http://www.britainusa.com/4kids/other_show.asp?SarticleType=2&other_ID=447

The link is to the website of the British Embassy to the US, and provides a moderately comprehensive list of British words and their american counterpart. Always helpful if you need a quick reference.

 

Seems to be pretty accurate, though I'm pretty sure we call him Santa Claus over here as well... And I ain't never called a nurse 'sister' in my life.

Aekiel

 

they missed WC (or water closet) in American, the bathroom.

 

Aekial, a senior nurse is a Sister. The one in charge of a ward is called a Ward Sister. They're the ones who were the dark blue uniforms, rather than the light blue.

If you ever watched Casualty on BBC1, Duffy and Collet were Sisters.

 

Reading through that list has made me realize I don't even realize how often I switch between American and British words. My mum is a British citizen but we were all brought up in the states where my dad is from. A lot of the words I switch back and forth between. I have on a few occasions had people been confused when I called commercials adverts. Just thought it was interesting, anyone else have similar problems?

Ohh yea apparently I say my "H" wrong, according to the people here in the states.

 

Do you actually say "Glasgow Kiss"? Like "Zidane agve him a Glasgow kiss"?

 

It usually actually goes "Ahm gonna gee yeh a glasgay kiss", at least thats what its like where I live, which is a half hour from Glasgow. I don't know if its really used elsewhere in the country.

Or of course, theres the ned/chav version which is "Ahm gonna fuckin chib yeh man, then ahm gonna chib yer maw."

 

In a far away sense I'd get rent = emploey, but robbery = traffic jam? Huh?

 

I reckon they could be used interchangably without comment, World. Though rent = employ makes it sound like you're talking about hookers.

Oh, and why doesn't it show the differences in swearwords? I know I like arse better than ass, and that fanny in Britain is a few inches in front of the American fanny.

Aekiel

 

I think it would be interesting to see where and how some of the terms became so different. Some I can guess at, but a few are just out there (to someone who speaks "American").

I've also determined I would be S.O.L. if I ever asked for directions while "over the pond".

Edit: Do ya'll seriously call a crosswalk a Zebra Crossing?

 

S.O.L?

And yes, its called a Zebra Crossing, because its traditionally painted as black and white lines across the road.

World, the British 'hold up' meaning a traffic jam comes from the idea of a person being made late due to traffic, they were "held up" by the traffic. The american, I would assume, comes from the fact that in an armed robbery one traditionally puts ones hands up. Therefore the victims were 'held up'.

 

S.O.L

Shit
Outta
Luck

^.^

 

Yall ever heard of a stop'n rob? Its an isolated gas station that just screams to be robbed.

 

Nope, never heard of it. Then again, there is less land in the UK for an isolated petrol station.

 

or the true extended version

S.O.L.J.W.F. = shit outta luck and jolly well fucked

food for thought

madeyemoody

 

Perhaps you could enlighten me, why is it that you would be S.O.L if you asked for directions? Perhaps its due to the large amount of US TV shown over here, but there were only a couple of surprises in the list for me. Were there really many for you?

 

Ah, I misinterpreted the writings. I somehow thought

meant that a hold up in Britain is called traffic jam and in America robbery (in other words: that traffic jam = robbery). But it means that, in Britain, a hold up refers to a traffic jam, while in America it refers to a robbery.
In my defense, I was tired.

Mordecai: Even though ethymologically you may be right, I don't believe you can say the victims of the robbery (hold up, stick up) were 'held up'.

 

Well, I can only go by the language used in films, but if a bank is robbed it is held up. So you could apply it to the victims as well.

 

Cause you wouldn't understand the directions that they were giving you.

 

Probalby true if I gave the directions (I can't do it to save my life ), but there's plenty of landmarks to judge by, except when you get into the council estates... The same buildings, everywhere, it all looks the same...

Aekiel