# Lovely British Language



## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

I LOVE reading all the posts for the past 6 months, but still have not been able to figure out some of the terms? BTW . . i will bet anybody from the United States has had the same problem, just have not asked. I feel comfortable enough now to do so as I have gained so many new friends . . all with a wonderful sence of humor . . so please indulge me a moment . . 
1. What and where is the "boot" of a car? At first I thought each post meant the "trunk" of the car, but that did not made sence as some were putting their poos in the boot? Is that the space behind the last row or seats?
2. Have pretty much figured this out and now use it all the time . . I love the word "cheeky", not used here . . but guessing it means full of the devil!
3. How much weight is a "stone" . . that one I have no idea . . nor any of the other weights used here . . have looked up conversions of kg. to lbs.
4. I also figured out the "loo" . . thats one of my favorites!! We call it the toilet or potty, but I like Loo!! which brings me to the next one
5. You say taking a poo outside to toilet . . we say outside to potty or poo or pee . . but again I love the toilet expression better.
6. You say "pub" for bar . . . it sounds classier and nicer (and BTW . . you will NEVER see a dog allowed in a pub in the States! . . SHAME!) I have never seen a "dogs allowed" in ANY store in the States, double shame!! I would love to see that sign . . you are very fortunate there!! 
There are several more, but this post is long enough, please understand I am not making fun . . I am very intrigued and love the difference in the language and at times even imagine the accent with each one (which is also very lovely and smart sounding!) Thank you for reading!!


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Hahaha. I love it!


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

you are doing great!
I remember how shocked an American friend was when I referred to my dog as a bitch, rather than a lady dog!!


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Great post. The funniest American term for me is Fanny Pack! We say bum bag. Fanny here means something quite different!


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## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

Made me laugh and woke Monty up too! We lived in America (rye, nj) for four years when I was a child and it took the school about a week to realise what I meant when i needed the loo! I'll try to help ...
1. Boot - space of the back of the car.
2. Cheeky - exactly! 
3. A Stone is 14 pounds.
Our local pub serves dog biscuits at the bar as well as drinks. Monty loves it in there! 
Very good thread! 
Sally


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Nice one Nanci. I forget that we just jabber away and that some of the words we use are not universal.
Just to confirm, the boot is the same as trunk.
What a shame your bars don't encourage dogs. I've often seen a sign that says Dogs Welcome.
As for weight, there are 14 lbs to 1 stone. Rather than counting say 147 lbs, we'd say 10stone 7, or 10 and a half stone.


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## Beth Watkins (Jun 11, 2012)

flounder_1 said:


> Great post. The funniest American term for me is Fanny Pack! We say bum bag. Fanny here means something quite different!


I also find this term extremely funny! Was in the states last year and made me chuckle lol


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## Duckdog (Jul 23, 2012)

I spent a fair amount of time working in Vancouver and I used to throw Brit phrases into my sentences in meetings just to see if anyone would ask me to explain


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Now I'm laughing at the "fanny pack" remark as that is correct! We do say that! Will use my imagination for what that must mean there!! Spot on!! hee hee Now you got me going . . it's FRIDAY!! Was it Jo Jo that did the crazy Friday posts??
My husband is from California and he says bitchin for something thats cool, the first time he said that in front of our prechers wife I thought she would drop her dentures!! She spun around like the excorcist and said "What did you say?" He also says "I've got to hit the head" for the restroom "Loo" from his military days, and has all the grandchildren saying "flick" for new movies out at the theaters! So this is not exclusive . . but still love the British accent and language. When we come across Brits here we keep making them talk just to hear the accent . . and they do the same here due to the "southern drawl" They keep saying 'Nanci . . say ya'll again" which means you all . . as in ya'll are sooo funny! OK I really need to stop . . I'm laughing out loud and my husband is staring . .


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Love this thread I hope you can think of some more ..... We used to say going to the flicks/ pictures but i think they are both a bit out dated now...... And Fanny, well similar sort of biological region but both sexes don't have them


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Well you Americans certainly wouldn't use a rubber to rub out your pencil writing would you!!! Cos us Brits would


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I go on an American travel forum sometimes and a Brit once asked if they should take their 'wellies' and 'brollies' and the Americans howled with laughter at the expressions!

