So…let’s start with something fun!
Do you think England is an easy transition from the states because they speak the same language?
Well…I have some news for you…my husband and I, married near on 2 years with a 4-year history prior to marrying, still have moments where we look at each other and utter—“SAY WHAT???”
Let’s take a look at some words, Yank vs. Brit—that can take on whole new meaning!
Yank Word
| Yank Word | Brit Word |
| Underwear | Pants |
| Pants | Trousers |
| Living Room | Lounge |
| Pocketbook | Handbag |
| French Fries | Chips |
| Potato Chips | Crisps |
| Blanket | Throw |
| Trunk | Boot |
| Hood | Bonnet |
| Football | American Football |
| Soccer | Football |
| Q-Tip | Ear Swabs |
| Band-Aid | Plaster |
| Yard | Garden |
| Beach | Coast |
| Boat | Yacht |
| Sailing Boat | Yacht |
| Closet | Wardrobe |
| Jell-O | Gelatin |
| Bangs | Fringe |
| Truck | Lorry |
| Candy | Sweets |
| Dessert | Pudding |
| Pudding | Custard |
| Apartment | Flat |
| Condo | Flat |
| Townhouse | Terraced House |
| Cookie | Biscuit |
| Stove top | Hob |
| Elevator | Lift |
Now, this list may not seem like a big deal, right? WRONG!!
Imagine you’re at your new sister-in-law’s house for dinner, and she offers everyone pudding after the meal. I don’t like pudding generally speaking, unless it’s in a pie or a truffle maybe. So, I politely say “No thank you” to her offer. Only to see her bring out this amazing looking dessert! An apple crumble, still warm from the oven, covered in an amazing heavy cream. Ummm…I changed my mind lol.
Or the time my husband comes into the kitchen, holding his hand all wrapped up in a handkerchief and calmy tells me he needs a plaster. My first thought is he broke his hand! I’m thinking “plaster”, hmmm…that must mean cast. When I say, “Let’s go, we need to get to the hospital!”, he looks at me with utter confusion. A lengthy conversation later I realize what he means and pull out the box of Band-Aids.
On the flip side, one of the first times my then to-be husband came to the states for a visit he ordered chips with his meal. I thought, ok, he wants potato chips, not unusual. When his meal was delivered, he looked at me and then at the server. He says, “But I ordered chips with my meal, not crisps”. Another lengthy conversation with a few laughs!
How about going to a salon for the first time and asking the hairdresser to trim your bangs…and she has no idea what you’re talking about. Or you get all excited to watch a football game at the local “pub”, only to get there and see the “telly” is showing a soccer game?
Elevator vs Lift—not too hard to understand the two words either way. But….let’s talk about the numbered floors. In the states we generally start our floor numbering at “G” for ground, could also be “L” for Lobby, sometimes even “M” for Mezzanine. In England, they start at “0”, which is the 1st floor to most of us Yanks. Therefore, the 1st floor to a Yank is usually the 2nd floor, and so on. The Yanks then may have a “B” for basement, which in Brit world now becomes “-1”. Yes, they use negative numbers for anything below “0”.
We live in a complex of condos (in yank speak), flats in Brit speak. We have an elevator (lift), and we live on the 1st floor (ground floor or “0”). When we take the elevator (lift) to get to the garage (car park), we start out on the first floor (“0”) and go down to the garage (car park) to the “B” (-1”). Confused? Try coming home after a few drinks and figuring out which button to push!!
And F.Y.I…. I just had to stop typing, go out into the lobby and actually take notes on the elevator (lift)
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