word choice - Is there a different understanding of "rubber" in British and American English? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange up vote 10 down vote favorite I was well aware of the different meanings of rubber, not least because there are the same definitions in my mother-tongue. However, while reading a text about differences between British and American English I read the following lines: Here's something else for Americans to be aware of: did you know that an eraser is called a rubber in Britain? A good British Mum makes sure her children go to school with a rubber in their pencil case. So, it's also not new to me that there are differences between British English and American English, but I was and still am surprised that that could somehow be misinterpreted. Checking the dictionary ( OALD and OED ) I learned that rubber as condom is indeed an Americanism, though I can hardly believe that British people do not know/use that word. The other way round, I can imagine to some extent that Americans are not aware of the fact that it isn't that popularly known/used in British English.

Anyway, when talking to British people do I really have to expect that they don't know what I'm talking about when using the word rubber instead of condom? And when talking to American people, should I avoid rubber and use eraser instead whenever I expect it might sound ambiguous? To be more concrete: the OALD designates rubber (as eraser) as British English, thus do I have to suspect that an American may not be aware of that meaning? Finally, when talking to both an American and a British at the same time, which words do I use for condom and eraser so that both will understand me correctly? up vote 10 down vote accepted Anyway, when talking to British people do I really have to expect that they don't know what I'm talking about when using the word rubber instead of condom? Yes. That definition of rubber is not really used in the UK. Some people would know it from personal experiences of Americans. Like me. I know it because I have met some Americans in the UK and this word came up in the context of meeting one of them: in primary school, there was an American pupil in the last year. This definition would not generally, be reliable in the UK.

And when talking to American people, should I avoid rubber and use eraser instead whenever I expect it might sound ambiguous? To be more concrete: the OALD designates rubber (as eraser) as British English, thus do I have to suspect that an American may not be aware of that meaning? That would be the most reliable approach. As you can see from this discussion, there are some Americans who are aware of the British meaning of rubber but it is not used in the USA. Because of this, it is unreliable in the USA and many Americans might not know this meaning. When talking to Americans, it would be best to use the American word, eraser. Finally, when talking to both an American and a British at the same time, which words do I use for condom and eraser so that both will understand me correctly? For a condom, just use the word condom. This is the proper word used in the UK and the USA. As the following links show, using the word rubber to mean a condom, is American slang: US slang for a condom ( Cambridge Dictionaries Online ) [countable] American English informal a condom ( Longman Dictionary ) And the USA has this slang for the word, as well as the word itself.

For the word eraser, there will have to be a different kind of answer. This is an example of, one of the many differences in American English. Because the word eraser is not generally, reliable in the UK, it is not certain that any, particular British person, will know its American meaning. Whether or not it will be understood, will depend on which, particular British people you talk to. If you talk to an American person and a British person at the same time, just use the word condom. It is understood in both countries. Regarding eraser, you have a few possibilities. If you find out first, that one of the two knows the word used in the other's country; you can use a sentence that has just that word. For example, if you knew that the American person knows the British meaning of rubber, you can use just that. It could be that you are writing with a pencil and want to change some of the writing. You could ask, "have you got a rubber?". If you don't know in advance whether one of the two knows the word used in the other's country; you would need to use a sentence that covers both words.

For example, you could ask "have you got a rubber/eraser?". You could also find out by asking, when you talk to them. up vote 14 down vote As far as British English is concerned, a rubber is normally an eraser (unless the context specifically indicates otherwise). Using the word for a condom is not unknown; but the usual "rubber" epithet for that is rubber johnny. Having said that, the word condom is far more likely to be used to refer to a condom than any other term. The Government started using "condom" in anti-AIDS advertising in 1987 and it's now acceptable and mainstream with no euphemisms needed. Received wisdom on this side of the Atlantic is that rubber should not be used in the New World if you mean "eraser", because you don't remove pencil marks with a condom. I'm sure a native American English speaker will say what the right words are on their side of the ocean. up vote 10 down vote My experience indicates that Americans frequently misunderstand the use of "rubber" - even in a classroom setting, where erasers are quite common and condoms often less common.

