITEM FOR ME?! DON’T BOTHER WITH IT. I’LL JUST GO SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE THEY DON’T TREAT THEIR CUSTOMERS LIKE S***!”

(I stand there in stunned silence as the customer quickly leaves the store, cursing frequently under her breath. Later on my manager, who ran home from work, couldn’t find his trainers which he leaves in the office. We decide to look on the CCTV to check if anyone has moved them. The video shows me walking off to get the hutch for the customer. When I leave she proceeds to get out of her wheelchair, enter the office (which has a combination lock on it), and try to open the safe. After failing to open it she grabs my manager’s trainers, shoves them in her handbag, and returns to the wheelchair.)

Manager: “Who the h*** was she?”

Me: “I think I almost sold the Devil a rabbit hutch today…”

I had to look up the word "trainers". Apparently what Americans call sneakers, the Brits call trainers. It's possible I've seen the word trainers before in at least one of the Harry Potter books, but forgot about it.

 

[Blobbenstein]

that's right, we call them trainers.

 

[Calliegirl]

Since being on this forum, I've found myself occasionally writing words with the British spelling rather than the American spelling, and I end up having to correct them so I don't get commented on for spelling things weird.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I downloaded the British Dictionary for Firefox spellcheck, when I had to get one dictionary or the other.
I got tired of words like 'colour' being red underlined.

 

[KLS52]

*feeling proud that I knew what trainers were*

 

[ledboots]

*feeling proud that I knew what trainers were*

I'm not so proud, I think it's age. My grandmother called sneakers "trainers". And young adults here seem to say "tennis shoes" or "running shoes" more than they do "sneakers" but that could be regional.

 

[Spang]

Cookie Monster learns about biscuits.

 

[KLS52]

So, how bad is the word bugger? I want to say, a cute little bugger, but don't want to be offensive! Seems the word can go either way.

I could wait until Friday. I get to see a coworker who has been retired for two years. She's a lovely woman, originally from England, but has been here for awhile. She kept her lovely accent. Love talking to her. She's awesome. I her. I'll ask her, too. She's quite "proper"...should be fun, lol.

 

[Blobbenstein]

yes, it's a word that can be quite rude, but I think most people in the UK, would be ok with 'cute little bugger'......I don't get out much though.....

Maybe it is slightly on the rough side of town.....I just tried to say it and it did sound a bit rude...!

 

[Moll Flanders]

I wouldn't think it was rude at all but then maybe I'm not the best person to ask as I swear quite a lot.