My teenage boys fell about at the sign outside a bar in Australia saying 'no thongs!'


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## Salfordnurse (May 4, 2011)

One of my friends moved over to the States a couple of years ago, and has started including American terms in parentheses so he us friends understands what she is talking about.

As far as I can work out a 
duvet, is called a comforter
Chips are called fries
Crisps are called potato chips
Biscuits are cookies
Ones that confuse me are sweet tea? Candy, is that just chocolate or does it include things like hard boiled sweets gobstoppers etc,

Though my favourite story I read was regarding Sellotape (sticky tape for craft etc) in Australia the biggest selling brand of sticky tape is called durex!!!!


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I spent a year in Kenya after finishing at school. Saying 'I'm easy' there in response to the question 'what do you want to do?' meant you didn't mind... Saying 'I'm easy' to my American friends when I came home, meant something completely different, and really made them smirk. 
My best friend lived near an American Air Force base in Suffolk and married an American.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

The other one you have to be careful about is ' I am just going for a quick ***' (ciggie).


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

OK . . now I really am in stitches . . a ***??!! Really?? That in the states is not a ciggie!! Know what I mean? I have wondered for months when you say you had a Biscuit and Tea what that meant?? Is that a type of cookie? Here a biscuit is only baked bread used at meals and VERY popular in the south with butter inside and possibly maple syrup to dip it in. And SWEET TEA is about the only tea here, ice cold, not hot, loaded with sugar! I personally don't drink it, but it is served by the gallons at restaurants as the most popular drink, I usually have water. And Chips here are only french fries, with potatoe chips being the other. Are Fish and Chips there Fish and French fries??
OK . . what the heck are hard boiled candies and hobstoppers?? Holy moley . . thats a new one!! Candy here covers a multitude of sweets . . all chocolates included! 
What do you call grits there? Or do you have it there? Its like cream of wheat, but more grainy and very popular in the south. My husband will not touch it! He also will not eat turnip greens, mustard greens or black eyed peas! He says greens are for cows, not people!! 
There was also a term for having a glass of wine, but I cannot recall it . . 
You also say "straight away" and we say "right now"
Also "pop over" and we say "go over"
Also a term for undergarments or underware . . was it bloomers!!?? Thats what grannys wear here!! Such a hoot, I am still laughing!!


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## theaccessman (Mar 12, 2012)

I had the pleasure of visiting the UK when only 17
While enjoying a pint at the local Pub I was asked if I would like a ***?
Can only imagine the expression on my face


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

No we don't wear bloomers you must have been watching Downton Abbey! But if you talk about your pants in Uk you will be talking about your underwear!


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

I think grits is called porridge here. We also call granola muesli. And your biscuits we call scones and would eat for afternoon tea with jam and cream. And crackers with soup! What's that about? Here we'd have bread with our soup.


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## Skyesdog (Jun 7, 2012)

Great post, this has made me laugh with my morning cup of tea!!! 
PS - Don't think grits really exists here. I tried it once with family in South Carolina, and okra too!


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## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

Lovely thread Nanci...


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Yeh never get that American biscuit thing  or maple syrup on your breakfast .a boiled sweet is a hard candythat you"d have to suck. We need photos of fish and chips and tea and biscuits xxx


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## Salfordnurse (May 4, 2011)

Not really American/English words but something that always confused me
Why is it ship-ment when it comes by road and Car-go when it comes by sea?


A Confused Simon and Poppy


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Just remembered when we were at Sea World once my daughter was about to enter a play area and was told " you can't come in here with a boo- boo " I'm even doing the accent lol....we were both dumb founded and looked it, the woman then pointed at the graze on her knee...... Oh that boo- boo


