Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[DanieMarie]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=cesara link=topic=758.msg12360#msg12360 date=1289574068]

haha.....too funny! I thought Americans would get 'gong show', too, though??
[/quote]

I've asked quite a few and they just think of the actual gong show, not using it as slang for a crazy time.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=Maythe link=topic=758.msg12312#msg12312 date=1289546144]
It's neither pop nor soda, it's a fizzy drink, or the brand name or type, like lemonade. [/quote]

I could be wrong on this, but from what I can tell, younger generations in the UK say 'fizzy drink', and older ones say 'pop'.

[quote author=Maythe link=topic=758.msg12312#msg12312 date=1289546144]
When you say toque=beanie volcaniclastic, what object are you talking about? To me a beanie is a particular type of wooly hat, but you could also just call it a wooly hat. I don't think of beanie as a particularly British word! :P
[/quote]

Yes, a toque is a wooly hat. And beanie is used in Australia too, but virtually nowhere else (that I know of)

[quote author=DanieMarie link=topic=758.msg12365#msg12365 date=1289574459]
I've asked quite a few and they just think of the actual gong show, not using it as slang for a crazy time.
[/quote]

I had NO idea 'gong show' was a Canadian word!

[thalassa]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=volcaniclastic link=topic=758.msg12375#msg12375 date=1289575716]
Yes, a toque is a wooly hat. And beanie is used in Australia too, but virtually nowhere else (that I know of)
[/quote]

Here, its just a hat.

Unless you are in the Navy...then its a watch cap.


Naval lingo...

scuttlebutt--water fountain OR rumors/gossip
head--bathroom
bulkhead--wall
overhead--cieling
deck--floor
belowdecks--floors below the main deck
levels--floors above the main deck
geedunk--junk food
veding ops--going to a geedunk machine
rack--where you sleep
rack ops--taking a nap/going to bed
voluntold--when someone else volunteers you for something
shotex--group immunizations
mess decks--dining area
galley--kitchen

[Dez]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=Veronica link=topic=758.msg12340#msg12340 date=1289562555]

I lived in the Caribbean for a time and one of the first things I learned was that if you were just hanging around you were *limin'* I love their dialect!

"Hey white guhl! How you do today? You limin' or wah?"

Quite a shock when I first moved there...
[/quote]

Where in the Caribbean were you Veronica? I had some Haitian friends in high school, and that's obviously somewhere else to me

[FantasyWitch]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

First off I feel dumb for missing this thread cause the difference between England, Wales and Scotland is also quite a bit! Its all dialect and attitudes so I will be the Scottish voice for Britain!

ALSO

[quote author=Sin link=topic=758.msg12284#msg12284 date=1289532120]
One thing thats always got me is schools... cos even in England there's a variation of where to be at what age.. I mean I've had the typical English education -

Nursery - 0-4
Primary School - 4-11
High School/Secondary School - 11-16
College - 16-18
University 18-21
[/quote]

Schools up here do things differently to England.

You go to pre-group at 2.
Nursery 3-4
Primary School from 5-12
High School is different. You have to legally stay in school till you are 16, and then you have the choice to either stay on at school for another 2 years until you are 18 or leave and get a job, go to college, whatever.
Then you can go to uni from 17 upwards for anywhere between 3-7 years depending on the course you choose.

ALSO our exams are different to the English.

We do 8 standard grades from our third year(14) in high school to our forth (when you are near enough 16) and you can then leave if you wish. That is the same as GCSE in England.
If you stay on you at school after 16 you spend your 5th year doing 5 highers (the equivalent of A levels)
And then if you stay on in 6 year you can sit advanced highers of the subjects you did highers in the year before, or do more highers of your choice. In 6th year you do a minimum of 3 subjects, but you don't have to fill your timetable!


Any questions for the Scottish chick?

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=FantasyWitch link=topic=758.msg12431#msg12431 date=1289585426]
First off I feel dumb for missing this thread cause the difference between England, Wales and Scotland is also quite a bit! Its all dialect and attitudes so I will be the Scottish voice for Britain!

ALSO

Schools up here do things differently to England.

You go to pre-group at 2.
Nursery 3-4
Primary School from 5-12
High School is different. You have to legally stay in school till you are 16, and then you have the choice to either stay on at school for another 2 years until you are 18 or leave and get a job, go to college, whatever.
Then you can go to uni from 17 upwards for anywhere between 3-7 years depending on the course you choose.

