I'm bored, let's see how many words we can come up with that are spelt/pronounced differently in 'US English' than they are in our English. Also words that are the same in each language but with different meanings or vice versa.
E.g.
Humour - Humor
Yoghurt
Boot - Trunk
I'm so sad. ^_^
2007-09-02 03:59:29 · 57 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
angelpurplewings: Heh, I knew someone would ask that. When I said that I was 'sad' what I actually meant was lame if you like, not sad as in boo-hoo lol. Nice of you to show your concern though. :)
2007-09-02 04:34:51 · update #1
tap-fosset
crisps-chips
chips-fries
ar$e-***
bum-fanny
Mum-Mom
tomatoe/tomato
pavement-sidewalk
jam-jelly
toilets-rest room
flat-apartment
handbag-purse
dummy-Pacifier
nappy-diaper
tissues-kleenex (do they not know any other brand?!?!)
I went to visit some of my relatives in America(they went to live ther bout 14yr ago) my little nephew said mommy look at the aeros on the road...i was looking for bubbly minty chocolate bars til his mum explained he said arrows!!
Also whats with them calling it English when they dont use our english words?!
That was fun...have a star.xx
;-)
2007-09-02 04:05:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 3⤋
Motorway = highway
Colour = color
Pavement = sidewalk
Plaster = Band-aid
Garden = yard
Crisps = chips
Chips = Fries
Centre = center
Post Code = Zip code
Post = Mail
Nappy = Diapper
Rubbish = Garbage
Bin = Garbage/ Dust bin
Tissues = Kleenex
Flat = apartement / Condo
Block of flats = Condonium
Petrol = Gas
Council = City
Lift = Elevator
MobilePhone = Cell Phone
Bathroom = Washroom
Loo = toilet
Sweet = Candy
Holiday = Vacation
That's all i can think of.
2007-09-03 03:14:58 · answer #2 · answered by genieeneesh 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have just read a very sad book about Latvians moving to America after many years of torture from the Russians. They were preparing a meal and decided they needed paper napkins (or serviettes!) One of the older men was sent to the drug store to purchase some (drug store always confuses me!) and got a thick ear when he got back with a packet of sanitary towels!
I too had a few mishaps when I went to America. I was cheerfully explaining that I was an AI (Assistant Riding Instructor in English) and wondered why everything went quiet until it was explained that AI in America means Artificial Inseminator!
I love languages though!
2007-09-02 22:58:00 · answer #3 · answered by zakiit 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Car boot- trunk
Nappies- diapers
Doughnuts-donuts
Colours-colors
Toilet- restroom/bathroom
Rubbish-trash
Lift-elevator
Secondary school-high school
Centre- center
Holiday- vacation
Easter holidays- spring break
2015-07-12 12:18:39 · answer #4 · answered by Jessica 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
WC/Toilet - restroom/bathroom
teddy is wrong. We do use "pregnant" the same way the British do here in the U.S. "Knocked up" is slang.
handbag and purse are used interchangeably here in the U.S.
Differences of "mall" and "shopping center" here in U.S. :
mall = big shopping area usually in a big building composed of many department stores and access to a big parking lot and a food court.
shopping center = a small shopping area with a variety of shops & supermarkets, with limited parking space, etc...
In the past, there were no movie theaters in the malls or shopping centers, but now it's becoming a trend?!
Even though we don't use the term "fortnight" here in the U.S., most dictionaries would say it means 2 weeks [14 days], but that's wrong. A fortnight = 15 days!
In the US it's called "gas" or gasoline while almost everywhere else it's called "petrol", but in Norway it's called "benzin"[benzine]
In the UK it's called "lorry". In the U.S., it's called a "truck". Here's why "lorry" might be wrong: In Norwegian, it's called "trukk". See the similarities between "truck" and "trukk"? Now where did "lorry" come from?
