Duvet is the brit term for a Doona, aka Eiderdown.

When a Britt tells me he's bringing a 'torch', I expect to see a flaming club and the rest of the villagers with pitch forks. :yikes: Not a flashlight.

That could be arranged PF *LOL*

We use both torch & flashlight here, mostly torch though (get it from the Brits prolly *L*)

I always wonder when some of these differences in our language occured. Like,, trucks and lorries. Oh well, makes for interesting reading and some fun discussions.

Anyway, here's a few more American / English differences that might be of interest:

Apartment - Flat
Chopped Beef - Mince
Cookie - Biscuit
Motor Home - Caravan
Muffler - Silencer
Windshield - Windscreen

How about some US/OZ differences:

Mail a letter - Post a letter
Gas pump - Bowser
Letter opener - Paper knife
Muffin - Patty cake
Buy everyone drinks - Shout a round

Gives some more to chat about anyway. :)

A muffin is different to a patty cake, isn't it?

You're no doubt right, but, I couldn't find anything closer. :shrug:

We call a muffin a muffin.

To citrus, until 4 years ago, I lived in NC and grew up there. It's long since gone out of usage, but when I was growing up the trunk was called the boot.

A few months back, I needed to phone a lady with some info. When I got her on the phone, she said, "Look, I'm really sick and don't think I can even get up to go write all this down. Can you please call my daughter?"......"Sure, no problem", I said as I took down the number. So I called the daughter and told her what info I was relating and that I'd called her Mum but she was a little under the weather and had asked if i'd call you instead. The daughter didn't make any mention, just took the info and said she'd deliver it. Two days later, I find out the daughter had gone straight over to the elderly mother's home because she thought she was on the piss. I had noooooo idea that being under the weather was another phrase for having had wee bit too much grog. I was so embarrassed. I called both women and profusely apologized. They were fine and the Mum got quite a laugh. I now am trying to not spit out so many American phrases, just in case. LOL Like Fanny.

One of the most confusing conversations between myself and catch22, when we first started chatting online, was when I came online and typed "I ammm so pissed." He types "whatcha drinking?" It just went downhill from there. It musta been weeks and weeks before I figured out that pissed to him was drinking.

So, now, every day, I put on my lippie, my sunnies and head off to work driving on the right left side of the road. For dinner, I have chips with tomato sauce. I often cook things on the grill which is in the oven. And this week my knee is really crook because of trolly mishap at Woolies.

Four years ago, I would have said.... :huh:


----kathy (who after babbling on incessantly believes she has had wayyyyy toooo much plunger coffee this morning)

Can I get a translation in American English?

:huh:

WTF did she ^^^ say? :wobbly:

Either she took away too much from the 'carry out' or carried out too much from the 'take away' store. :rofl:

french fries are sticks in a bag.........crisps are chips......and chips are french fries.

altogether nice with a good drop from the bottle shop carried in the esky by the old bloke




--kathy (the rain in spain buckets down .....anywhere but here)

UK, US, & OZ...three great nations divided by a common language :huh:

I'm sure this topic has come up before, but obviously it's been long enough that this quote will be new to some pixies who've joined since then (or are just getting old & forgetful):

Actor/singer David Essex (here he's best/only remembered for the 70's hit "Rock On") found himself in New York, on an elevator, about to light up a cigarette, when he asked the other passenger, "Mind if I light up a fag on the lift?"

He got only a very strange look as an answer...

I have a half-remembered joke about things you don't ask in a gay bar.

"Can I bum a fag?" is one.

"Can I push in your stool?" is another.