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British and North American equivalents
http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle2341766.ece
British and North American equivalents British - North American: aerofoil - airfoil aeroplane - airplane agony aunt - advice columnist anticlockwise - counter-clockwise articulated lorry - tractor-trailer asymmetric bars - uneven bars aubergine - eggplant blanket bath - sponge bath bonnet (of car) - hood boot (of a car) - trunk bowls - lawn bowling brawn (the food) - headcheese breeze block - cinder block brent goose - brant goose bridging loan - bridge loan bumbag - fanny pack candy floss - cotton candy car park - parking lot/garage central reservation - median strip chips - French fries cling film - plastic wrap common seal - harbor seal consumer durables - durable goods cornflour - cornstarch cot - crib cotton bud - cotton swab cotton wool - absorbent cotton courgette - zucchini crash barrier - guardrail crisps - chips or potato chips cross-ply - bias-ply current account - checking account cut-throat razor - straight razor dialling tone - dial tone double cream - heavy cream double-declutch - double-clutch draughts - checkers drawing pin - thumb tack drink-driving - drunk driving driving licence - driver's license dummy - pacifier dustbin - trash/garbage can eat in (of restaurant) - for here engaged (of a telephone) - busy estate car - station wagon ex-directory - unlisted eyebath - eyecup financial year - fiscal year fire brigade - fire department firelighter - fire starter fringe - bangs full board - American plan gear lever - gearshift green fingers - green thumb groundsman - groundskeeper holidaymaker - vacationer hundreds and thousands - sprinkles indicator (on car) - turn signal Joe Bloggs - Joe Blow Joe Public - John Q. Public jump lead - jumper cable ladybird - ladybug level crossing - grade crossing lift (in building) - elevator lolly (lollipop) - Popsicle (trademark) loo - john maize - corn mangetout - snow peas maths - math monkey tricks - monkeyshines motorway - expressway/freeway mum - mom nappy - diaper noughts and crosses - tic-tac-toe number plate - license plate off-licence - liquor store opencast - open-pit paddling pool - wading pool pay packet - pay envelop pedestrian crossing - crosswalk petrol - gasoline/gas physiotherapy - physical therapy plain chocolate - dark chocolate plain flour - all-purpose flour post code - zip code postal vote - absentee ballot poste restante - general delivery press-up - pushup punchbag - punching bag pushchair - stroller queue - line razor shell - razor clam real tennis - court tennis recorded delivery - certified mail reverse the charges - call collect reversing light - backup light room only - European plan roundabout (in road) - traffic circle rowing boat - rowboat sailing boat - sailboat self-raising flour - self-rising flour shopping trolley - shopping cart skirting board - baseboard sleeping partner - silent partner splashback - backsplash storm in a teacup - tempest in a teapot surtitle - supertitle terraced house - row house toffee apple - candy apple trainers - sneakers tram - streetcar or trolley car transport café - truck stop twelve-bore - twelve-gauge vest - undershirt waistcoat - vest white spirit - mineral spirits windscreen - windshield worktop - countertop zebra crossing - crosswalk zed - zee © Oxford University Press 2007 Extracted from the Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus (ed Maurice Waite). Buy it for £25.50 (RRP £30), including p&p, from BooksFirst on 0870 1608080, or visit timesonline.co.uk/booksfirst |
#2
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British and North American equivalents
On Aug 29, 7:18 am, Morcel Moreseaux wrote:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co....ertainment/boo... British and North American equivalents British - North American: Some of these might need some expansion: [snip] bowls - lawn bowling Americans don't really know this sport well and many folks will equate it with a game called "bachi ball". breeze block - cinder block True cinder blocks aren't used much in many areas and it has become an equivalent expression for a "concrete" block. bumbag - fanny pack It is my impression that a "belly pack" is the more common expression. chips - French fries The more "UK style" chip would tend to be called "home fries". cling film - plastic wrap More commonly called "Saran wrap" by folks not worried about trademark infringement. cornflour - cornstarch Important in the sense that "corn meal" is used far more often in some areas and might be confused for corn flour. cotton bud - cotton swab The more common expression is "Q-tip", again, for those not worried about trademark infringement. crisps - chips or potato chips I want to remember that I've seen this expression used in the UK for more "american/MacDonalds" style french fries. double cream - heavy cream also called heavy "whipping" cream. drawing pin - thumb tack also called "stick pin". drink-driving - drunk driving More commonly referred to these days as either DUI or DWI. (legal shorthand) eat in (of restaurant) - for here This one is kinda bizarre. Restaurants are presumed to be "eat in" unless it represents itself as a "take out" place, or at least offering that service. Only then would one hear, in that context, "for here or to go?". estate car - station wagon Very dated. Few "station wagons" sold anymore. The equivalent these days would be "crossover vehicle". [snip] firelighter - fire starter Hmmm... Maybe just generic "lighter"? Are the UKian's referring to them thangs one uses to light a "fag"? fringe - bangs full board - American plan gear lever - gearshift green fingers - green thumb groundsman - groundskeeper holidaymaker - vacationer This, like a few of these, is notable for the exclusion of the use of the word "holiday" to mean "vacation". Alternately it should be noted that "holiday" means something a bit different in Merkin. Basically refering to a particular celebration, usually involving paid days off from work and government recognition. [snip] level crossing - grade crossing Medalled road should probably have been thrown in. loo - john Wow, couldn't we go on here? number plate - license plate In the south this is often called a "tag" or "autotag". pushchair - stroller Don't the UKian's call this a "pram"? real tennis - court tennis I've never heard this expression. I've heard "Lawn tennis" and "tennis court". roundabout (in road) - traffic circle There aren't many traffic circles at all in the US and the few I've seen are called "roundabouts". Getting "stuck" in them in europe is a stereotypical yarn from a first vist. [snip] terraced house - row house Or Brownstone in some areas. trainers - sneakers Again, a tad regional. "tennis shoes" is more common in some places. Notibly missing was the differences between "pavement" between the two places. And far more topical than many. |
#3
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British and North American equivalents
Following up to me :
pushchair - stroller Don't the UKian's call this a "pram"? Pushchairs and prams are different creatures. -- Tim C. |
#4
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British and North American equivalents
Michael Newport quotes the Times:
British - North American: ... bowls - lawn bowling "O'Connell" writes: Americans don't really know this sport well and many folks will equate it with a game called "bachi ball". "Bocce" -- it's Italian. Yes, not the same game (but similar). level crossing - grade crossing Medalled road should probably have been thrown in. That's "metalled". Meaning gravel. roundabout (in road) - traffic circle There aren't many traffic circles at all in the US and the few I've seen are called "roundabouts". "Rotaries" in New England. "Traffic circles" in Ontario when I was learning to drive. Some people have adopted "roundabout" with a distinct meaning from "traffic circle". terraced house - row house Or Brownstone in some areas. Or "town house". -- Mark Brader, Toronto "Just because it's correct doesn't make it right!" -- Jonas Schlein |
#5
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British and North American equivalents
On Aug 29, 12:15 pm, (Mark Brader) wrote:
Michael Newport quotes the Times: [snip] terraced house - row house Or Brownstone in some areas. Or "town house". Well, now, here's one. A town house in my experience is any collection (as small as two) of conjoined houses, over one story tall, (otherwise they're just a "duplex"). They are also "single buildings" in the sense that they were constructed as a single building. I've seen condo complexes which were collections of "town houses". A row house or "brownstone" in my experienced is used for a collection of houses that occupy basically an entire city block (or there abouts). Furthermore, it is quite often possible that they were not all constructed at the same time, but in fact some were "added on" to existing structures as the city developed. However, I'm not sure who would be an authority on these terms, or if I'm making distinctions that no one else would make? |
#6
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British and North American equivalents
"Morcel Moreseaux" wrote in message ps.com... chips - French fries Wrong. French Fries are served in Britain but are thin stick-like excuses for a proper British Chip, which should be at least 3/8" thick. Colin Bignell |
#7
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British and North American equivalents
Another difference in language usage. British - North American (actually Irish, I think it's British too) silencer - muffler muffler - scarf (for around your neck) When the muffler (to keep the car quiet) fell off, I called the British car rental company in Cork to tell them the muffler fell off and to see about trading in the car for one that didn't make a huge noise). They thought I was was crazy (after all, they didn't rent scarves with their cars!) and asked me to drive there, which I did. I repeated the story a number of times, with them thinking I'm crazier and crazier with each telling until, in my frustrated rage, I pulled the muffler (silencer) out of the back seat! After we all stopped laughing hysterically, they decided to just weld the "noise-reduction part" back on as they had no other cars available. It proceeded to fall of just far enough away to make returning there unfeasible and I drove through many days of the rest of Ireland and the 6 counties sounding like a tractor! Susan Morcel Moreseaux wrote: http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle2341766.ece British and North American equivalents British - North American: aerofoil - airfoil aeroplane - airplane agony aunt - advice columnist anticlockwise - counter-clockwise articulated lorry - tractor-trailer asymmetric bars - uneven bars aubergine - eggplant blanket bath - sponge bath bonnet (of car) - hood boot (of a car) - trunk bowls - lawn