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

YES . . please . . a picture of "scones and tea"! That sounds delicious!!
Okra . . yuk . . I hate those, especially in soup as they taste slimey!! ugh, have never cooked that in any form!!
I agree . . bread is much better with soup than crackers! We eat saltine crackers only with chili in the winter! A local restaruant called Olive Garden serves homemade soup with buttery hot bread sticks and they are yummy!
As for ship-ment, cargo makes more sence . . never thought about that one! Heads up!!
The name wasent bloomers . . I will have to find that post, she was talking about her daughters underware being swipped by her poo, maybe it was "knickers" or "nickers", what are those?
The boo boo made me really laugh as it is used more for childrens abrasions, I guess it sounds more sympathetic for little ones (do you say kids?) Can see where that would be confusing!
One last one we are jabbed about OFTEN is saying "fixin to" as in "about to" as in "Are you fixin to go now?" I really loathe that slang and would not allow my children to say that as is sounds illiterate!
Is 1 lb equal to 2.2kg. there?? I have a hard time with that one, and the currency exchange also . . what is equal to a quarter 25 cents? and a half dollar 50 cents?
Thank you again for all your replys, it has been informative, but mostly hiliarious!!!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Whoever posted bloomers will have been joking, that's a term for old fashioned 'pants' yeh we would call then knickers for girls underwater and underpants for boys. 
Yeh a lb is equivalent to 2.2 kg
Not sure of the exchange rate but we have pence...1p 2p 5p 10p 20p 50p then a £1. So like wise 50p is equivalent to half a pound but we don't term it that x


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

theaccessman said:


> I had the pleasure of visiting the UK when only 17
> While enjoying a pint at the local Pub I was asked if I would like a ***?
> Can only imagine the expression on my face


This is hilarious, that must have been quite a learning curve for you.

As regards a glass of wine, there is a term glass of bubbly, or just plain bubbly. Its actually refers to champagne. I was in Las Vegas going to see Elton John in concert there and they had a list of drinks you could buy at the bar. I said to my hubby I'd have a glass of bubbly. The man in front couldn't understand as it obviously wasn't listed


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## Lynn<3 (Jul 4, 2011)

> i will bet anybody from the United States has had the same problem, just have not asked.



I grew up with an English Priest, I married an English man, I understand it.


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Thank you all for the tolerance . . its been my lesson in British culture!! Karen . . thanks . .the exchange rate is quite different than ours, but got a better picture now. Will have to remember my "bubbly" for the Friday night posts that are sooo funny! And JoJo . . that chocolate hiding was hilarious . . looks like what I do with the TV remote control!! And electrical cords!! The Nose posts were awesome, loved them!!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

The boot is the trunk but we would only put our dogs in when it is a 'hatchback' which means the sloping door with the window in - not the old fashioned flat kind!
I have a friend of a friend from Houston, she loves to say a quote from 'my fair lady' when at the races Eliza yells in her cockney accent 'come on Dover - shift yer bloomin arse'!!!
So many american words are being used by kids over here now as they get it from the tv, they are starting to say movies instead of films and garbage truck instead of bin lorry, and we now eat cookies, although they tend to be the ones double the size of our usual biscuits. loving this thread.


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## baking mama (Jul 11, 2010)

Am loving this thread 

I hadn't realised there were so many differences...


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Not exactly Tea and Scones, but afternoon tea, the scones are small but need to be with all the rest of it x


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Oh Karen . . thank you sooo much, I have stared at that picture for 10 minutes looking at all the different goodies!! The tea looks scrummy!! Now I feel imformed on "tea time"! 
Yea . . garbage truck does sound a bit cras! When my neice was 4 yrs old, and anyone asked her what she would be when she grew up (my sister would always coach her to say "ballerena") and she would always say "I wanna be a garbage girl" because she wanted to ride on the back of the truck!!
What I'm realizing is your terminology is much more sophisticated and kind to the ears!!
So from now on when I see a word or phrase I am totally lost on, I will pop in with the "whats that?" question! Thank you all so much . .


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Nanci said:


> Is 1 lb equal to 2.2kg. there??


Nearly - it is the other way round though - 2.2 lb to a Kg


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Nanci, my son told me to take the trash out last week .. oh dear I think he has been watching too much America stuff on YouTube ... I was giggling as we call in the rubbish or bin, my kids also love the Canadian Ehhh! which they also told me about ..I had to ask Mo (LadyAmanda) if this was an Canadain thing or just my kids teasing me.... 

Hey a language and a bit of water between us all can't stop virtual cockapoo friendships, that's for sure


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

My husband travel to Europe when he was in college back in the 70's. Well he lived in Ohio next to a family that was English. They moved back to England. He visited while them while he was there. They sat down to watch a TV show. My hubby could not understand a word that was being said on the TV. They had to "translate" it for him.  Even though they where speaking "English". LOL

Although I do think language is starting to merge with the internet and tv being world wide now...