I grew up in Hong Kong and the USA, and asked a classmate in the USA if I could "borrow [his] rubber". I received odd looks from him and nearby classmates, and clarified with "eraser". I have related this story as a humorous anecdote on a number of occasions, and often surprise most people here in the states when I state my request to borrow a "rubber" - this indicates to me that it is not commonly understood by many Americans. As such, I would prefer "eraser" over "rubber" to avoid derailing a conversation or request. Anyway, when talking to British people do I really have to expect that they don't know what I'm talking about when using the word rubber instead of condom? I'm a Brit living close to London, so I can help with this one. In the UK, "Rubber" and "Johnny" are the two most popular colloquialisms for Condom. Johnny is more common today - Rubber is more of a nineties term. However, our first understanding of a "Rubber" is an "Eraser". We do not use the term "Eraser".

If you ask a man in the street for a Rubber, he will think you are talking about an Eraser. If you ask him in a Club, well... :-) 10 words Britons should not say in America – The Everywhereist Looks like it’s a regionalised term 🙂 Emily Mason Seriously? I live in Melbourne and the only thing we call them are milk bars, all over Melbourne. Latent In Papua New Guinea it’s called a Lik Lik Stoa. Nicole Jewell I love this post – It just made my day!! Rob Another one that Brits have to get used to over here: telling the time. I told a client that we’d have a meeting at “half four”. He responded “What’s that, like, two o’ clock?” For the uninitiated, it isn’t a cryptic way of introducing unnecessary maths into scheduling; it’s short for ‘half past four’, ie: four thirty. Oh, yeah: I said MATHS. SaxonChap And we would write it in our diary as 16:30 Will Critchlow I can’t believe how long it was before Rand told me about diary / calendar. How many clients must I have confused / scared with that one?

Also, we don’t say capsicum (do we?). It’s a pepper. We do say fag (but know both meanings fine). We find it amusing when you talk about your pants. Very few brits would say “front bottom”. I’m not one of them. I didn’t know they were called biscuits. Great post – love this stuff. Hanii Puppy Or it’s a Sweet Pepper if differentiating it from a Chilli Pepper. Henry Elliss You had me amused all the way until the end, when Piers Morgan cropped up. At that point you broke me, and I was hooting with laughter. Bravo! Everywhereist Oh, phew. I had heard (via reddit) that people didn’t like him, so I just went with it. 🙂 Honestly, cultural references like that are the hardest to capture. 🙂 Adam Humphreys Well next time we’re geotargeting sods, fannies, or front bottoms I’l be sure to look you up lol Mindy Ah, I remember fondly telling my British friend all about the cute red pants I had just bought in France a few years ago.

This was on a very packed commuter train into London one morning, and pretty much everyone around me was eager to hear the details of these red French pants I liked so much. Couldn’t quite figure out why. Jeff Sliger Too funny. But I have found the same types of communication break-downs just traveling the US. A guy in in Virginia asked if I could “Carry him,” somewhere and I just told him “To be honest I don’t think I could even lift you.” I didn’t find out until later he was just asking for a ride. Everywhereist Bwah ha ha ha ha ha ha. Love it. Peter Unitt I agree with some of those phrases but I agree with will who’s says capsicum? Also front bottom? I’ve never heard any Brit say that! Fag is a funny one because we know both meanings and I would still make a joke out of someone asking for a fag over here, but that’s just me! Pants also is interesting because I think only people from southern England would use that term to mean underpants, on from the north and I say pants for trousers, so it’s not just you guys that find it funny.

I remember landing in Orlando a while back and we had barely se foot out of the terminal when my dad went and ordered some “chips” not a great start to his first time in the US! Great post, I think perhaps us Brits should make one for the Americans, any takers on that task? Everywhereist Peter – I promise, I’ve heard both! Though front-bottom was actually on television, so maybe that one doesn’t count? Peter Unitt Front-bottom sounds like something you might say to a kid to prevent any embarrassments, maybe that’s where it comes from. Minchala Did you know Brits also eat “faggots”? The Doodys love ’em. I’m not making this up, Doodys love faggots: British English is full of lulz. Rob Kerry Just to bring the tone down, “twat” is a bad word rather than a humorous off-the-cuff remark in the US. It made one of our US employees blush and made me buy lunch shortly after. Everywhereist Rob, really? That’s kind of adorable, actually. But perhaps not in a work environment, eh? Saurav Rimal Can I also add a phrase rather than a word?

