Differences between USA and UK English.

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Kookygirl
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25 Mar 2013, 5:16 am

I've just found out that what we call in the uk a 'tap' is called a 'faucet' in America. I was a bit surprised by this because I have no idea where this word comes from and it got me thinking about what other words are different that I didn't know about.

I know that what I call 'trousers' is 'pants' in the US but is there anything else I'm unaware of.

Just wondering.


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danmac
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25 Mar 2013, 5:42 am

another name for it(tap) spicket or sink
here in the USA we poke fun at some of your names like:
bannger-sausage
fag-smokes
and what is an eraser called?
wial were on the subject of differences........ why do you boil everything?


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Kookygirl
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25 Mar 2013, 6:07 am

Where did the word slicker come from that seems so random lol

I've never said banger in my life but I do say fags (which is also a bad name for a homosexual?) which really annoys posh people because they call them cigarettes. We call erasers rubbers (isn't that a also a condom? Lol) but they are always labelled 'eraser' when you buy them so I think it's just slang or an old word for it.

I personally prefer to steam my food but my mother boils her veg and makes it go soggy, she's not the greatest cook bless her. On the subject of food, why do Americans fry everything? I saw a program on the tv the other day where someone from Texas deep fat fried their Xmas turkey, is this normal?


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danmac
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25 Mar 2013, 6:15 am

normal, no delicious, very!
we do fry way too much, they go crazy with it. deep fried coke is where they lost me! I like my veggies fresh!
I do boil my corned beef and cabbage though.
slicker- as in city slicker has been around longer than me so I don't know when it started, but it comes from the word slick( as in good move)


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Aprilviolets
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25 Mar 2013, 6:18 am

In Australia we originally used the english versions now a lot of Americanisms have crept into our language probably because of the American shows and movies.

Lifts- Elevators.
Tomato sauce- Ketchup.
Biscuits- Cookies.
Witches hats- Cones.
patty pans- Cupcakes.

these are just a few that we use both for.



Kookygirl
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25 Mar 2013, 6:20 am

danmac wrote:
slicker- as in city slicker has been around longer than me so I don't know when it started, but it comes from the word slick( as in good move)


Sorry I meant where did 'spicket' come from? I think my ipad spell checked me and I didn't notice.


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danmac
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25 Mar 2013, 6:39 am

Kookygirl wrote:
danmac wrote:
slicker- as in city slicker has been around longer than me so I don't know when it started, but it comes from the word slick( as in good move)


Sorry I meant where did 'spicket' come from? I think my ipad spell checked me and I didn't notice.

the part that the water comes out, that you turn on and off can be called a faucet, or a spicket but if you buy one, the box will say faucet

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jk1
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25 Mar 2013, 11:11 am

Is "spigot" another one? I think I see and hear both tap and faucet.

rubbish vs garbage/trash?

aubergine vs eggplant?

capsicum vs paprika?

somewhere vs someplace?

often vs oftentimes?

Witches hats- Cones: I live in Aus, but it's only a few weeks ago that I heard "witch's hat" for the first time. I had to ask what it was.
patty pans- Cupcakes: I didn't know cupcakes were called patty pans.



MakaylaTheAspie
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25 Mar 2013, 11:25 am

:lol:

I thought this was going to be all about spelling. :P


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BlueMax
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25 Mar 2013, 12:18 pm

Kookygirl wrote:
danmac wrote:
slicker- as in city slicker has been around longer than me so I don't know when it started, but it comes from the word slick( as in good move)


Sorry I meant where did 'spicket' come from? I think my ipad spell checked me and I didn't notice.


Someone already mentioned, I think you mean "spigot".

I believe they have a "lorry" instead of a bus,
tram instead of passenger train(?)
pram for a baby carriage/buggy

... I should know more but I'm sleep-deprived. (Groggy!)

Mustn't forget all the extra U's... like in colour. Proper Canadian English is the same...

[Foghorn Leghorn voice:] Them southern yankees do things the lazy way and still can't spell. ;)



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25 Mar 2013, 12:28 pm

Mostly from what I gather UK english sounds cooler, at least from my perspective.


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25 Mar 2013, 12:38 pm

We use term tap water here to mean water from the faucet.

We call nappy a diaper
A boot a trunk
Primary school is elementary school here
Secondary school is middle school and high school here but they are both separate schools here
The headmistress is principal
We don't have years here, we call them grades like 1st grade instead of year 1
We call the lift an elevator
We call motorways freeways
Dust bin is trash can
Rubbish is garbage
Dustman is garbageman
Cinema is movie theater. We call them movies for short like we will say "We're going to the movie" or "We are going to see a movie."



Type in any word here you use in your country and it will tell you what we call it in our country.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/diction ... n-english/



Here is all the US terms you can find here:

http://www.bg-map.com/us-uk.html


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25 Mar 2013, 12:44 pm

British:
Excuse me kind sir? Might I please inquire about a cup of tea and a crumpet? Why, they look absolutely marvelous!

USA:
Say pardner, dem ol' fancy pastries lookin' rul gud rite bout now', how bout sloppin' a bit of dem down der on this plate?

I don't mean to offend anyone...I live in Mississippi so I have a right to mock the way we talk here lol!



IDontGetIt
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25 Mar 2013, 1:13 pm

Americans call "wobbly flip-shutters" doors

Americans call a "Small Ben" a clock

Americans call a "chimey pushknob" a doorbell

Americans call "niffy loo pudding" feces

Americans call a "Hooty tooty point and shooty" a gun

Americans call a "beef wellington ensemble with lettuce" a hamburger

Americans call "crockety snapwickets" markers

Americans call "cold on the cob" popsicles

Americans call a "loony chuckle fairy" a clown

Americans call a "cuff-link time Johnny" a watch

:lol:



Kookygirl
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25 Mar 2013, 1:18 pm

I didn't realise I already knew so many but didn't think of them as being American, I must watch more American tv than I realised lol

I live in Wales so there's even more differences in words for me eg:
Wales: mam
England: mum
America: mom

So much choice for the same word, I've heard them all spoken in my area.


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