bowling brawn (the food) - headcheese breeze block - cinder block brent goose - brant goose bridging loan - bridge loan bumbag - fanny pack candy floss - cotton candy car park - parking lot/garage central reservation - median strip chips - French fries cling film - plastic wrap common seal - harbor seal consumer durables - durable goods cornflour - cornstarch cot - crib cotton bud - cotton swab cotton wool - absorbent cotton courgette - zucchini crash barrier - guardrail crisps - chips or potato chips cross-ply - bias-ply current account - checking account cut-throat razor - straight razor dialling tone - dial tone double cream - heavy cream double-declutch - double-clutch draughts - checkers drawing pin - thumb tack drink-driving - drunk driving driving licence - driver's license dummy - pacifier dustbin - trash/garbage can eat in (of restaurant) - for here engaged (of a telephone) - busy estate car - station wagon ex-directory - unlisted eyebath - eyecup financial year - fiscal year fire brigade - fire department firelighter - fire starter fringe - bangs full board - American plan gear lever - gearshift green fingers - green thumb groundsman - groundskeeper holidaymaker - vacationer hundreds and thousands - sprinkles indicator (on car) - turn signal Joe Bloggs - Joe Blow Joe Public - John Q. Public jump lead - jumper cable ladybird - ladybug level crossing - grade crossing lift (in building) - elevator lolly (lollipop) - Popsicle (trademark) loo - john maize - corn mangetout - snow peas maths - math monkey tricks - monkeyshines motorway - expressway/freeway mum - mom nappy - diaper noughts and crosses - tic-tac-toe number plate - license plate off-licence - liquor store opencast - open-pit paddling pool - wading pool pay packet - pay envelop pedestrian crossing - crosswalk petrol - gasoline/gas physiotherapy - physical therapy plain chocolate - dark chocolate plain flour - all-purpose flour post code - zip code postal vote - absentee ballot poste restante - general delivery press-up - pushup punchbag - punching bag pushchair - stroller queue - line razor shell - razor clam real tennis - court tennis recorded delivery - certified mail reverse the charges - call collect reversing light - backup light room only - European plan roundabout (in road) - traffic circle rowing boat - rowboat sailing boat - sailboat self-raising flour - self-rising flour shopping trolley - shopping cart skirting board - baseboard sleeping partner - silent partner splashback - backsplash storm in a teacup - tempest in a teapot surtitle - supertitle terraced house - row house toffee apple - candy apple trainers - sneakers tram - streetcar or trolley car transport café - truck stop twelve-bore - twelve-gauge vest - undershirt waistcoat - vest white spirit - mineral spirits windscreen - windshield worktop - countertop zebra crossing - crosswalk zed - zee © Oxford University Press 2007 Extracted from the Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus (ed Maurice Waite). Buy it for £25.50 (RRP £30), including p&p, from BooksFirst on 0870 1608080, or visit timesonline.co.uk/booksfirst |
#8
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British and North American equivalents
me wrote:
Well, now, here's one. A town house in my experience is any collection (as small as two) of conjoined houses, over one story tall, (otherwise they're just a "duplex"). They are also "single buildings" in the sense that they were constructed as a single building. I've seen condo complexes which were collections of "town houses". A row house or "brownstone" in my experienced is used for a collection of houses that occupy basically an entire city block (or there abouts). Many rowhouses in places like NYC, are brownstones. It's a common building material in the area. I've seen many 'brownstones', which are single-family dwellings, and which could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be called townhouses, rowhouses, or terraces. There are very many rowhouses, which are NOT brownstones. |
#9
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British and North American equivalents
"nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote:
"Morcel Moreseaux" wrote in message ups.com... chips - French fries Wrong. French Fries are served in Britain but are thin stick-like excuses for a proper British Chip, which should be at least 3/8" thick. The French also serve proper chips in many restaurants. Whatever happened to French fries = freedom fries? -- PB The return address has been MUNGED My travel writing: http://www.iol.ie/~draoi/ |
#10
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British and North American equivalents
"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert my surname here wrote in message ... "Morcel Moreseaux" wrote in message ps.com... chips - French fries Wrong. French Fries are served in Britain but are thin stick-like excuses for a proper British Chip, which should be at least 3/8" thick. Colin Bignell Well, here in Canada, back in the early 50's we called the narrow ones which, by the way, were the ONLY ones commercially available, CHIPS. In the U.S., they called them French fries or just fries. Home-made chips were often much thicker, though. If one ordered fish and chips the got fish plus some NARROW strips of deep-fried potatoes..called CHIPS. Nowadays, of course, if one goes to Mickey D's, one orders FRIES...sometimes super sized. which are really CHIPS but ... |
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