I am taking the p*ss means I am joking with you in UK but in US it means you are literally pissing. So guys if you are trying to chat up a girl in the bar using this phrase might not be a good idea! Especially when you both are pretty tipsy 😛 Everywhereist Saurav – brilliant addition. Don’t forget that here we also say, “I’m so pissed” when we are really angry. But in the U.K., I think it means one is drunk, right? Peter Unitt piss head- alcoholic Simon And an old school one, mostly used in the 80s/90s – “piss artist” …just another way to say someone is a bit of a sod 😉 Philip I think if you hit the right bar on the right night on Capitol Hill, you will find that “front-bottom” is in use Stateside, too. Jacqueline I think front bottom refers more to girl bits. The fanny issue causes much amusement especially when unsuspecting American ladies sit on wet park benches :-). Thanks for clearing up the biscuit issue though, couldn’t ever figure out why someone would want to ruin biscuits by adding gravy. Jonathan Matthews We didn’t lose.

We’re just biding our time. Peter Cooper In the U.S., you’d likely call someone a douche instead of a sod. Maybe, but potentially dangerous advice. “Sod” is not anywhere near as negative as “douche” in my experience. It’s more an observation of stubbornness or negative behavior than a judgment of the person based on that behavior. Someone who’s being stubborn may be “being a sod” or you might call someone who’s silly or missing the point of something a “silly/stupid sod.” I can call my daughter a “little sod” for throwing all of her dinner on the floor, whereas calling her a “douche” would be a pretty offensive term to call a kid to anyone I’m likely to be around.. even in the UK. Everywhereist Peter – I, personally, don’t want to live in a country where I can’t call little children “douchebags.” Wait, no. That’s not right. What I meant to say is, thank you for the clarification. It is much appreciated (I think I thought “sod” was a much worse insult than it actually is).

Andrew If you call some a-hole a douche in a bar in the US it is a call to a fist fight. Amongst ‘the guys’ it better be done jokingly. Because your basically calling someone a fag. But in the US we all know that a fag (faggot) can mean a cigarette or a bundle of sticks because fag meant this first, before it meant the other things it now means. Tiggerito I did once say “Can you lend me a fiver, I’m gagging for a fag”. Wondered why I was treated strangely after that. My dad’s advice was not to ask to be “knocked up in the morning” but this may be an oldies phrase. Everywhereist Tony – that last sentence confused me to no end. Alison Cramer “knocked up in the morning” = woken up by someone shouting your name or knocking on the bedroom door. Usually pretty early. I’m given to understand that “knocked up” in America means you’re pregnant, could be wrong though. Everywhereist That is precisely what “knocked up” means. 🙂 Andrew Actually, in the US we love you Brits so much that we like the British slang.

It’s like we’re talking to one of the Rolling Stones or Sean Connory or watching a British movie. So no big deal…talk it up. Andrew And Peter is like the one person who doesn’t like Harry Potter… Peter West Carey I’m only commenting to tip the favor to the number of Peters commenting as compared to Robs commenting. Personally English (the language, not the cult) annoys me. SaxonChap Whilst travelling on business with my American female colleague, we met in the hotel lobby to go off to the foreign office when she suddenly turned to me and said “Hang on, I forgot my fanny pack”. You can imagine tee wonderment of my mind at that stage, but needless to say I was highly relieved when she came back down with what was obviously a bum bag! Richard. Curtis You’re likely to hear the expression, “That’s PANTS!” when you’re in the UK. Translation: “That’s not very good!”, “That sucks!” or “That’s a bit shit!”… you get the picture.

LAlimey The one I like is “rubber” here in the US it means condom in UK it means eraser and when I was a kid we used to get given one when we were 12 years old and it had to last us through the whole school time plus it had to be big enough to write your name and address on it ( Care of Jasper Carrot ). This always creates great laughter in the US kathy sorry, forgot the last one: piss Laura I regularly use the term “diary” to refer to Outlook tasks – we diary them ahead to a new due date and also refer to the actual tasks as diaries. This is partly because my bosses are old and partly because at my last job we called them “tickles” and I always found that term a little bit disturbing so I was happy to start saying “diary” when someone else suggested it. MelB I had a group of my “girlfriends” in hysterics the first time they heard me say “knickers”. This has led to endless debates about what our respective countries call our undergarments.

