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US versus UK english

You forgot that jelly also means something (not sure of the American for it though - jello perhaps?).

Yeah I forgot that one. I also remember milk used to get delivered right to the front door just like your mail. Those where good times, not a care in the world :)
 
I haven't read the whole thread--sorry, but the two things that come to mind for me on this topic are:

1. There was a short lived sitcom, probably in the 70s or 80s, with one of the actresses from the classic TV show The Avengers. She was a woman from England working in the US. One of the lines was something to the effect: "I've learned I shouldn't ask a man to knock me up sometime." Apparently that means call me.

2. Back in the 70s I had a car repair manual which had a section on English to American translations. For example bonnet means hood.
 
I also remember milk used to get delivered right to the front door just like your mail

I had a Spanish girl friend many years ago who simply could not believe that milk could be left on a doorstep in the early hours and still be there hours later when it was brought in ..

Sadly, it's a lot less common these days .. maybe it doesn't stay there quite so reliably these days
 
I haven't read the whole thread--sorry, but the two things that come to mind for me on this topic are:

1. There was a short lived sitcom, probably in the 70s or 80s, with one of the actresses from the classic TV show The Avengers. She was a woman from England working in the US. One of the lines was something to the effect: "I've learned I shouldn't ask a man to knock me up sometime." Apparently that means call me.

2. Back in the 70s I had a car repair manual which had a section on English to American translations. For example bonnet means hood.

And dynamo = alternator. My grandpa did some work with the Brits in World War II. He remembers all those things, pretty interesting. At least we drive on the right side of the road in the US. :D
 
I had a Spanish girl friend many years ago who simply could not believe that milk could be left on a doorstep in the early hours and still be there hours later when it was brought in ..

Sadly, it's a lot less common these days .. maybe it doesn't stay there quite so reliably these days

We still have milk delivery in our area. I think the reason it's not so common is the expense.
 
To be honest I wish I spoke UK english while in the USA, but if I was in the UK then I would want to speak US english. Just to be different.
 
I want to try to make English muffins, so just got some rings. They came with a recipe for both muffins and crumpets.

The difference?
English muffins via that recipe call for 1/2 cup scalded milk, crumpets, 2/3 cup.
 
you are forgetting the regional dialects as well
I am from Yorkshire and our accent and spoken words are different from say London and Scotland
then there is Welsh, that is a language all on its own but they say half the Welsh cant speak it


here is one we say here in Yorkshire and that is "Morngy" or "Morngie"
and it means someone is miserable and being unfriendly

here is a southerners (London) take on Yorkshire in a sketch show
Leeds Bradford Airport (Yeadon) Hale & Pace Yorkshire Airlines classic comedy sketch - YouTube
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u8p2sleiveiwwe5/us.jpg

A map of how the Brits label the states.

The States doesn't look like this then? This is the map I use when my students ask me about the US.

64878-004-6E66C18E.gif


JK
 
you are forgetting the regional dialects as well
I am from Yorkshire and our accent and spoken words are different from say London and Scotland
then there is Welsh, that is a language all on its own but they say half the Welsh cant speak it

I think all Welsh schools are supposed to teach Welsh(Cymraeg) as part of the compulsory curriculum. I've spent a lot of time various parts of Wales, and TBH the only time I've really heard it been spoken as a first language in everyday use by the majority is Gwynedd and Anglesey, North West Wales. Sometimes hear Welsh been spoken in Cardiff, the capital, it's not that often I found. But almost everything is bi-lingual of course, all public signage etc. There's Welsh dialect English which is quite distinctive.

here is one we say here in Yorkshire and that is "Morngy" or "Morngie"
and it means someone is miserable and being unfriendly

here is a southerners (London) take on Yorkshire in a sketch show
Leeds Bradford Airport (Yeadon) Hale & Pace Yorkshire Airlines classic comedy sketch - YouTube

I know Scouse(Liverpool, Merseyside) has many of it's own words and can be very distinctive. Then there's Geordie(Newcastle, Tyne & Wear), etc. IMO I don't really have a heavy regional UK dialect myself, can't really in my job....students might not understand me. :D ..I originally came from Cockermouth in the Lake District(Cumbria), but spent a lot of time travelling around when growing up.
 
What catches me out is how different parts of the UK use the same words for different things. For instance, where I'm from the three meals of the day are: breakfast, lunch/dinner and then tea. Since moving away I've found everyone else thinks I literally mean a cup of tea when I mean the evening meal.
 
What catches me out is how different parts of the UK use the same words for different things. For instance, where I'm from the three meals of the day are: breakfast, lunch/dinner and then tea. Since moving away I've found everyone else thinks I literally mean a cup of tea when I mean the evening meal.

We know breakfast, lunch and dinner. That's it.

Oh. Do you watch a sports match or a sports game?
 
Kind of relevant - while I was in Canada, whenever I asked for a lemonade the waiter would always say they don't have that. But when I asked for a Sprite, they did have that...

Is 7up/sprite not lemonade any more?
 
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