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John & Sarah Rooke
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Posted - 19 Sep 2003 : 16:36:20

We have just brought an American book. The first page begins....

"If you had your druthers, what would your life be like?"

According to an online dictionry druthers means choice or preference; right or chance to choose.

Is "druthers" common parlance in the US?

sarah

dhussey2

USA
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 15:49:52

I always know when it's a UK inquiry (enquiry) when I see the dates. The British will put arrival at 24 May 2004 while (whilst) the Americans will put arrival at May 24, 2004.

Even more confusing is when they just use numberical dates, such as 3/10/2004. I have learnt that if this is a UK enquiry, this is for October and not March. For Americans, this would mean an inquiry for March 10.

Dianne

dhussey2

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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 15:54:18

Oops, sorry Sarah. No, druthers is not a word commonly used in the US. Only avid readers or people with extensive vocabulary would know what the word meant if they read it.

The same is true with the word hence. It is not commonly uses. My English Professor told us how he once used it in a software programming manual and was scolded by the editor.

In the US, people prefer to write and read without what they call all the B.S. (Bull...) They always say, why don't you speak in plain English? And that's the way it is.

I hope this answered your question.

Dianne

chrisj

United Kingdom
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 18:59:16

mind you what is plain english, im a born and bread cockney, and i work all over
england and have real problems when i go up north. local dialec is a dam nightmare
for me, and for the locals.

Or it might just be me

Chrisj

United Kingdom
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 19:54:09

Thanks Diane,

It was a US textbook that we bought. I have to admit to being one of those people that loves words, crosswords, puzzels etc. Druthers does have a certain ring to it and you never know it may remain in my grey matter and prove useful one day.

Sarah

MTP

United Kingdom
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 21:15:31

Another word used commonly in the UK that causes confusion in the US (in my experience) is fortnight.

USA
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 21:46:08

And how long exactly is a "fortnight"? Another word I see you all commonly use is "queue". What does that mean?

Teresa

chrisj

United Kingdom
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 21:51:39

a queue is when you line up behind each other, a fortnight is two weeks

Chrisj

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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 21:56:13

I always find when talking to American's on the phone, if you have to recite a long number such as 100345 I would say the 00 as 'double zero'. This seems to fox (confuse) all the American's I have done this to - you have to say 'zero zero' then they understand what you mean.

I had a call from our US mortgage broker on Friday afternoon in the office and immediately lapsed into American speak to the great amusement of all my colleagues. They were wondering what the word I pronounced dee-pot was until I explained it was depot! If you pronounce it the UK way it throws most American's so you learn very quickly to say the words as they do - zed very quickly becomes zee etc etc

All part of the rich and varied tapestry of owning a villa in the USA and I for one would not change it one bit

USA
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 22:17:46

Thanks, Chris for the translation. I just got such a kick out of reading this thread. It reminds me of the differences in the vocabulary of the southeast part of the US. My mother was from South Carolina, and I was raised in NY. Needless to say, there were often translation problems with my cousins. Even worse, I would pick up odd words and bring them back to NY. No one in NY, or CT, knows what a spigot is (outdoor faucet) and no one in SC knows what a stoop is (concrete steps leading to your front door). I also tend to talk too fast for my southern relatives. I have to make a conscious effort to slow my speech when I visit them!

Teresa

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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 22:29:01

There's another one Teresa - faucet = tap

USA
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 22:39:20

Ah, yes, but we do get "tap water" out of the faucet!

Teresa

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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 22:43:15

LOL - I never knew that - isn't it wierd how language develops in different areas

chrisj

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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 22:52:49

Teresa

We have the same problem in england, I know John and Sarah are from up north, and like i
said earlier I work all over the uk, and the 'funnies' i have got into would make you
scream at times.

I think its funny and laugh, When I first went to America, in a shop I found some beef jerky
but it was called beef jerker, now I wont explain what that meant to me, but needless to say
it was rude and i mean very rude. Not even sure if John/Sarah would understand that one as
it was a london saying at the time, but i just fell about laughing and the man behind the
counter thought i was mad

Chrisj

United Kingdom
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 23:25:40

We'd understand that one Chris although I don't think I'd like to explain the meaning here

chrisj

United Kingdom
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 23:36:42

nor would I, but at the time I was with my friend who lives in Orlando and her face was
a picture

Chrisj

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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 23:40:50

chrisj

United Kingdom
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Posted - 27 Sep 2003 : 23:49:27

I was very polite with the explanation though

Chrisj

USA
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Posted - 28 Sep 2003 : 00:09:40

Another thing I notice--you always say "the 192". We usually just refer to a highway by it's name or number, or use the designation "I-4" for Interstate 4, or "US 192", or just say Route 192. I thought this was odd at first, but I guess I've gotten used to reading it in all these posts!

Teresa

chrisj

United Kingdom
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Posted - 28 Sep 2003 : 00:16:50

Its these little odd things that make it more fun, the thing that always throws me is that
in England we always say turn left or turn right, but you say head north or south etc, I then
ask what way is north is it left or right

Chrisj