Pizza Pie, caravans and a common language
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The confusion comes more from words they don't have or words that mean something different (fag is the only example there and most of them have heard that one, so it's not too bad when you say "I'm going out for a fag"). Don't bother asking for crisps in the US, you'll just get a blank look. Call anyone you like a wanker, that rarely does more than confuse them. They don't even have mince pies, except in select places. Vinegar is a strange wine-dressing for salads, but salad cream is something you can't get in the US. Their definition of a rare steak is very different from ours. Randy is a boys name and only that. It goes on and on forever. Paul I think there're pieces of me you've never seen - Tori Amos, Tear in Your Hand
To an american, "Bugger" just means "something that bugs you" (as in "don't worry, we'll soon get rid of those little buggers", as used in a stargate episode at 6pm in the UK, that made me choke on my cup of tea!) [edit]Realised I didn't give the English definition. Hmm, let's say it refers to someone using the tradesman's entrance[/edit] -- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!
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First of all I was amazed Roger did not know what a caravan was. Then I found out they call them something different in The States. So what other cultural differences do you know of? So far there is:
- Pie in SA is like blueberry pie, not ever a Pizza. But in America you can go out for pie and buy a pizza, though pie in America can also just mean pie... :confused:
- A trailer is not a trailer, it is a camper van. And nobody knows what a caravan is because it is either a bunch of camels or a wheeled home, but it is not a camper van
- In SA we call them braais, in Aussie barbies and in the States BBQs
- Pants are short trousers her in SA, but are underwear in the UK
And I am sure many, many more. Sometimes I wonder we communicate in English at all! :-D
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaRay Cassick wrote: Well I am not female, not gay and I am not Paul Watson
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How many Americans "lay the table"? :laugh: Anna :rose: "Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia GraeschAnna :) wrote: How many Americans "lay the table"? :laugh: Good one. But it depends on who you are with... ;) * Oh dear, this thread could meet with a sticky end if we are not careful. Imagine being thrown out of the Soapbox... :rolleyes:
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaRay Cassick wrote: Well I am not female, not gay and I am not Paul Watson
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Atlantys wrote: Frelling scared me Ahh, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's realised that "frell" has somehow become engulfed into his normal vocabulary what was that harvey? -- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!
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Anna :) wrote: How many Americans "lay the table"? :laugh: Good one. But it depends on who you are with... ;) * Oh dear, this thread could meet with a sticky end if we are not careful. Imagine being thrown out of the Soapbox... :rolleyes:
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaRay Cassick wrote: Well I am not female, not gay and I am not Paul Watson
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David Wulff wrote: By that am I to take it you mean something that moos when you poke it? If you're lucky. It could quite easily be in the foetal stage :). I love steak that bleeds but I never order anything less than medium-rare in the US. David Wulff wrote: Ah yes. Bless his soul but I once went to school with a lovely British-American kid nammed Randy Faggot. :laugh::laugh::laugh: You are kidding? I thought comic writer Randy Queen was bad enough. But he must have thought he was getting away from the name jibes when he left the US :laugh:. Paul I think there're pieces of me you've never seen - Tori Amos, Tear in Your Hand
Paul Riley wrote: You are kidding? No, sadly I was not. :omg:
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk
An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})
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Even just within the US. - Pop in the Midwest, Soda in the NE, and Coke in the South. - BBQ in the South is smoked pork pulled apart with either tomato-based or mustard-based sauce (depending on region) - Sibling in the North, but in the South it's Spouse(;P just kidding, jeez) BW "I've been accused of vulgarity. I say that's bullshit." - Mel Brooks.
brianwelsch wrote: Sibling in the North, but in the South it's Spouse ROTFLMAO! Good one. :laugh:
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk
An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})
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How many Americans "lay the table"? :laugh: Anna :rose: "Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia GraeschOh my - I would never have thought of that one. :) I watched my mother lay the table last night... :-O
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk
An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})
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How many Americans "lay the table"? :laugh: Anna :rose: "Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia GraeschAnna :) wrote: How many Americans "lay the table"? If I did, I'd never admit to it. :rolleyes::laugh: BW "I've been accused of vulgarity. I say that's bullshit." - Mel Brooks.
