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Fine-Tuning 15, British English/American English

Forums: Fine Tuning, English, Esl, Grammar, Language
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Roberta
 
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 12:04 am
Here it is the Fourth of July, and we're at it again. Brits vs. Colonies. I was asked to cover the differences in British English (referred to by one a2ker as "the real stuff") and American English. I made it clear that I'm going to need help.

I think we should have two categories: (1) different expressions for the same thing and (2) the same expression for different things. I hope no one minds that I'm not planning on dealing with spelling differences. However, if someone wants to handle that, it's fine with me.

DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS FOR THE SAME THING
British/American

lift/elevator
boot/trunk of car
telly/TV
brolly/umbrella
tube/subway



SAME EXPRESSION FOR DIFFERENT THINGS

Expression--British/ American

rubber--an eraser/a condom
knock one up--stop by for a visit/get someone pregnant

Well, that's my contribution. If I think of any more, I'll add them. It's now up to the more knowledgeable among you to fill out the lists.

Thanks all.

BTW, I was reading a British mystery novel in which the author referred to a paternoster. It wasn't a prayer. The best I could figure out is that it's some kind of elevator/lift. Can anyone help me?
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Type: Discussion • Score: 6 • Views: 39,057 • Replies: 427
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Craven de Kere
 
  2  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 12:15 am
lorry-truck
pavement-sidewalk
while-untill (N. England)
vest-undershirt
waistcoat-vest
ring-call
muffler-scarf
lounge-livingroom
rubbish-trash
pissed-drunk
mad-insane
let-rent
fanny-vagina
0 Replies
 
Mr Stillwater
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 12:34 am
Steak and kidney pie = botulism

(pinched that one from the Simpsons).
0 Replies
 
babsatamelia
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 01:28 am
One refers to the vagina ... as the 'fanny'??????
Now THAT is a strange one! But, being 50%
Brit, I did know most of them. Dear old Dad,
his family was NOT at all pleased when he went
& married a mutt of a girl (she probably contains
a little bit of most the European ethnicities,
with THE DISTINCT LACK of all things British)
She has no manners, doesn't know how to
behave properly in public... a general mess.
But then, the copious amounts of alcohol DID
have a very untoward effect upon her efforts.
0 Replies
 
Roberta
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 04:36 am
A fanny is a what? In my neighborhood a fanny is a butt, tush, rear end, derriere, ass. Is a butt a bum in Britain? Here a bum is a good-for-nothing, down-and-out type.
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the prince
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 04:42 am
bum and fanny are butts here !!!
0 Replies
 
Setanta
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 04:45 am
I believe the use of the term fanny to mean the female genitalia is Oztralian . . .

In the well-know locution of Winston Spenser Churchill, whose mother was an American, we are: " . . . two great peoples separated by a common language."
0 Replies
 
babsatamelia
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 11:25 am
Well - Ask Craven,???????????
He's the one who added vagina/fanny to the
growing list of American/Brit words ????
0 Replies
 
fbaezer
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 11:55 am
Football - Soccer
0 Replies
 
Setanta
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 11:56 am
bush/blair
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 12:00 pm
Considering that someone shortens and alters "association football" to SOCCER, what shall I think of that language on the whole? :wink:
0 Replies
 
Setanta
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 12:04 pm
You should think of it as the language of banking and the credit structure, as well as of airline pilots and air traffic controllers . . .
0 Replies
 
oldandknew
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 12:53 pm
Very good Setana, you get the prefects hat for the weekend
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 12:59 pm
But only after he had done the LANGUAGE PRACTISE Exclamation
0 Replies
 
fbaezer
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 01:12 pm
Fun links, Walter.

Got 50% average in the Guareschi quiz.
Only three wrong in the Football phrases (a lollipop? a nutmeg?)
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 01:14 pm
Better, much better actually, then I did!
0 Replies
 
fbaezer
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 01:28 pm
My second son is named Camilo.

When my leftist friends asked me if I named him after Camilo Cienfuegos (Cuban revolutionary) or Camilo Torres (Colombian guerrillero), I answered: "I named him after Don Camillo, the Catholic priest who is always fighting with the Communist Peppone".

Actually, Peppone's son was christened Libero Camillo Lenin.

[Heck I just realized that your Guareschi link was in the European thread] Embarrassed Laughing
0 Replies
 
oldandknew
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 01:34 pm
english/english v american englisg eh ?


London Cockney Rhyming Slang English is what I litter my speech with, as do many other Londoners
A few examples

adam & eve -- I believe
ball of chalk -- walk
cat & mouse -- house
dog & bone -- phone
elephant's trunck --- drunk
frog and toad --- road
grunt and groan --- moan
hackney marsh --- glass
I suppose ------ nose
jam jar --- car
khyber pass --- glass (also arse)
lady Godiva --- fiver £5 note
manhole cover --- brother
nanny goat --- coat
oliver twist --- fist
pen & ink ---- stink
queen mum --- bum
rabbit & pork --- talk
saucepan lid --- kid
tea leaf --- thief
uncle bert ---- shirt
vincent van gogh --- cough
watford gap ---- crap
x ###########
yarmouth bloater ---- motor
z ############
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 01:40 pm
Which is especially for us not native english speakers not ham and cheesy ter understand!
0 Replies
 
Craven de Kere
 
  1  
Reply Fri 4 Jul, 2003 03:54 pm
The fanny/vagina things is, I'm told by many a Brit, also found in the UK. I am aware of the use in Oz.

I can also cite lexicons and encyclopedias but won't. I am determined not to work too hard on this thread or I'd be here forever.

In any case I used to think it was an Oz thing too, so as Set would say I don't really ahve a dog in this..
0 Replies
 
 

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