Apparently it sounds very dirty when I say it in my home counties accent Jen “Knickers” in the US generally refer to baggy trousers that are cuffed at the knee. Kind of like what good ol’ George Washington would have worn with some knee socks and buckled shoes. Nobody wears them outside of costuming (for instance, the Cast Members on Main St. USA at Walt Disney World wear them, or you might find some poor 2nd grader wearing them in their Thanksgiving Day Pageant at school.) Simon Also highly amusing for us Brits is Donald Trump… and all associated products. A trump in the UK is flatulence, so imagine my joy at seeing Trump cologne! 🙂 Kay That is too funny. So if one passes gas, do you say “I just trumped somethin’ awful”? Or “excuse me, a bit of trump slipped out”. LOL. Too funny. I like “trump”. I may have to use that, not that I trump in front of people or anything.

😉 Rathead Whenever I go to England, I constantly get in trouble for saying, “Blow him off,” as in, “Ignore him/stand him up/whatever.” According to my friend, I’m advocating blow jobs. Lucas Ng Biscuits! WTF! Biscuits! On our way to your lovely wedding, Sarah and Eric took me to a very cool Portland cafe for brunch. On the menu was something called Biscuits and Gravy. Biscuits. And gravy. How does one serve biscuits, with gravy? Sweet, crunchy cookies. With salty gravy? I was intrigued. I was not expecting giant pieces of soft dough dunked in rich savory goo. I’m with the British on this one 😉 Tom Fogarty Summed up the word “sod” perfectly! They should put a picture of Piers Morgan in the dictionary. Elizabeth Love the list and the comments! To add another: I’m trying to break myself of the common American habit of saying “I’m bummed” or “That’s a bummer” when something disappointing happens, because it makes my British friends snicker. Becca Thank you for this.

My husband and I are going to London in a month and a half and your guide was very helpful. I might need to print this and bring it with me… Lynn Capsicum is an Aussie thing, I believe. I’m allergic to bell peppers so I had to learn to look for capsicum on the menu during my trips to Australia. I don’t remember having that issue when I was in London. I also try to avoid saying I’m “rooting for” the red team and try to say “I’m cheering for the red team” since I think in a few countries “rooting” is a sexual act! I still love the saying: In England, you put your trunk in the boot. In US, you put your boots in the trunk. Tam I can live with a few linguistic idiosyncrasies, but what really got me when I first came to the US was the shopping.

Took me a while to learn that: coriander = cilantro white grapes = green grapes (figures) pak choi = bok choy mange tout peas = snow peas cloudy/not from concentrate apple juice = apple cider (if you ask for cider in the UK, you are going to get pretty pissed… drunk, I mean) And that’s just the stuff that at least looks the same (so I could shop by sight). The rest still remains a mystery, or at least a novelty. For example, you’d struggle to find turnips in a regular Sainsbury’s. We just don’t eat that stuff. Totally agreed on girlfriends. If I called my British female friends that, they’d either think I was infantilising them, or coming onto them. The biscuits were a bit of a surprise. Yes, there are some sweet variations on the theme in the UK (filled biscuits like Jammie Dodgers or fig rolls especially), but traditionally they’d be savoury and served with sharp cheese (cream crackers, digestives, water biscuits). So in all honesty, Seattle’s delightful Biscuit Bitch wasn’t that much of a leap. The fare was slightly doughier, but it was still a biscuit.

Finally, I’ll always love the stateside confusion caused by the British use of the word ‘fag’ to mean ‘cigarettes’. Especially when we’ve run out of ours and are trying to get you to give us one… Because then, we’re trying to bum a fag. 😉 Kay I’ve never heard English Cucumber. I’ve always known it as a cucumber. It must be a regional thing. Practically every American knows about fags at this point. It was the source of jokes as a child. It gave the kids in school an excuse to say a bad word. LOL. The white grape thing is weird here because when it’s juice it’s white grape juice (as opposed to red grape juice), but they’re called green grapes when they’re in fruit form most the time, though at some stores they are called white grapes. It depends on where you shop I guess. We call garbanzo beans chickpeas as well. They’re interchangeable terms here. You guys really don’t eat turnips? They’re so delicious when they’re mashed. Kind of like potatoes. We have alcoholic cider here, but we call it hard cider. Cider is just a cloudy, non-alcoholic apple juice.