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Christian Graus wrote: I believe the US calls it a 'pizza pie' Where I live, it's just "pizza," but there are many different dialects in this country. For example, I work with a guy from Washington state who refers to Coke/Pepsi/et al generically as "pop." Man, did he get ridiculed. :-D Now he says "soda" or "coke." :) Wasn't there a thread about the whole pop/soda thing a while back? Jon Sagara The world is my burrito.
Jon Sagara wrote: refers to Coke/Pepsi/et al generically as "pop." This gives me a chuckle sometimes still, just because "pop" also could be father. BW "I've been accused of vulgarity. I say that's bullshit." - Mel Brooks.
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The confusion comes more from words they don't have or words that mean something different (fag is the only example there and most of them have heard that one, so it's not too bad when you say "I'm going out for a fag"). Don't bother asking for crisps in the US, you'll just get a blank look. Call anyone you like a wanker, that rarely does more than confuse them. They don't even have mince pies, except in select places. Vinegar is a strange wine-dressing for salads, but salad cream is something you can't get in the US. Their definition of a rare steak is very different from ours. Randy is a boys name and only that. It goes on and on forever. Paul I think there're pieces of me you've never seen - Tori Amos, Tear in Your Hand
Paul Riley wrote: Their definition of a rare steak is very different from ours. How so? Rare here is browned only on the surface, but red all the way through. Medium is cooked through 50% of the thickness, and Well Done is cooked all the way through. Tartare is barely warmed, and although it makes me gag to think of it, some people actually like it done that way. "Another day done; all targets met; all systems fully operational; all customers satisfied; all staff keen and well motivated; all pigs fed and ready to fly." - Jennie Agard, McGuckin Hardware Systems Manager
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First of all I was amazed Roger did not know what a caravan was. Then I found out they call them something different in The States. So what other cultural differences do you know of? So far there is:
- Pie in SA is like blueberry pie, not ever a Pizza. But in America you can go out for pie and buy a pizza, though pie in America can also just mean pie... :confused:
- A trailer is not a trailer, it is a camper van. And nobody knows what a caravan is because it is either a bunch of camels or a wheeled home, but it is not a camper van
- In SA we call them braais, in Aussie barbies and in the States BBQs
- Pants are short trousers her in SA, but are underwear in the UK
And I am sure many, many more. Sometimes I wonder we communicate in English at all! :-D
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaRay Cassick wrote: Well I am not female, not gay and I am not Paul Watson
I remember when I was younger, like around 12-13, I used to bowl a good bit, and so did my mother. Well, in her league the women would refer to two pins, one directly in front of the other, as "double wood". When commenting on someone else's game, it wasn't uncommon to hear "Be careful, you've got wood.":~ That created some rather embarrassing situations when my mom would watch me play my league games. "Nice shot, Brian, but you've got wood." X| BW "I've been accused of vulgarity. I say that's bullshit." - Mel Brooks.
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David Wulff wrote: The poor sod!! While in the US most folks would understand the use of "sod" in this phrase, they would generally not use it themselves. Over here "sod" usually means grass (for your lawn) grow at a farm and transplanted.
Mike Mullikin :beer: You can't really dust for vomit. Nigel Tufnel - Spinal Tap
another word that has far too many meanings, depending on where you're from -- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!
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Paul Riley wrote: Their definition of a rare steak is very different from ours. How so? Rare here is browned only on the surface, but red all the way through. Medium is cooked through 50% of the thickness, and Well Done is cooked all the way through. Tartare is barely warmed, and although it makes me gag to think of it, some people actually like it done that way. "Another day done; all targets met; all systems fully operational; all customers satisfied; all staff keen and well motivated; all pigs fed and ready to fly." - Jennie Agard, McGuckin Hardware Systems Manager
Roger Wright wrote: Tartare is barely warmed, and although it makes me gag I had some in Germany a few years ago. Delicious. Had something similar, but pork, also. Great for sandwiches. The pork was called Met, I think. BW "I've been accused of vulgarity. I say that's bullshit." - Mel Brooks.
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Oh my - I would never have thought of that one. :) I watched my mother lay the table last night... :-O
David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk
An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})