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I get confused with numbers...
US = two times UK = twice
US = two weeks UK = fortnight
Oh, actually, it's just the number two! :D
ctgirlscout
21-06-2004, 17:20
I have trouble remembering that fortnight thing....
We're just lazy Teresa as it's short for FOuRTeen NIGHTs! :D I can never remember not to say it when I'm in the US so I get some very puzzled looks... ;)
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
21-06-2004, 18:22
Also, when spelling a word out (e.g. your surname) in the US you have to be careful how you do it it you have any double letters.
In the UK I would spell my surname out as "R, double O, K, E".
In the US I have to say "R, O, O, K, E" as the "double O" seems to throw most people and they do not know what you mean.
kaysvacationvilla
21-06-2004, 18:24
Isn't it just as easy to say 2 weeks? I took a while, but I finally figured out what fortnight meant.
Also, your nick name for mosquitoes(spelling ?) through me off. Didn't know what the heck mozzies were????
Kay
kaysvacationvilla
21-06-2004, 18:29
If I told my husband I was going to Florida for a fortnight, drinking Pepsi Max while avoiding the mozzies, I think he would send me to the doc. He even spent 2 months in London working a few years ago.
Ray&Sarah
21-06-2004, 20:06
If you're going in November Kay remember to pack plenty of "jumpers"!:D
chrizzy100
21-06-2004, 20:25
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Ray&Sarah
If you're going in November Kay remember to pack plenty of "jumpers"!:D
[/quote]
That one gets people here everytime.......:D
kaysvacationvilla
21-06-2004, 20:46
Do I assume "jacket"?
Ray&Sarah
21-06-2004, 20:47
Think you would say sweater.:)
kaysvacationvilla
21-06-2004, 21:07
Up here in MA I only wear a sweater when I am very cold in the winter. For cool weather we usually wear a light jack or wind breaker or sweat shirt.
'Z' (zed or zee) is another one that spells confusion! Plus of course the 'O' (oh or zero) in numbers.
A windbreak is something we'd use to sit in the shelter from the wind on a beach - sort of canvas with poles you stick into the sand!
ctgirlscout
21-06-2004, 23:10
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
We're just lazy Teresa as it's short for FOuRTeen NIGHTs! :D I can never remember not to say it when I'm in the US so I get some very puzzled looks... ;)
[/quote]
Oh, NOW I get it! I was wondering earlier where the "fort" in fortnight came from! Perhaps now I can remember how long it is!
Ray&Sarah
21-06-2004, 23:40
We all learn something new, we didn't know that was where the term came from either, that Blott is a never ending source of information.:D
E. Cosgrove
22-06-2004, 00:32
I tried making a dinner reservation for half past eight.....oops couldn't make myself understood until i said eight thirty!!!
liz
kaysvacationvilla
22-06-2004, 00:44
My mother has always used the "half past", but my kids would never know what it meant.
Cruella DeVilla
22-06-2004, 01:08
Just as well we are not German, they say half before the hour, so we say half past 8 meaning say 2030hrs, they say half before 9! They must have ba great time in the US!!!
CDV
Ray&Sarah
22-06-2004, 01:13
Ray finds it all very confusing as he is sometimes in Germany, sometimes in the US and of course the rest of the time here. He just gets to grips with the way tehy say it in one country and he has to move on.
My Mum still says 'five and twenty' past or to when she's talking about times - reminds me of 'four and twenty' blackbirds!
ctgirlscout
22-06-2004, 04:30
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by E. Cosgrove
I tried making a dinner reservation for half past eight.....oops couldn't make myself understood until i said eight thirty!!!
liz
[/quote]
Unless this is becoming a generational thing, they should have know what you meant. With my kids, when I say "quarter of six", or "quarter past", I always have to explain. Seems they are not teaching this in school anymore!
mr flibble
22-06-2004, 15:02
Hi:)
If you really want to confuse the folks in the USA try these out:
1.I was "hit for six"
2.Arriving in "dribs and drabs"
3.He/she is such a "Clever clogs"
4.Any cockney rhymning slang"
[msnwink]
Ian
ctgirlscout
22-06-2004, 16:10
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by mr flibble
Hi:)
If you really want to confuse the folks in the USA try these out:
1.I was "hit for six"
2.Arriving in "dribs and drabs"
3.He/she is such a "Clever clogs"
4.Any cockney rhymning slang"
[msnwink]
Ian
[/quote]
Dribs and Drabs is common, but I've never heard of the others!