Thanks for your contribution. I didn’t know many of the food terms that you wrote down. Very educational for travel. Ali A big one is “rubber” When us Brits say rubber we mean “eraser” yet I understand it is slang for condom in the States. This could lead to all sorts of potential awkwardness 😀 Karen Didn’t leave a note the first time I was doubled over reading this, so I thought I’d drop a line and say I love this! Also, I just found this in The Economist and thought of your hilarious post once again. A list of British euphemisms, with a focus on understatement: Everywhereist Love it! I’ve definitely fallen prey to some British euphemisms, because what I thought was a glowing hotel or restaurant recommendation from a Brit was actually nothing of the sort! Cat Fellow Aussie here who’s lived in London. Just confirming that capsicum is indeed an aussie term for pepper/bell pepper. Hope it’s all sorted. Everywhereist Cat – my hand to GOD I saw it on a menu in London. Maybe the restaurant was run by Aussies, and they were messing with ALL of us. 🙂 rakib Hello everywherist!

I found your blog from The Time magazine as “the best blog of the year”. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your writing is really cool. ‘When in Rome, do as Romans do’ but how can one do as Romans without knowing how really the Romans do? At this point, your post helps as well as make us entertained. I am giving thanks to you and am looking forward to getting such kind of writing. Let the peace of almighty be upon you and your hubby. PS. I loved the name “EATALY” really! I wish I had a chance to have some food and shouted saying about eataly “it ally(ies)!” Lorne I remember once in elementary school we had a new girl in class fresh from the UK. She was asking around the class “Got a rubber?”. Mortified looks on students’ faces! She was asking for an eraser. Dominic I had a British friend, he asked if I wanted to do something once and I mentioned I had to put on pants. The expected result was had. After that point, it became kind of an in-joke to call them “American pants”. Alex The first three are way off.

Diary can have either of the two meanings you mention – otherwise we’d have a different name for Anne Frank’s Diary. And I’ve never heard front-bottom or capiscum before. Ever. Kay I teach on a Study Abroad prgramme in Oxford. Last term (semester) students embarked on a 27 hour journey to Frankfurt and were genuinely astonished that the “coach” travel did not involve a train. Still, they graduated after 14 weeks cured of saying awsome in class Alexa I just had to add this … “Shagging” is a dance that they do in the Carolinas (US). It is also known as “beach dancing” I think. When I was vacationing at the beach in NC, I saw advertisements all over for “shagging lessons” … I don’t know if “shag” in UK still has a sexual connotation, but I know it used to, and everytime I bulletin boards advertising “shagging lessons” I chuckled, thinking about how it might look to a Brit. Hanii Puppy It very much still has a sexual connotations.

It has no connotations other than those of the sexual persuasion xD Noelle I found this blog while looking for the meaning of the terms “capiscum” and ‘rocket” (thank you, commentor who added that one) in a cookbook. So, while some of the commenters said “capiscum” isn’t used as much, it is used in at least one cookbook! 🙂 Thanks for the info! Robyn No one says front bottom… No one. Also, Americans don’t have to watch out for any of those in the UK. We understand your ignorant usage of English words and, as long as you have an appropriately strong accent, will reply appropriately, albeit with a sigh and a roll of the eyes. Kay You don’t have to be rude about it. I watch a lot of British television and movies, so I’m used to most of these terms. American English is a legitimate form of English. We’re not ignorant. These differences are regional, it’s called a dialect. It doesn’t make one ignorant. Most languages have varying dialects. The differences aren’t that profound. They are mostly slang or technological/mechanical terms that were developed after the Americans attained independence from Britain.

There’s no need to be nasty about it. As an American, I welcome a British dialect and accent. I like hearing the differences between American and British English. You must also bear in mind that America is a melting pot. Many cultures came together to create our nation and this has most definitely had an impact on our language. For example we in America use “gotten”, which is an old Anglo-Saxon word that died out in Britain, but has lasted in America. Also, “cookies” comes from Dutch, you call them biscuits. We call sweets “candy”, which is a Middle English word. I’m an American and I’m clearly not ignorant in regards to the differences in dialect. Please try not to be so insulting. I love Britain and would never insult your people, language, or country. We’re all Westerners and are VERY similar to each other in the eyes of the rest of the world. We’re supposed to be allies, not enemies. Paul We use “gotten” in Britain. For example “ill-gotten gains”, although “got” is more common”. Laine I use rubber as the word for eraser, but I’ve heard that in the U.S. it…. well, it means something completely different.