ALSO our exams are different to the English.

We do 8 standard grades from our third year(14) in high school to our forth (when you are near enough 16) and you can then leave if you wish. That is the same as GCSE in England.
If you stay on you at school after 16 you spend your 5th year doing 5 highers (the equivalent of A levels)
And then if you stay on in 6 year you can sit advanced highers of the subjects you did highers in the year before, or do more highers of your choice. In 6th year you do a minimum of 3 subjects, but you don't have to fill your timetable!


Any questions for the Scottish chick?
[/quote]

I think you just ruled Edinburgh out of my university list. :P

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=thalassa link=topic=758.msg12393#msg12393 date=1289577033]
Here, its just a hat.

Unless you are in the Navy...then its a watch cap.


Naval lingo...

scuttlebutt--water fountain OR rumors/gossip
head--bathroom
bulkhead--wall
overhead--cieling
deck--floor
belowdecks--floors below the main deck
levels--floors above the main deck
geedunk--junk food
veding ops--going to a geedunk machine
rack--where you sleep
rack ops--taking a nap/going to bed
voluntold--when someone else volunteers you for something
shotex--group immunizations
mess decks--dining area
galley--kitchen
[/quote]

Love these! A friend who had been in the British navy once told me that when things were well and truly messed up they would describe it as a 'cake and arse party'

[FantasyWitch]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=volcaniclastic link=topic=758.msg12514#msg12514 date=1289596920]
I think you just ruled Edinburgh out of my university list. :P
[/quote]

Depends on the course. Seven years is a dr. course. 5 is full honours (all the courses I am applying too) and 3 years is your bog standard degree.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

If ever proof was needed that sometimes things just don't translate between the two cultures, have a quick look at this!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1330994/Lost-translation-Transformers-toy-sold-UK-offensive-name.html

Hard to believe nobody spotted it!

[ThorsSon]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=Tylluan Penry link=topic=758.msg14883#msg14883 date=1290160651]
If ever proof was needed that sometimes things just don't translate between the two cultures, have a quick look at this!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1330994/Lost-translation-Transformers-toy-sold-UK-offensive-name.html

Hard to believe nobody spotted it!
[/quote]

So... What exactly does it mean in the UK that is so offensive?

[Eryx_UK]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

English guy for the reference.

[quote author=cesara link=topic=758.msg12295#msg12295 date=1289532928]
Is it pop or soda in the UK? [/quote]

It's pop in my corner of Blighty (East Anglia). I've never heard an British person say soda, it's always pop.

[quote author=tigersgrowl1093 link=topic=758.msg12361#msg12361 date=1289574101]
Is rotary or roundabout used in England? [/quote]

We call them roundabouts.

[quote author=ThorsSon link=topic=758.msg14884#msg14884 date=1290160942]
So... What exactly does it mean in the UK that is so offensive? [/quote]

It means someone who is mentally disabled/retarded.

[Celest]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=Eryx_UK link=topic=758.msg14891#msg14891 date=1290172010]
It means someone who is mentally disabled/retarded.
[/quote]

I think it used to mean that here in Canada too. But since it is not PC, (the retarded part) we go with mentally challenged now

[Eryx_UK]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

I was incredibly surprised by Buffy the Vampire Slayers use of the term wanker on a prime time show. Over here its a swear word, though a minor one but not something you would hear on a early/mid evening TV. American friends told me that it's not considered a swear word over in the US. I find that rather odd.

Another one that got me was a friend went over to the states a few years ago and got some very odd looks for asking "can I bum a fag?" Which means over here, if you have a spare cigarette can I have one? The term meant somethig very different to his American friends. :-[

[thalassa]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=Eryx_UK link=topic=758.msg14891#msg14891 date=1290172010]
It means someone who is mentally disabled/retarded.
[/quote]

Here it technically means having spasms (in a medical setting) or in common usage, it means being something akin to being visibly super-excited and sort of extreme in behavior (like 13 year old Justin Beiber fan girls)

[FantasyWitch]

Re: Differences between US and UK English (and others....)

[quote author=volcaniclastic link=topic=758.msg12375#msg12375 date=1289575716]
I could be wrong on this, but from what I can tell, younger generations in the UK say 'fizzy drink', and older ones say 'pop'.

[/quote]

Nope. It is fizzy drink for everyone. Or in my area fizzy juice. Energy drinks are jitter juice and alcohol is DRINK.