Although, being on this site I'm learning new words.... didn't know what pinched was and now I do...


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## Lynn<3 (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks to sitting there listening to my husband's siblings fight, I learned a few words I wouldn't have heard on the British line up on PBS ^^.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Lol great thread! And Canada is stuck somewhere in between.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Hi Mo . . . my stepmom was Canadian and I used to laugh at her saying po da dos for potatoes . . she was a wonderful lady! Boy, could she cook!!! The best pastry in the world.


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## flowerchild (Mar 21, 2012)

Nanci--having been brought up in the US by an English mother who always believed the US should submit to the Queen, I go back as often as possible. You should learn the insults and light swear words, they're the dog's bollocks! I worked in health care and couldn't use American off color words, so I used theirs, and got away with it!


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## kat (Jun 23, 2012)

this is funny, my son watches that much spongebob he has picked up american words !
example
1 he will say elevator, we say lift
2 he says garbage, we say rubbish
3 i will say "jacob how much is it, he will say 3 dollors, we say pounds
4 mcdonalds he will ask for a pattie, we say burger
5 he says dimes, we say pennies
6 he says garbage truck, we say bin lorry
7 he says dumpster, we say bin !

i think we should take a trip to america he would love it !


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

*Scones*

Nanci - these are my homemade scones, the ones in front are my signature Berry scones topped with demerara sugar. In Scotland (and some other parts of UK) we pronounce it "scon" with the "e" being silent.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Nanci said:


> Hi Mo . . . my stepmom was Canadian and I used to laugh at her saying po da dos for potatoes . . she was a wonderful lady! Boy, could she cook!!! The best pastry in the world.


LOL!!! what part of Canada! haha I definetly say Potatoes. lol.


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## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

ali-s.j. said:


> Nanci - these are my homemade scones, the ones in front are my signature Berry scones topped with demerara sugar. In Scotland (and some other parts of UK) we pronounce it "scon" with the "e" being silent.


Ali these look delicious


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Yummy Ali, your infamous scones, they look delicious are they scons or scones


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## Salfordnurse (May 4, 2011)

ali-s.j. said:


> Nanci - these are my homemade scones, the ones in front are my signature Berry scones topped with demerara sugar. In Scotland (and some other parts of UK) we pronounce it "scon" with the "e" being silent.


Well I guess some one has to say it. 
What are the worlds fastest cakes ?
SCON(e)

Simon and Poppy


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Oh Ali . . thank you sooo much for that picture . . my tummy is literally rumbling just looking at them . . now I really want one with that yummy looking tea!! It's been raining here for 3 days and we are house crazy . . have not been able to take walks and Sami has been so very naughty the past 2 days!!!! Chasing and nipping til I had to get the flyswatter out!!! He hates it and will back off when he see it out. I really feel like I have a 2yr old . . he scolds me with barking when he sees it and sticks his bum in the air and growls!!! Sooooo naughty


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## Skyesdog (Jun 7, 2012)

ali-s.j. said:


> Nanci - these are my homemade scones, the ones in front are my signature Berry scones topped with demerara sugar. In Scotland (and some other parts of UK) we pronounce it "scon" with the "e" being silent.


Ali - they look like amazing scones! Now I am going to go to bed dreaming of scones - baking day tomorrow I think! N x


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

send me a recipie!!!
ok the last time I made scones, I was about 14 it was the first thing I ever baked solo, and I managed to melt a pop corn maker....it was left ontop of the vent on the oven, and it melted everywhere!


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

wilfiboy said:


> Yummy Ali, your infamous scones, they look delicious are they scons or scones


"Scons" Karen - I was chuckling at the Xtra factor when someone was corrected at Gary's house for not pronouncing the "e"! I grew up "dahn sarf" eating "Scones" but I only make Scon(e)s!


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

@ Mairi and Nadine - I will try to remember to bring you some for the next meet


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

lady amanda said:


> send me a recipie!!!
> ok the last time I made scones, I was about 14 it was the first thing I ever baked solo, and I managed to melt a pop corn maker....it was left ontop of the vent on the oven, and it melted everywhere!


Oh dear! I will pm you - the recipe is a closely guarded secret! If I send it in metric, can you convert?


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Yes I sure can!
EEEE I am excited!


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