So whenever I’m speaking to an American, I make sure to use the word eraser. Samuel Rubber is more like a squishy plastic we Americans make soles of shoes out of! Kay I think she’s referring to our use of rubber as a slang word, which is a condom. I definitely had a laugh over finding out that Brits call erasers rubbers. I love this type of thing, the differences in our dialects. It’s really funny and also very useful for traveling abroad. Now, I won’t make an ass out of myself when I go to Britain. 🙂 Quadra Rubbers, long ago in America, was a slang term for galoshes (rubber rain boots). wookey ‘wellies’ in the UK (or more properly ‘Wellington Boots’). Ruby Love This was a delightful article. I especially appreciated that it did not demean British or American speakers. I realize “English” is a complicated language. I have always loved to hear British accents. I would hope they enjoy American’s as well.

Joy Brillant – another very British phrase My favorite “tah” – nothing like it in the US I learned all sorts of interesting phrases when I lived in London with my Scottish husband and two school aged children. Our daughter picked up the charming use of “cow” to describe some of her fellow classmates. I am off to London in a few days and looking forward to refreshing my British slang. Suzanne Suspenders is another one. We call them braces. What we call suspenders I believe American’s call garters. Anne Jones Why do Americans feel they have to put -ality onto the ends of words? For example “dysfunctionality”. The word is dysfunction. No need to add -ality onto the end. It just sounds ugly to me. Lynn Thank you for the “ality” comment. It is an annoying trend in America to attach “ality” to every word possible and it is driving me crazy and I live in the United States. Steph We do have turnips in the UK! We call them swedes in the south, and they’re still turnips up north, particularly in Scotland. I have some friends who get swedes, turnip and parsnip confused entirely.

We’ve had debates over Sunday roast whether a parsnip is a parsnip or a swede. I call the white root vegetable slightly bigger than a carrot (but with a much thinner point) a parsnip. A swede is the larger, rounder, more purples vegetable, highly delicious when mashed. Yum. Hanii Puppy Turnips in Scots is “Neeps” 😛 Emma Turnips and suede are two different vegetables! Kris Howard Âû Emma’s right: a swede is large, purple skin above, and yellow flesh; a turnip is much smaller, green skin above, and white flesh. The Scots words “neeps” and “tumshies” almost always refer to suedes; turnips are rare in Scotland. Peter Campbell Smith An English swede is an American rutabaga or a Scottish turnip. Suede is fuzzy leather. Latent Mashed turnip mixed with mashed potato is ‘neeps n tatties’. You can’t really use swede, the taste is quite different. A good turnip has a slight peppery taste. Hanii Puppy “Front Bottom” seems fairly self-explanatory o-o But it doesn’t mean the same as “Willy”.

Indeed, Having a “Willy” and having a “Front Bottom” are, for the most part, mutually exclusive. Joseph Seconded! Those saying that no one uses the term in the UK are speaking from their own, limited experience. My parents used to use it when my siblings and I were children, as a euphemistic term for “fanny” 🙂 Also, as others have mentioned, a diary can equally be a personal book of your thoughts and feelings. gokhan Now I’m seriously afraid to talk. Maybe I should learn some Spanish. That’d be better 🙂 Scojebel All I think of when I hear that is Austin Powers. Shagadelic, baby! Scojebel Trump has to do with Bridge, too, though. Right? Scojebel Oh, geez. It probably sounds like the N word. Richard Wyatt I don’t understand why American’s say I could care less, instead of I couldn’t care less. Also burglarized is a long-winded way of saying burgled. Ps. I see this is an old article. I was just searching to see what American’s call peppers! sam pedigo because we don’t use uk english.

your terms are to us foreign and not overly used. the only naming i adopt is theatre instead of theater but that’s it. also, i was watching being human last night and if i said gay, would i be slapped? Kreft Just a heads up. In america the proper saying is indeed “I couldn’t care less”. It’s just the ignorant ones that mess it up and that leads to confusion. I’ve heard “could care less” a lot in the uk as well though so it’s misused everywhere. tsp1der Maybe because if you said I could care less, but I do not because of the effort involved in giving a less of a fuck than you have right now sends a stronger message than not even caring. America. the progressive lazy person SamIAmWithObservationAndProcra Well, as long as Fuck is the same in both places, English’ll still be somewhat decent and merciful to its vast-spread users (or abusers. Whichever way one sees it).

wideNCawake “sod” , now I finally know what the Sex Pistols were saying manny ruiz in the States if you were to say to her your bum bag she may have thought your calling her poor or a loser because people say what a bum to people who do nothing, l think bum bag would be worse to say l hope she told you not to say Fag in Public, Gay people would have a fuss over that a can of worms you dont want opened , that is why it’s always good to google what not to do lol Latent Years ago in the UK the working class couldn’t afford alarm clocks (I suppose most anywhere, also?). Someone with an alarm clock could get work as a ‘knocker-upper’, going around with a long stick knocking on peoples bedroom windows to get them up for work.. They would get maybe a penny a week per house, so it was a bit extra cash for them as they most likely had a job to go to themselves. Latent Years ago, visiting New Zealand, a delightful young thing invited me to a beach barby. She said it’ll be fun as she wanted to get screwed. I mentioned this in awe to my pal, thinking I was well in. He fell about laughing.

