Britishisms (Reprise)

[gr8gonzo]

Since joining the previous forum waaaay back in...uh...'08, I was always concerned I would say something innocently that would translate as deeply offensive across the pond.  You know, like, in America we say, "Your mum's a whore, and a lousy one at that," which simply means, "What a beautiful, crisp morning.  I've brought you some tea."  

Seriously, though, another example of our differences in terminology presented itself in a recent episode of Inside the Actors Studio with James Lipton featuring Daniel "don't call me Harry" Radcliffe.  During the questionnaire Dan was asked the routine question, "What's your favourite curse word?"  He responded, "B***ocks!," and then asked if that would be censored, which it was not.  Lipton said it would not be "bleeped" and compared it to another word, which starts with an 'f' and rhymes with canny.  That word, in America, is a generally non-offensive reference to a person's posterior, whereas in the UK, as Radcliffe explained, that same word refer's to a woman's...uh...preterior.

As an example from the earlier thread, to smoke a fag in Britain may eventually cause cancer, but it is still legal in designated areas.  To smoke a fag in America means you intend to murder a homosexual, which is illegal regardless of where it's done.  Important distinction for anyone planning a visit to the other country.

There are plenty of posts on this forum that I don't entirely understand and only hope I eventually figure them out based on the context.  

Are there any particular phrases you've encountered on the forum that leave you scratching your head?

[J Jonah Jameson]

Another one is 'pissed', which over in the States seems to mean angry, whereas here just means you've had too much to drink.  Or that you're in your cups, as we used to say.

JJJ

[Philadelphia]

This is my survival guide for this forum:

UK slang dictionary


Being neither British nor American I frequently find myself using a word like "pissed" in both the American sense and the British one, thereby confusing everyone (including myself). But that's what you get when you're taught British English in school and come home to find every American sitcom ever made on television.

[gr8gonzo]

Interesting.  What should we say, then, if someone is both angry AND drunk?  When did Russell Crowe get here?

[tomskerous]

He'd be totally pissed and well pissed off.

[Ash]

This was quite comprehensive...

http://www.geocities.com/ben_jennie/words.html

[Mouse]

I'm so pissed that I'm pissed with myself for being so pissed in the first place, so promptly pissed myself. Because I'm pissed. Clear?

[D S]

That would have generated a lot of 'haddocks' on the old forum!  

[tomskerous]

Reasons I love the English language:

Imagine two kids getting back their homework...

John, where Tom had had 'had', had had 'had had'; 'had had' had had the best effect on the teacher.

[Tricky]

My favourite American term is "copacetic" which no-one over here has ever heard of - indeed neither had I until introduced to it by an American colleague.  
It means something close to our phrase "does exactly what it says on the tin"  

There is much disagreement as to its derivation...

[Gandalf1986]

Reasons I love the English language:

Imagine two kids getting back their homework...

John, where Tom had had 'had', had had 'had had'; 'had had' had had the best effect on the teacher.

:lol:

That's why I love it too! Much better than some italian grammatical stuff...

[XeRocks81]

well an obvious one for this forum would the ever popular Biscuits.  Wich in america refers to some of kind of dough-y bread type thing that are served with gravy.  But me,  being from french canada, biscuit is the french word for cookie.

[GaryC]

I was going to say that Roger's Prophanisaurus would be a good place to start but it seems to be offline atm.

http://www.viz.co.uk/

[tomskerous]

But me,  being from french canada, biscuit is the french word for cookie.

Bis cuit - twice cooked.

<pedant>
(And I think the french got there first, so technically cookie is the American for biscuit)
</pedant>

[Pedro]

The man saw the man in the park with the telescopeFlexible language almost always works better.

Surely a saw would cut better than a telescope?  

Another one on the impossible spelling we expect kids to learn....
(Not sure who to credit with this - it's all over the web)

I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you
On hiccough, thorough, laugh and through.
Well done! And now you wish perhaps
To learn of less familiar traps?


Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard, and sounds like bird;
And dead: it's said like bed not bead –
For goodness sake don't call it 'deed'!
Watch out for meat and great and threat,
They rhyme with suite and straight and debt.


A moth is not a moth in mother
Nor both in bother, broth in brother,
And here is not a match for mere
Nor dear and fear for bear and pear.
And then there's dose and rose and lose -
Just look them up - and goose and choose.


And cork and work and card and ward,
And font and front and word and sword,
And do and go and thwart and cart -
Come, come, I've hardly made a start!
A dreadful language?
Man alive I'd mastered it when I was five.