John B,
All over the US, it's called a highway, not freeway. Only in California, it's called a "freeway". But what does CHiP stand for? I guess you don't really know? California Highway Patrol.
Why do they call it "jelly" in UK, while it's called "jam" in US? But then when it's made with orange and orange peel, it's called marmalade, not jam/jelly? There's strawberry jam/jelly, but it's [orange] marmalade!
Most of the -ize, -ise, -our, -or, -re, -er, differences are due to the British clinging to the Normandy French words.
The British pronunciation of "schedule" is due to Germanic/Scandinavian influences, so it's pronounced "shed-jyool", but the U.S. pronunciation is based on German / Dutch influences, so it's pronounced "sked-jyool".
"condom = rubber"
stupid, we do use the word "condom" here in the U.S. Rubber is something from a tree, not a condom! Rubber might be a euphemism for "condom".
nickynackynoo,
We do use the word "huge" and "herb" here in the U.S. The ' might be from Ebonics?!
2007-09-02 05:11:59 · answer #5 · answered by bryan_q 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
tyres/tires
favourite/favorite
centre/center
theatre/theater
jewellery/jewelry
labour/labor
any that ends in "ise" we use "ize" except for advertise
Pronounced differently:
privacy
schedule
process
jaguar
centimeter
Words that mean different things:
fanny
***
rubber
knickers
boot
bonnet
pants
U.S. for "paddock" is "pasture"
And whoever said pregnant, we do use that word in the U.S. "Knocked up" is slang, duh.
Why can't we appreciate the differences between our two countries instead of starting this slanging match with the "UK is superior" mantra we hear constantly on here? My ancestors had every right to use a language they were taught from their homeland. Languages change. Just like the Afrikaans spoken in South Africa is different from the Dutch of the Netherlands. Sorry about my rant, but I come from English descent and now think I come from the most elitist, snobbish group of people in the entire world! Dang, are you that insecure that you have to say "it's our language," and "the correct way to say it"? Sounds like something a 11-year-old would say.
2007-09-02 04:19:11 · answer #6 · answered by Lydia H 5 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Sidewalk - Pavement
Period - Full stop
Fall - Autumn
Sneakers - Trainers
Jelly - Jam
Ladybug - Ladybird
Chips - Crisps
Cotton Candy - Candy Floss
Zip Code - Post Code
Diaper - Nappy
color - colour
theorize - theorise
theater - theatre
analyze - analyse
honor - honour
cozy - cosy
center - centre
favorite - favourite
2007-09-02 04:04:31 · answer #7 · answered by 12345 3 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Examples of spelling metre - English meter - American. (favourite - " favorite - American. (There are plenty of words with the 'ou' and 'er' variations) There are many words that have different meanings in either language, some of them although innocuous in one language are offensive in the other. (e.g Fanny - American meaning someone's bottom as in 'Kiss my bottom' but considered rude/vulgar in English as it is the female genitalia )
2016-04-02 23:30:25 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't feel sad! I know that words : Candy - Sweet, Cinema -Theatre, Centre - Center, Toilet -Washroom, Colour - Color, Building - Mansion, Post - Mail, and so on.... Nows-a-day, we almost use US English already for many US movies (Hollywood) coming out. And I know that US English is very easily to learn, very easily to get the meanings. But UK English is difference. They have noble & royal English, general English. Just try your best!!
2007-09-02 04:27:12 · answer #9 · answered by Chan A 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
bonnet-hood
windscreen-windshield
lorry-truck
petrol-gasoline
tele-tv
chips-french fries
bisquit-cookie
underground-subway
football-soccer
ground floor-first floor
loo-toilet
lift-elevator
-joke-
An American tourist went to London and asked the doorman at a hotel, "Where's the elevator?"
"The lift is down the hall."
"No, you don't understand. It's an ELEVATOR! Some guy in America invented the thing!"
"That's true, but some bloke over here invented the language."
2007-09-02 04:19:59 · answer #10 · answered by kdanley 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