At that time (maybe even now?) it meant getting drunk. Latent Yams and sweet potatoes are different vegetables. There are varieties of yam and varieties of sweet potato and some look quite similar, but they’re not. A bit like there are varieties of plantain and varieties of banana. Latent To be ‘bummed’ in the UK is to have a penis in your anus, not necessarily a bad thing. But to ‘have a bum at the door’ means a bailiff or sheriff has come to collect a debt. Latent Kids tend to use the word ‘trump’ where adults would usually say ‘fart’. In a group, if a quiet on out was slipped out, someone would exclaim in disgust, “Whose is that”? The reply would be , “Yours if you want it”. Or, “Everyone take deep breaths, it goes quicker”! Latent I always say ‘capsicum’ and I’m slowly teaching the staff of UK branches of Subway what they are! I got the habit from Aussies, when I was in Papua New Guinea. Yoni Ariel You missed so many wonderful ones. In the US, being pissed means being angry, in Britspeak it means drunk.

In Britain an eraser is called a rubber, and a rubber is a condom (this leads to hilarious situations). A nappy is a diaper, and a US napkin is a serviette. In the UK you walk on a pavement, not a sidewalk. Someone who is bonkers is a bit nuts, however bonking means having sex, as does shagging. A dogsbody is what in the US would be called a gopher. The loo of course is the toilet. David McKendrick Parts of a car are not interchangeable either. Hood, bonnet, boot, trunk, petrol, gas etc. In fact they don’t even have cars – just autos or automobiles. And lorry’s are trucks. wookey Except that a shag is also a bird and a piece of carpet technology ‘shag-pile carpet’. So whilst ‘shagging’ is clear, ‘a shag’ can be rather less so. wookey That’s a very handy list. I was only aware of about half of those (never having had to do shopping for cooking beyond ‘heat it up when camping’ grade). So what do they call cider in the US?

Or does it just not exist (it’s certainly very rare, which is a great disappointment to me). I’ve been given soda and apple juice when trying to ask for some. wookey And half four in German is 3:30 (half _to_ four). Much amusement/aggravation. I’m surprised at a Brit that wasn’t familiar with ‘half four’. We do usually say ‘half past four’, but the abbreviation is hardly uncommon. American Words/ British Words ESL Programs American Words/ British Words As you know, even though North America and Great Britain share the same language, some words are completely different. Here are some of the most common differences. American Word British Word Flashlight Torch Gas Petrol Soccer Football Cookie Biscuit Diaper (on a baby) Nappy (of food) Elevator Lift Truck Lorry Hood (of a car) Bonnet (of a car) Eraser Rubber Check Your Understanding Can you fill in the blanks without looking back? 1. In North America, a person drives a truck down the road. In Great Britain, a person drives a . 2. In Great Britain, the front of a car is called a bonnet. In North America, the front of a car is called a . 3.

In North America, the back of the car has a trunk. In Great Britain, the back of the car has a . 4. In Great Britain, people put petrol in their cars to make them go. In North America, people put in their cars. 5. In North America, babies wear diapers before they learn to use the toilet. In Great Britain, babies wear . 6. In Great Britain, food can be bought in tins. In North America, food is bought in . How to Understand British Terms: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Be aware that certain food items are called by different names: Chips are thick fries, and french fries are the thin fries. Crisps are potato chips . A biscuit is a cookie. A British person would only call chocolate-chip biscuits a 'cookie'. Scones are a baked item made of firm dough. They are neither soft like bread or crisp like a cookie or a biscuit but are somewhere in between. They can be sweet or savoury and are eaten topped or filled as appropriate. Jelly is a gelatin dessert (Jello), the type given with ice cream in hospital; fruit preserves are jam.

