|
|
Post by Scarlet Ohana on Aug 10, 2014 1:56:57 GMT
Some of these I've never heard, but I think I'm going to start calling cupcakes fairy cakes! English Peas do you really call them that? Do you see some US words you've never heard?  |
|
|
|
Post by anxiousmom on Aug 10, 2014 2:08:16 GMT
Funny, I just read a book that referred to a "jacket potato" and had to look up what it was. I had never heard them term before.
|
|
|
|
Post by sillyrabbit on Aug 10, 2014 2:39:38 GMT
Jumper threw me for a loop when I was reading Sophie Kinsella's books. She would talk about guys in jumpers and I was picture a dress type thing...not a sweater. Lol
|
|
|
|
Post by scrapqueen01 on Aug 10, 2014 2:46:51 GMT
Love the word knobhead. Sounds much less vulgar compared to the American version.
|
|
|
|
Post by lumo on Aug 10, 2014 3:12:26 GMT
Huh, I use peckish all the time. Fun list!
|
|
JustTricia
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,842 
Location: Indianapolis
|
Post by JustTricia on Aug 10, 2014 3:34:42 GMT
I love that in fine print it says, "I refuse to move on from the Tenth Doctor." :-)
|
|
|
|
Post by bluepoprocks on Aug 10, 2014 3:45:11 GMT
I say peckish sometimes.(my computer just autocorrected peckish to pucker then I changed it back and it keeps telling me it's spelled wrong guess it's not an American word for sure). My old boss use to say arse all the time.
|
|
|
|
Post by penny on Aug 10, 2014 3:52:25 GMT
I can remember being amazed at how much "pudding" the British ate - I mean I like pudding, but wouldn't you want a variety of desserts ...lol
The jumper thing always makes me giggle... Jumper makes me think of those onesies with feet...
|
|
valincal
Drama Llama
Southern Alberta
Posts: 5,768
|
Post by valincal on Aug 10, 2014 4:06:59 GMT
We Canadians use a few of those terms (peckish, bugger, arse  ) but I'll see your trainers/sneakers and raise you a pair of runners, which is what we call them.  |
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 9, 2024 6:24:38 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2014 4:10:31 GMT
I'm English. The only words I haven't heard frequently are radge and muffler.
We absolutely use the word fairy cakes, but unfortunately it's being replaced by the word cupcakes more recently.
|
|
|
|
Post by gonewalkabout on Aug 10, 2014 4:31:43 GMT
Australians use many English expressions also (plus a few of our own, a few of which have been adopted by the US). When I came to the US, I felt like I had to relearn English all over again lol!
I grew up saying almost all of those. There are a couple that I didn't, purely British, and a couple have slightly different meanings.
My poor kids when they first started school had their teachers totally confused.
|
|
|
|
Post by stargazer on Aug 10, 2014 5:05:44 GMT
Never heard radge or muffler (we'd use scarf too) but we use most of the rest.
I think fairy cakes are smaller than cupcakes.
I understand all of the US terms & even use some of them (well quite a lot of them right now as I am in the US...just went out to buy band aids for a start!)
|
|
|
|
Post by dulcemama on Aug 10, 2014 5:06:36 GMT
Love the word knobhead. Sounds much less vulgar compared to the American version. Knobhead was a really common put down around here in the late 80's-early 90's. You still hear it now and then. |
|
|
|
Post by AngieandSnoopy on Aug 10, 2014 5:20:53 GMT
I always wished they'd have an English to American English dictionary in the back of the Harlequin novels set in England... I always thought it was so odd that the English liked a breakfast bread (biscuits) with their afternoon tea! Took me forever to learn it was COOKIES they were eating with their tea! And this thread just taught me that the English so NOT eat as much pudding as I thought! The only pudding I really like is Banana Pudding and I couldn't understand why they ate so much pudding! |
|
|
|
Post by AussieMeg on Aug 10, 2014 5:28:16 GMT
How about these ones (Aussie / US):
footpath - pavement
nappy - diaper
tap - faucet
footpath - sidewalk
dummy - pacifier
thongs - flip flops
g string - thong (although we call it both)
jumper - sweater
jam - jelly
jelly - Jello
hand bag - purse
purse - wallet
wallet - wallet (mens)
lollies - candy
biscuits - cookies
chips - fries
tomato sauce - ketchup
coriander - cilantro
dunny - toilet
ETA a couple more:
petrol - gas
spa - hot tub
|
|
|
|
Post by AussieMeg on Aug 10, 2014 5:31:51 GMT
Poms and Aussies use a lot of the same words. One I can think of that is different is lorry (UK) for truck (Aus).
|
|
|
|
Post by Linda on Aug 10, 2014 6:27:36 GMT
I'm English living in the States and my teen will roll her eyes and say "Mum is being British again" when she spots me using an English-UK term.
The little one was cute yesterday - we had biscuits/cookies and she asked me "Mum may I have a biscuit?" and then turned to DH "Dad, mum said I could have another cookie" and then carefully explained to all of us that she used biscuit with me because that's my word for it because I'm not from here.
|
|
anniebygaslight
Drama Llama
I'd love a cup of tea. #1966
Posts: 7,402
Location: Third Rock from the sun.
Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
|
Post by anniebygaslight on Aug 10, 2014 6:30:46 GMT
We never ever call a scarf a muffler, and I have never ever heard the word 'radge'.
Fairy cakes are similar in appearance to cupcakes, but are smaller, and are difference recipe-wise. They tend to be made with a bog standard Victoria Sponge mix.
|
|
|
|
Post by KiwiJo on Aug 10, 2014 6:43:46 GMT
NZ/Australia/UK: torch = USA: Flashlight
Apparently, a 'torch' in USA is a live flaming thing at barbecues etc.
which caused confusion when my NZ son was working on a Disney cruise ship, and suggested a night-time game for the younger children involving torches. The USA staff couldn't believe he was suggesting something so dangerous, and he couldn't imagine what was so dangerous about it.
Also:
In USA, the street level floor in a building is 1st floor.
NZ/AU/UK starts with ground floor. The 1st floor is up a flight of stairs.
|
|
|
|
Post by lightetc on Aug 10, 2014 7:16:18 GMT
NZ/Australia/UK: torch = USA: Flashlight Apparently, a 'torch' in USA is a live flaming thing at barbecues etc. which caused confusion when my NZ son was working on a Disney cruise ship, and suggested a night-time game for the younger children involving torches. The USA staff couldn't believe he was suggesting something so dangerous, and he couldn't imagine what was so dangerous about it. Similar story at University. Living on campus someone walked in one evening and said everyone was in the courtyard with torches. The Americans in my unit flew out the door, and we couldn't figure it why they were so excited. 2 minutes later they were back inside, telling us that no-one had torches after all, just flashlights. The mental image of Uni students gathering together with burning reeds was pretty funny. |
|
|
|
Post by lightetc on Aug 10, 2014 7:18:38 GMT
We Canadians use a few of those terms (peckish, bugger, arse ) but I'll see your trainers/sneakers and raise you a pair of runners, which is what we call them. They're joggers in my house. But I've heard all versions from various people. |
|
anniebygaslight
Drama Llama
I'd love a cup of tea. #1966
Posts: 7,402
Location: Third Rock from the sun.
Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
|
Post by anniebygaslight on Aug 10, 2014 7:33:12 GMT
Borrowing heavily from Aussie Meg, here are a few more British/American examples.
footpath - pavement
nappy - diaper
tap - faucet
dummy - pacifier
jumper - sweater
pullover-sweater
jam - jelly
jelly - Jello
hand bag - purse
purse - wallet
wallet - wallet (mens)
sweets- candy
biscuits - cookies
chips - fries
tomato sauce - ketchup
coriander - cilantro
aubergine-eggplant
courgette- zuchini
waist coat - vest
braces - suspenders
petrol - gas
pushchair - stroller
|
|
|
|
Post by AussieMeg on Aug 10, 2014 7:44:23 GMT
And here it would be a pram (or stroller when they get bigger) |
|
|
|
Post by lightetc on Aug 10, 2014 7:47:12 GMT
Oh and in the food vein
Rockmelon - Cantaloupe
|
|
valincal
Drama Llama
Southern Alberta
Posts: 5,768
|
Post by valincal on Aug 10, 2014 7:57:14 GMT
Jelly = clear, sweet fruit spread Jam = thicker sweet spread often with seeds and chunky bits of fruit And now I've officially added 'spread' to my list of questionable words. |
|
BarbaraUK
Drama Llama
Surrounded by my yarn stash on the NE coast of England...............!! Refupea 1702
Posts: 5,961
Location: England UK
Jun 27, 2014 12:47:11 GMT
|
Post by BarbaraUK on Aug 10, 2014 8:02:18 GMT
We never ever call a scarf a muffler, and I have never ever heard the word 'radge'. Fairy cakes are similar in appearance to cupcakes, but are smaller, and are difference recipe-wise. They tend to be made with a bog standard Victoria Sponge mix. This! A muffler is a term used around when Dickens wrote his books!  Yes, fairy cakes and cupcakes are different here! The cupcake has a lot of frosting on the top, the fairy cake doesn't. The only time I've ever hear the term 'radge' was when it suddenly swept the schools in this part of England about twenty? years ago for a very short time, the kids used it for a while and then it disappeared. I have no idea where it came from. It isn't a part of everyday British speech that I hear now but I guess some people of a certain age may still use it! |
|
|
|
Post by pmk on Aug 10, 2014 8:11:09 GMT
I would say that radge is possibly more of a Scottish slang term.
I've never heard of muffler as another word for scarf!
|
|
|
|
Post by Linda on Aug 10, 2014 8:13:24 GMT
I've heard of muffler for a scarf (the warm knitted sort not the fashion sort) - never heard 'radge'
|
|
|
|
Post by gar on Aug 10, 2014 8:17:12 GMT
And continuing the list... Crib = cot Eraser = rubber Casserole = bake (It took me ages too figure out that a breakfast casserole wasn't sausages and bacon floating around in stock etc) Broil = grill Shrimp = prawns Entryway = hall or porch Porch = verandah maybe? |
|
|
|
Post by DinCA on Aug 10, 2014 8:20:30 GMT
We used the term muffler when I was a child. We lived in the southwest. I didn't hear the word scarf until I was a teenager and we had moved to the midwest.
|
|
) but I'll see your trainers/sneakers and raise you a pair of runners, which is what we call them. 
