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smudge
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09 Oct 2017, 2:58 pm

^ To all three of you: It is certainly interesting to read, I haven't heard those particular ones. There must be some around locally here that are used that I don't realise about.


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naturalplastic
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10 Oct 2017, 1:11 pm

Americans study "math"
But Brits study "maths".
But both Brits and Americans study "ceramics".
Go figure.

Brits "go to hospital"

Americans "go to THE hospital".

But Americans "go to college".

And Brits also "go to college". Except that they don't "go to college". They "go to university". And sometimes they shorten it to "go to uni" (as if "going to university" doesn't sound dorky enough! lol!).



naturalplastic
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10 Oct 2017, 1:16 pm

There is even starting to be grammer, as well as vocabulary, differences.

In Britain a reporter can say "the government are doing X", or "the crowd are going crazy".

In the US "the government" and "the crowd" are thought of as one thing. So you talk about them as a singular. The government is doing this, and the crowd is doing that.



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10 Oct 2017, 5:43 pm

Alexanderplatz wrote:
Can I bum a fag off you? is an polite informal way of asking someone for a free cigarette.
Do you mind if I bum a fag? is also commonly heard.


Can you what? If someone asked me that, I would have assumed they meant someone and not the packet in which they speak.
Usually, it's 'Can I have a fag?' or '' Can I borrow a fag?'' or ''You got any spare Cigs?'' all that and more, but not can I burn a fag from you, usually its impolite.
Also, for Biscuitman, if you want to be the sole provider of your middle class income, it usually goes with an afternoon or mid-afternoon tea (and biscuit). :roll:



Biscuitman
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11 Oct 2017, 1:31 am

naturalplastic wrote:
Americans study "math"
But Brits study "maths".
But both Brits and Americans study "ceramics".
Go figure.

Brits "go to hospital"

Americans "go to THE hospital".

But Americans "go to college".

And Brits also "go to college". Except that they don't "go to college". They "go to university". And sometimes they shorten it to "go to uni" (as if "going to university" doesn't sound dorky enough! lol!).


We actually do go to college and we go to university! That'll confuse ya! :lol:



Biscuitman
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11 Oct 2017, 1:33 am

Empathy wrote:
Also, for Biscuitman, if you want to be the sole provider of your middle class income, it usually goes with an afternoon or mid-afternoon tea (and biscuit). :roll:


Literally no idea what this even means



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17 Oct 2017, 6:49 pm

^^ :?
That's ok, I just fancied a snack in an art ceramics textiles class when I could foresee the next stage in my graduation.

Graduation means to pass in America. To pass here, usually involves surviving the last eight years of med or law school and then you can pass with flying colours.



OutsideView
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18 Oct 2017, 7:40 am

When I was in the USA I confused people by asking someone to put something in the "bin" for me. Apparently that would be some kind of big container you might keep apples in rather than a "trash can".
I also kept getting laughed at for calling groups of people "folk".
When I asked someone where "Katy" was they kept not knowning who I was talking about until I pronounced it "Kady".
I spent ages trying to find the "toilets" in a restaurant. Why would I go in the "restroom", I didn't need a rest?
Don't think Americans use the word "minging" for something disgusting or "minger" for someone unattractive.
Something that really bothers me is people in the UK suddenly using the word "season" instead of "series" for things on TV.


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18 Oct 2017, 8:08 am

I remember trying to buy a kettle in Indianapolis once. More to do with the hoosier accent than anything else, but great fun nonetheless.


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Biscuitman
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18 Oct 2017, 11:20 am

OutsideView wrote:
When I was in the USA I confused people by asking someone to put something in the "bin" for me. Apparently that would be some kind of big container you might keep apples in rather than a "trash can".
I also kept getting laughed at for calling groups of people "folk".
When I asked someone where "Katy" was they kept not knowning who I was talking about until I pronounced it "Kady".


Stayed on Long Island for work about 5 years ago, got sick and had to go to hospital. The guy on the reception desk couldn't understand me at all and just kept looking at me blankly. I had to write down where I was from on a piece of paper as he couldn't understand where in the world I was saying. His computer then asked him what state I was from, he asked me and I said none as we don't have them but he may as well put my county in as it is probably the closest thing, he didn't get it, kept looking at me funny and asking if Berkshire was a state. :lol:



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19 Oct 2017, 7:38 am

They were't too bad with my Manchester accent when I was staying in California but the girl I was working with was from Newcastle and they had no idea what she was talking about! I kept having to be her translator :lol:


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naturalplastic
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19 Oct 2017, 9:49 am

OutsideView wrote:
When I asked someone where "Katy" was they kept not knowning who I was talking about until I pronounced it "Kady".
.


Am an American, and I still don't get it.

Who/what is "Kady"?



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19 Oct 2017, 11:52 am

Ah sorry, Katy was someone I worked with. As an English person I was pronouncing her name with a "t" in the middle but the person I was speaking to didn't ralise who I was talking about until I pronounced it like it had a "d" in the middle. Not so much terminology as accent causing the problem :)


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19 Oct 2017, 12:27 pm

That happened to someone I know who's daughter is called Molly. No one in America could understand the British pronunciation. They're like, 'what's her name? Moolly? Mully?'

My friend was like. No it's Maally. And they're like, oh Maally.



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27 Oct 2017, 4:20 am

I don't think it's used in all areas of the UK but certainly where I'm from we call a fart a trump. Which makes President Trump really funny and Ivana Trump even better! :lol:


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27 Oct 2017, 5:46 am

OutsideView wrote:
I don't think it's used in all areas of the UK but certainly where I'm from we call a fart a trump. Which makes President Trump really funny and Ivana Trump even better! :lol:


Yeah my daughter calls farts 'trumps'. She saw me watching the news a while back and heard them say Trump and burst out laughing