What the Hell is a lorry?
 

When Darwin set sail on the beagle he embarked on a journey of discovery. Whether your believer of Intelligent Creation or Evolution, it is difficult to deny Darwin’s observations of variation amongst species. Which slowly leads to my point, as much as English speaking peoples share a common language there are distinct differences in word usage. For example:

British American
Lorry = Semi
Torch = Flashlight
Fag = Cigarette

Being the Cross continental site that Pixies is, what other words comes to mind.

Just to clarify - Fag is a slang word for cigarettes over here, not just the British alternative for the word.

Oh and even in Britain there are a lot of different words for the same thing in different regions. For example, I have a child, referred to as a 'bairn' by my Northern in-laws and a 'wain' by my Scottish friends. A few of the obvious ones are:

boot = trunk of a car
deck = balcony
nappy = diaper
sweets = candy
chips = french fries
crisps = potato chips
toilet/loo = restroom/bathroom (and it's perfectly acceptable to use either word in polite company, although the Queen apparently would rather you called it a loo)
arse = ass (and it's just as rude in England as ass is in America)

Oh and some things that are commonly used in American language, are not different from the British, they're actually just wrong, and make no grammatical sense at all such as:

"I could care less". This implies that you DO in fact care and it should be:
"I couldn't care less" (meaning that you care so little that there's no way you could care less than you already do)

I know someone here is going to argue that 'it's not wrong, it's just different' but in the case above, it doesn't make any sense and so clearly is wrong and it frustrates the hell out of me everytime I see it!

Boot = Trunk
Bonnet = Hood
Semi/B-Double/Roadtrain = Semi (we pronounce it different *L*)
Ute = Pickup
Tomato sauce = Ketchup
Lollies = Candy
Chips = fries or crisps
Dunny/Loo/Bog/Crapper/Shithouse = Restroom
Fag/Ciggie/Smoke = Cigarettes

And prolly many more...just cant remember the confusing time PF and I have spoken on some stuff *LMAO*

OHHHHHH

Vegemite = Wheel grease!!
:D:D:D:D:D

LMFAO@vegemite=wheel grease!

I agree with Lou about the "care less" statement. It's as if some Americans need a prompter in front of them at all times in order to speak properly. If they could just see what they say they'd be amazed how much they run in circles.

Lorry is a lady who was here in the early days, often missed.

Another Americanism – at least I have only heard it here is “The proof is in the pudding.”

I was taught: “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” to indicate that a job well done may be seen in its results.

I think I've pulled this quote before, but anyway...David Essex, Brit rock star/actor, on his first trip to New York, wanted a smoke on the elevator...turned to the other passenger and asked, "Mind if I light up a fag on the lift?"

He said he got a very strange look in return...

^^ I imagine he did! :D ^^

A lorry is something that a US citizen gets smacked by crossing the street because s/he was looking in the wrong direction first.

I hear a very interesting and funny echo. :nod:


:wobbly: :line: :sad:

:roflmao:

Damn funny.

colloquialism=keep your bloody redcoated opinionizations in regards of our americanistic speachifications to your own self or i'll learn you a lesson in gammarcalogical perfectionisticism you won't never forget! :p

:D:D:D:D:D

:roflmao:

My favorite .....

Dodgy

thank you Red Dwarf

Red dwarf is amazing i love that show

The Cat rules.

I almost bought a $200 model of the Starbug, but thought better of it, dammit.

"How'm I lookin?....I'm lookin' gooooood!"

Am a Dwarfer here too. I have to confess to having an unnatural crush on Dave Lister!

I'm glad someone else started this thread. Now I have an excuse to badger the UK members of this site for slang meaning upgrades!

I've been wondering...what exactly is a "chav?"

I think I know this, but just wanna make sure...

OMG that's the $64,000 question!

It's sooooo hard to define a chav. In general they are youths of less than perfect social background, who dress in a certain way (usually lots of brand name sports wear) have certain fetishes for 'designer' labels, especially Burberry and wear lots of large, chunky, cheap jewellery. Richer chavs may manage to buy jewellery and gear that IS expensive, but still manages to look cheap!

They also have a tendancy to name their kids (of which there are usually many of varying races and ages in each family) names which in the US, are probably more than acceptable, but in the UK we think are naff and embarrassing.

Celebrity Chavs include David and Victoria Beckham, Jordan and Peter, and pretty much any Brit who ever formed an R & B group!

Famous mockers of Chav culture who emulate them to the point of ridicule include a pop group called 'Goldy Lookin' Chain', Matt Lucas (in his Vicky Pollard guise) and Catherine Tate (as Lauren).

An excellent example of Chav life can usually be found by watching The Jeremy Kyle Show (think Jerry Springer for the UK). One of the most amusing things about Chavs is that the Chavs themselves are usually unaware that they are them.

http://www.chavscum.com/

This international site probably says it best!

chav

This is the definition of a chav - usually dressed in Burberry for preference, lol. We have many where I live in the NW (though I'm not one of them ;) ). You can usually tell who they are as they have their socks pulled over their tracksuit bottoms, Burberry caps on, sovereign rings etc...and every other word is the 'f' word lol

Hmmm...your "chavs" sorta sound like an upgraded version of what we used to call "guidos" over here...well, at least on the East Coast!

Would Rick Astley be considered a chav, since he did R&B back in the day?

Well I've some funny Scottish words that the Scots probably don't know. Got some friends waaaaay up North who actually use these...

peedie = small
gaiy (sp?) = very (as in "It's gaiy cauld ben" = "It's very cold inside")
sharn = cowdung

Damn that's all I can think of for now. Scot's is great fun though.

American English wise, I hate the whole theatre/theater/cinema thing.

Probably not Rick Astley - he'd be considered too posh to be a chav, a bit too slick... :wobbly:

goldie lookin' chain these guys are pretend chavs - they take the mick out of chavvy people, so if you want to know what one looks like in the flesh have a look at this band. They're from Wales, and they're absolutely filthy - in both senses of the word..lol

So Ali G would be a chav?

aye! he would - cos he is well chavvy, innit....;)

According to RW's reply here modesty is a British phrase for boobs. :D

I just learned a new British phrase last night while reading one of our weekly alt newspapers: "fly-tipping."

We don't have a word or phrase for this over here...but apparently I'm guilty of doing it quite often! :sad:

Is that leaving the last bit of soup for the fly? :confused:

waiter, what is this fly doing in my soup?!

It's supposed to refer to when you dispose of your garbage on someone else's pile. From the wording, I guess it's as if you're giving a "tip" to the flies feasting on the trash.

The theatre/cinema thing.

A theatre is a place of public entertainment where a cinema is a place to watch films.

A theatre can more easily be used as a cinema than vice versa.

I'm more taken with the film (pronounced fillum) v movie thing.