Separated By a Common Language - US and UK

[Nitro]

In common language,the Americans and Canadians say aluminum where the countries outside of North America use aluminium.

In the USA though,aluminuim rules out in scientific circles.

 

[Judge]

i think paralegal is our solicitor but i think is also part of your attorney

A paralegal in the US is not an actual attorney nor a member of the bar.

 

[Streetwise]

arse/ass
grilled /broiled
double cream /heavy cream coriander/cilantro
spring onion /scallion
tea can be early evening meal-brewed herbal drink-cuppa/brewed herbal drink

George Bernard Shaw said: "England and America are two countries separated by a common language." That is a true statement. It caused me to think about some of the phrases used between the two countries and I thought it would be interesting to compare.

US - Car trunk
UK - Boot

US - Fries
UK - Chips

What others can you think of?

 

[Streetwise]

thought my memory was correct but what i have heard described confused me
barrister is the gob(mouthpiece) gob is slang /derogatory for mouth as they can be seen as arrogant

 

[Judge]

thought my memory was correct but what i have heard described confused me
barrister is the gob(mouthpiece) gob is slang /derogatory for mouth as they can be seen as arrogant

Gob? Cool. Never heard of that one before. First time I ever heard of "snogging" was in one of the Harry Potter films.

 

[Streetwise]

police(busy's,pigs used in a derogatory way (hate animals being equated to base human vices)/cops
moggy(mixed breed domestic cat )/kitty ,cat
dog/puppy
spuggy(sparrow),sparrow
mobile/cellphone

 

[Streetwise]

Gob? Cool. Never heard of that one before. First time I ever heard of "snogging" was in one of the Harry Potter films.

do you have a sweet /candy in the us called a gobstopper?

Gob? Cool. Never heard of that one before. First time I ever heard of "snogging" was in one of the Harry Potter films.

 

[Streetwise]

Scots English had(hold ,also past participle of have )
its dribbles over into n.England with bairn/baby -child
tatties/potatoes
english'english:
bap/bread bun
stottie cake,flat bread

 

[Streetwise]

UK: rubbish
US: trash, garbage

UK: bollocks
US: BS, bullcrap

UK: "innit?"
US: "isn't it?", "ain't it?"

UK: advert
US: commercial

Could be wrong here, let me know

bollocks are testicles/balls
knackers/balls

 

[Judge]

do you have a sweet /candy in the us called a gobstopper?

Oddly enough I think the only time I ever heard of that was also in one of the Harry Potter films.

 

[SusanLR]

Raincoat- US Mac- Uk
Elevator- US Lift- UK
Baby Carriages- US Pram- Uk
Gazebo- US Round about- UK
TV- US Telly- UK (spelling?)
Bloody- covered with blood- US Bloody- Slang term used in UK. Not sure how to define meaning unless it's equivalent to F'ing slang term in US?

 

[FreeDiver]

Here's one you might find confusing. In the US, we say "for rent", while over in the UK, they say "To let".

Did you know that they still use Miles instead of Kilometers in the UK?

Did you know that cigarettes are called "Fags" in the UK.If you are coming from the UK to the US. I'd be very careful with this one.

 

[xudo]

But then what does UK calls what we refer as biscuit?

To me, looks kind of like a scone. Although I understand biscuits are more salty and less dense than our scones. It's more like a dumpling I guess, although probably not as dense and stodgy as one of those either

 

[Streetwise]

fags are also called tabs, ciggies

 

[Streetwise]

Raincoat- US Mac- Uk
Elevator- US Lift- UK
Baby Carriages- US Pram- Uk
Gazebo- US Round about- UK
TV- US Telly- UK (spelling?)
Bloody- covered with blood- US Bloody- Slang term used in UK. Not sure how to define meaning unless it's equivalent to F'ing slang term in US?

we have gazebos in the UK wooden garden structure
roundabout is a nearly flat completelycircular structure with grass or concrete or tarmac(tarmacadam)placed on intersections on a and b roads

 

[Streetwise]

telly is correct
bloody is taken from a blasphemy-bloody then hell( a lot of people WOULDNT know that in the UK )just use it

Raincoat- US Mac- Uk
Elevator- US Lift- UK
Baby Carriages- US Pram- Uk
Gazebo- US Round about- UK
TV- US Telly- UK (spelling?)
Bloody- covered with blood- US Bloody- Slang term used in UK. Not sure how to define meaning unless it's equivalent to F'ing slang term in US?

 

[Streetwise]

how heavy is a biscuit ?
scones have cheese usually cheddar,sultana (fruit),raisin,preserved cherry,currant(blackcurrant (fruit)walnut.

I guessing we talking about cookies what we call it in Canada as well
View attachment 35065

But then what does UK calls what we refer as biscuit?
View attachment 35066

 

[Streetwise]

we use garbage as a term for: that is to me completely wrong ,incorrect in a superior derogatory way but s**t is used more

i think paralegal is our solicitor but i think is also part of your attorney

 

[Streetwise]

bog is just the toilet /toilet-john

 

[AGXStarseed]

Public Service Announcement (PSA) - US
Public Information Film (PIF) - UK

Cell/Cell Phone - US
Mobile/Mobile Phone - UK