2 Learn the different terms for parts of a building: The ground floor is the same as the American first floor. The first floor is the one above this, and other numbers follow as normal. A lift is an elevator. A flat is the general term for an apartment. A bedsit is a one-room flat (efficiency apartment) that serves as a bedroom and a living area. 3 Study these terms for when you are on the move: The boot is the trunk of the car. A trunk in Britain is a kind of old-fashioned large suitcase. The wing is the fender of the car. The bonnet is the hood of the car. The "windscreen" is the windshield as goes for the wipers. However, a trunk call, is a long-distance (on a trunk-line) phone call but the term is not associated with automobiles at all as one might be lead to believe. Trunk call is not used in modern British English. A roundabout is a traffic circle. The colours of traffic lights are called red, amber (not yellow) and green. A lorry is a truck (not necessarily a "pick-up truck"). They are, more often than not, the type that carry goods.

The sidewalk is called the pavement or the footpath (unpaved walkway). Petrol is gasoline (e.g., "Can we stop at the petrol station?"). 4 Avoid embarrassment of not understanding these differences: A bum is a derrière/posterior, not a homeless person. Spell and pronounce ass as "arse", bearing in mind that an "ass" may also be four-legged or even a more derogatory synonym for a two-legged "twit". Do not call your "bum" your fanny. In the U.K., a "fanny" is a word meaning the female, external genitalia (vulva)! A "fag" is a cigarette. (The British are well aware of the American meaning.) While thanks to American culture, "faggot" is sometimes used as the derogatory name for homosexuals (avoid in polite company), in UK "fagot/faggot" can be used to mean "a cigarette, bundle of firewood, a chopped meatball," or "a bundle of anything", though this is an obscure usage. [1] The "loo", "bog", "WC/water closet", or just "toilet" is the American English "bathroom" (e.g.

"Where's the loo?"), though if you say you're going to the bathroom, people will get the idea. A rubber is a pencil eraser, as well as meaning a condom. "I'm stuffed" means "I'm full". The word stuffed can also be interpreted in a negative or insulting manner depending on context (e.g. "Go get stuffed." is a bit more polite than "F**k off.", having roughly the same meaning). 5 Remember when throwing something away that: Rubbish is garbage or trash and goes in the rubbish bin if it is inside, or a dustbin if you mean the large outside receptacle. A trash bag is called a bin liner or bin bag. 6 Use these terms when talking about clothing: Trainers are sneakers, Wellingtons (Wellington boots, wellies, boots) are calf-length rubber (or plastic) waterproof boots and have nothing to do with beef. They are named after the Duke of Wellington. Pants in England are worn underneath your trousers or jeans, just like American panties. While the British may understand what you mean, due to the invasion of American culture, they will likely find the mental image this conjures amusing and may call you out on it, also called "knickers".

Tights, are pantyhose with two legs, "stockings" is the term used for pantyhose that have two separate garments, just like socks. 7 Finally, study these terms which may cause confusion: The phrases "taking the mickey", "taking the Michael" and "taking the piss" mean making fun of or teasing. The phrase "on your knees" means to show respect, beg, or even plead, To ring is to call on the phone (e.g. "I'll ring you later"). A pram or buggy is a baby stroller. A trolley is a shopping cart used for shopping in large shops such as supermarkets. A dummy (short for "dummy teat") is a pacifier. A lolly is a contraction of "iced lolly", a popsicle. A mobile or mobile phone is a cellphone. A bodge or botch is a poor job (or repair) that just about works. A brolly is short for an umbrella. Very occasionally called a "gamp" after a character in a Dickens novel. Going on "holiday is a vacation. A torch is a flashlight. Maths is the shortened mass noun for mathematics, American "math". Washing-up liquid is dish detergent.

An aerial is a TV or radio antenna. Anti-clockwise is counter-clockwise. The phone is engaged means that the phone line is busy. Punt in the UK refers to a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, designed for use in small rivers or other shallow water. Punting refers to boating in a punt. In America, especially in American Football, a punt is when you clear the ball down the field. That was the joke used on Emma Watson by David Letterman ("Here, we do that on 4th and long"). The English equivalent is a drop kick, but the mechanics are different. A punt in rugby is a kick in which the ball is hit BEFORE touching the ground. It's also slang for 'a bet' or a gamble, as in 'I took a punt on it not raining tonight', 'I had a punt on a horse race'. "Football" is soccer. The American game is called American football, and is viewed as a second-rate version of rugby. 8

Question: In Britain they call it a rubber. What do Americans call it?
Answer: An Eraser