E. Cosgrove
23-06-2004, 16:53
I never did get a reply from my last post on the previous US/uk dictionary thread.
What the hell are buns? is it something really rude?
I just thought they were fairy cakes but as I said previously how is a piece of elastic around my legs going to improve my baking?[?][?][?]
liz
ctgirlscout
23-06-2004, 17:08
Sorry, Liz, I actually thought you were making a joke about the buns! Buns refers to one's backside. It's not a rude term, just slang.
mr flibble
23-06-2004, 23:12
Hi Teresa:)
Our US freinds hadn`t heard of dribs and drabs so it may differ state to state.Now explaning cricket to an American is also fun.
You see there are two teams ...
one is in the other is out,the team that is in sends two players out and the team that wants to get them out all go out.When the team that is in is all out the the team that got them out goes in.
I hope you are following me[msnwink]
Bye
Ian
ctgirlscout
24-06-2004, 00:46
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by mr flibble
Hi Teresa:)
Our US freinds hadn`t heard of dribs and drabs so it may differ state to state.Now explaning cricket to an American is also fun.
You see there are two teams ...
one is in the other is out,the team that is in sends two players out and the team that wants to get them out all go out.When the team that is in is all out the the team that got them out goes in.
I hope you are following me[msnwink]
Bye
Ian[msncool]
[/quote]
I don't think I want to follow you.....[msnscared]
You certainly don't want to Teresa, about as interesting as watching paint dry to some of us!
Ray&Sarah
24-06-2004, 02:04
Drying paint is more interesting!:D[msnwink]
ctgirlscout
24-06-2004, 02:44
Sounds to me like the old Abbott and Costello routine "Who's on First"![msneek]
mr flibble
24-06-2004, 14:50
Hi:)
Oh...I forgot to say that in cricket there are new exciting words & phrases to learn[msnwink]
1.Silly mid off
2.Bowling a chinaman
3.Stumped
4.Leg bye
5.Googly
6.Run out
7.Leg before wicket
8.Nigh[bad language filtered out]chman
[msneek][xx(][msnscared]
[msnwink]
Ian
mr flibble
24-06-2004, 14:52
Hi:)
Nigh[bad language filtered out]chman how is that bad language[?]
Ian
mr flibble
24-06-2004, 14:55
Hi:)
The word that keeps showing as bad language is a batsman who tries to stay in without making runs as a priority as the light is fading at the end of the day and is usually from the lower order of batsman so that his team will bat the next day in the new light etc.
This may be boring[msnscared] but I don`t think it`s bad language[msnwink]
Ian
It's just taken me several minutes to work out what the rude word. I must be getting old as I couldn't work it out without writing it down, then all became apparent.:DI thought it was supposed to be some sort of fish.
Would that word mean the same in American as English.[8D]
Jacqui
caroline
24-06-2004, 20:45
The word you're trying to type is fine it's the individual 4 letters that are being filtered:)
caroline
24-06-2004, 20:46
just had a though maybe this will help "night watchman" as two words
mr flibble
25-06-2004, 14:14
Hi:)
GOOD GRIEF[msnembarrased][msnembarrased][msnembarrased][msnembarrased][msnembarrased][msnembarrased][msnembarrased][msnembarrased]
Ian
Nostromo
25-06-2004, 14:44
I say! Belittling the Gentlemen's game are we? Well, that's simply...um... NOT CRICKET!!
flyrr100
17-07-2004, 00:04
I've lived here for almost twenty years now and I have really had to change my whole vocabulary.
Once I tried to explain cricket to a friend. Total disaster! He couldn't understand the concept of tea!
Try to by a rubber in a stationary store! Petrol used to throw the attendant for a loop! The word 'past' was dropped in favor of after. i.e., the time is twenty after six. If you want a biscuit you'll get a dry unsweetened cake smothered in chicken gravy! We don't turn left or right, it's north or south! And we drive on the parkway and park on the driveway!
I'll think of some more obscure ones to post later. Getting ready to drive to Epcot for the evening.