Lost in translation (US to UK)

[electracoyote]

For a VERY entertaining discussion of this topic, get a copy of Bill Bryson's "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" . He writes in an incredibly humorous and insightful way about returning to the USA after living in UK for many years. This is very educational and laugh out loud funny, as are all of his great books on travel and on the English language. Just get it!

Thanks for the tip. I just reserved a copy at my local library.

 

[modbass]

Betty Swollocks:

Its a polite way of saying you have Sweaty Bollocks, or for the rest of us, sweaty nuts.

I was working on a boat with a guy from Yorkshire, and it was rough so we were wearing our "Foulies" or foul weather gear. We also had on "wellies/wellingtons" which are rubber boots, and were discussing how he and his "Bird" "knocked boots" all night. (Bird=girl, knocking boots=shagging=F**king)

My parents are English, but I grew up in LA, and I felt completely lost in England. All the words are backwards. It must have happened during the war to confuse everyone. The war is the reason why we have different maritime markings, the Americans switched all the markings around to confuse British ships and lead them to the rocks....

 

[MatticusMania]

i think doona = do not.... but is more often pronounced di (as in did) -nay....i di-nay agree....

That sounds more scottish to me, didnae = do not.
Read anything by Irving Welsh (author of Trainspotting & The Acid House amongst others) if you really want to improve your Scottish accent.

 

[electracoyote]

the Americans switched all the markings around to confuse British ships and lead them to the rocks....

Now there's an interesting re-telling of WWII. And all this time I thought the US and Great Britain were allies during the war.

 

[MatticusMania]

Some AUS / US translations for our friends accross the pacific...

idiot box = TV
soft drink = pop or soda (depending on region)
garbage = trash
bathroom = room to take a bath / shower
toilet = room in which to relieve one self
(in the US the above two, at least in ones home, are often the same room, also referred to as a restroom)
fag/queer = homosexual

All of the above are also used in the US, at least in California.

 

[Phalex]

Now there's an interesting re-telling of WWII. And all this time I thought the US and Great Britain were allies during the war.

You never played a prank on your friends???

 

[BassyBill]

Now there's an interesting re-telling of WWII. And all this time I thought the US and Great Britain were allies during the war.

We were. Well, some of it, anyway.

 

[Jim Campbell]

We were. Well, some of it, anyway.

might be talking about a different war.....here's a couple for the irish.......hurling and irish football which seems to contain elements of american football,and i love the way ice cream is served with the chocolate stick

other brit-isms

topped oneself.............suicide
bangers......................sausages
bonnet.......................hood(car)
lorry.........................truck
bed sit.......................small single room (studio apt maybe)
dosh.........................money
chips.........................french fries
crisps.......................potato chips

and the cockney-isms are unreal like "word" becomes "dickey bird"

 

[Jim Campbell]

That sounds more scottish to me, didnae = do not.
Read anything by Irving Welsh (author of Trainspotting & The Acid House amongst others) if you really want to improve your Scottish accent.

that would be an accent i'd avoid......get two scots from scotland talking to each other you would barely catch word one.....even when they slow it down over here it's a tough one .....

 

[electracoyote]

might be talking about a different war

Oops. If he was referring to the Revolutionary War, my apologies are in order.

other brit-isms


bangers......................sausages
chips.........................french fries
crisps.......................potato chips

Oh man, you're making me hungry.

We have a great, and rather authentic, fish n chips restaurant in my area, they serve bangers, shepherd's pie, and all nature of fish n chips. Really good stuff. And who says English food sucks?

 

[Jim Campbell]

Oops. If he was referring to the Revolutionary War, my apologies are in order.



Oh man, you're making me hungry.

We have a great, and rather authentic, fish n chips restaurant in my area, they serve bangers, shepherd's pie, and all nature of fish n chips. Really good stuff. And who says English food sucks?

that narrows it down to the usa......do the fish and chips come wrapped in newspaper....

 

[kickstand22]

I love that the Brits have cats as civil servants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Mouser_to_the_Cabinet_Office

Anyway, this thread takes me back. My stepmom is an Aussie, and I got to grow up hearing pure true blue Aussie slang...and vegemite. I could have done without the vegemite.

My dad brought some vegemite back from Australia. He watched me "try" to eat it. That's some nasty shite!!! I do like the XXXX though!

 

[Phalex]

that narrows it down to the usa......do the fish and chips come wrapped in newspaper....

Is there salt and vinegar involved?

 

[kickstand22]

I'm ashamed to say it, because I grew up watching and playing American football, but compared to rugby, our football is a bit of a girly game. I was recently in a local fish n chips shop in Denver that only shows soccer and rugby on the televisions, and I was absolutely hypnotized by an international rugby match. Rough as hell, and rarely does play stop. No pads! Crazy rough. Very entertaining, but the players' careers can't last very long.

I have to agree. I played rugby in college....and it's rough. The 45 minute halves are LONG. The beer is nice and cold afterwards though....and the rugby queen is always beautiful!

 

[electracoyote]

This restaurant is called GB Fish and Chips, located in Denver, Colorado, and they use the Union Jack as their background logo. I had the pleasure of sitting with a British national one time, and he told me it was damn close to the real thing. They do have vinegar dispensars at the tables, and they serve Newcastle, Boddingtons, and several other UK and Aussie favorites. They do not use newspaper, but this British gentleman told me that is not so common any longer in England because it's a health concern or something.

Anyway, the bangers are tasty, and the shepherd's pie is great. They make fish and chips with about 6 different kinds of fish. I always go for the cod.

 

[aus_bass]

What's a weed whacker?

Over here it's a whipper-snipper. Or a line-trimmer.

 

[MatticusMania]

that would be an accent i'd avoid......get two scots from scotland talking to each other you would barely catch word one.....even when they slow it down over here it's a tough one .....

Not after reading one of Welsh's books. I can thoroughly understand all Scots now.

 

[MatticusMania]

Over here it's a whipper-snipper. Or a line-trimmer.

So that's where whipper-snapper comes from? Over here it's a term old people use to refer to young hooligans (not futbol fans).

 

[aus_bass]

So that's where whipper-snapper comes from? Over here it's a term old people use to refer to young hooligans (not futbol fans).

Same thing here. Whipper-snipper != whipper-snapper

 

[dohead]

I just had an afternoon wank session. I was locked in my room just wanking. People would knock on my door and shout my name and I still WOULDN'T STOP WANKING!

Some people just call me a Heavy wanker, and that I should stop taking daily wanks