The Difference in Languages

Hello! Today was another good day for me. I didn't have any classes today, which was nice.  I got up this morning and did my laundry.  It was great.  Katelin and I were the only ones in there again (for a while at least) so we got to be stupid Americans without an audience once again.  During our laundry session, I taught Katelin how to play rummy (which is a card game).  We have 2 very different styles of playing.  I find a face card (which are worth more points) and I never discard it.  Katelin discards face cards...this mean Katelin goes out quickly, while I hold half the deck.  It was a good time.

After laundry (which did manage to dry again this time.  My clothes were actually hot to touch when I was taking them out of the dryer), we went into town for a while.  I bought new shoes at Primark (nice black flats for only 6 pounds) because my other black flats now have a whole worn in the bottom of them. Then, we went to Iceland (which is a grocery store that isn't as crowed or as far away as Tesco, but doesn't have nearly as much stuff) and bought chicken nuggets for dinner.  Then, we came back, ate dinner and I dyed Katelin's hair.  Which actually was very successful (I patted myself on the back for that one).

Tomorrow I have 2 classes.  Both are with Frazzled woman who has no clue about local government.  And my lecture tomorrow is a continuation of local government.  It should be a blast.

Before I was left to study abroad, I was sent this e-mail by my study abroad supervisor at IFSA-Butler, a list of words that are different in the UK from the US.  I was thinking about this today and decided to go back through the list and see how many of these I've actually heard and add some to the list.

Here is the list.

Clothes

U.S.                                         U.K.

Sweater                                   Jumper

underwear                               knickers

pants                                       trousers

raincoat                                   Mackintosh

tennis shoes                             trainers

pantyhose                                tights  (I call them tights and I'm not from the UK.)

swim suit                                 bathing costume

I actually haven't heard any of these. But I don't really have conversations about clothes that often unless I'm shopping for clothes. 

(Notes from me:  Pants here means underwear.  This is important because if say "I need to change my pants" this could become a very awkward situation.)  

 

School terms

U.S.                                         U.K.

school                                      elementary school

college                                     university

professor                                  lecturer

Freshman                                 fresher

graduate student                     postgraduate student

major                                      course or reading (subject)

review for exams                     revise

I've heard all of these and they are all true.  But, it's nothing that is really confusing.

 

Medical terms (hopefully you won't need these)

U.S.                                         U.K.

Tylenol                                    Paracetamol

nurse                                        sister

doctor's office                         doctor's surgery

emergency room                       casualty department or A&E

MD                                          GP

shot                                         jab

mono                                       glandular fever

All that I've heard is GP.  It stands for general practitioner.  

 

Food

U.S.                                         U.K.

biscuit                                      scone

sugar                                        castor sugar

cookie                                      biscuit

ham                                         gammon (not true.  It's ham at Tesco.)

eggplant                                  aubergine

fries                                         chips

chips                                        crisps

ground beef                             mince

Jell-O                                       jelly  (No.  Jelly is a nasty thing not related to Jell-o.  It's weird.)

pickle                                       gherkin

Popsicle                                   ice lolly  (I figured this out for the first time today.)

roast                                        joint

shrimp                                     prawn  (They have shrimp too.  Prawns are just bigger.)

soda/cola                                 fizzy drink

raisins                                      sultanas

zucchini                                   corgette

baked potato                           jacket potato

These are mostly true.  I'm not convinced about zucchini and raisins. I'll have to check the next time I got to Tesco.

 

Terms you may hear in the UK that you would not hear used the same way in the US :)

 

1. Dear - means expensive

2. Fag - cigarette

3. Homely - cozy

4. Knock me up - wake me up

5. Bum bag - do not use fanny pack (very rude in UK)

6. Ring up - to phone

7. Post  - to mail

8. Mate - means friend

9. Pissed - drunk

10. Spot on - exactly right

11. Feeling peckish - hungry

12. Snog - kiss

13. Knackered - tired

14 Cheers - Thanks or goodbye

15. Quid - money term for a buck  (This confused me for a long time.)

16. Aye pronounced "eye" - Scottish slang for yes (I hear this one all of the time.)