Jean

If I have cookies on my computer in England, do I still call them cookies?

J_R_Hartley

Call them what you like, however careful with the crumbs in your keyboard.

A mini hoover may be needed.

walkinaround

americans think 'flat' sounds more sophisticated. britons think 'apartment' sounds much more sophisticated than 'flat'.

it's all swings and roundabouts.

Cimbrone

stfc wrote, "What the Americans call biscuits are scones."

Not really. An American biscuit is less crumbly and less sweet. Ideally served hot with butter and jam or, for those courting coronary disease, sausage gravy.

stfc

Jam? Jelly, surely. Jam is a British condiment and has the debris of real fruit in it, home-made by the ladies of the WI.

The 'biscuits' I tried in one of your military establishments were awfully like scones to me. Very crumbly. Maybe I should have used some oatmeal to glue them back together. I couldn't think of any other use for it.

Cimbrone

Jam or jelly stfc. Our jam has real fruit chunks in it as well. Jelly is also a spread, but is just the solidified juice.

And please don't judge our biscuits based on the ones produced by our military. They are definitely supposed to be soft.

janisj

Most Americans call a scone a scone. An American biscuit <i>can</i> be &quot;scone-like&quot;, but it is definitely a different animal . . . . .

Cimbrone

I love when my South African friend says someone's &quot;in hospital.&quot; For purely linguistic reasons of course.

And could a &quot;vacation&quot; ever be as much fun as a &quot;holiday&quot;?

Mischka

Cimbrone I am South African and I say &quot;someone is in hospital&quot;, what would you say? Are you American?

Mischka

Oh yes and I love going on holiday, but vacation reminds me of those little green/red signs on the public loo doors that say vacant or occupied

PatrickLondon

Somewhere along the line, jelly must have meant the same thing on both sides of the Atlantic. Wasn't it a distinguished American who once sang &quot;It must be jelly cos jam don't shake like that&quot;..?

Cimbrone

Mischka, yes, I'm American. And we say &quot;in THE hospital.&quot;

Cholmondley_Warner

I don't think Americans have what we call biscuits,&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

*Makes another entry in cholmondley's big book of reasons to avoid America.*

sandi_travelnut

If that's a reason to avoid a country, then please stay away...

kleeblatt

Hey Jolly Warner,

Am I safe to assume &quot;dog biscuits&quot; is internationally correct?

Cholmondley_Warner

Why are americans tone deaf to humour?

*Makes another entry in the book under &quot;tone deaf&quot;*

I'm going to need a bigger book.

speckles

CW, do you need any more reasons not to visit America?? I thought it was already at the end of a long list, even after Australia and Antarctica.

sandi_travelnut

I didn't realize that it was supposed to be a joke...as it was not in the least bit funny..my error.

bilboburgler

swings and roundabouts.

I guess Swings are swings but what are roundabouts in US?

Cholmondley_Warner

In the same way that I don't actually NEED more money it is always nice to get a bit extra.

It's the same with the reasons.

The book starts with &quot;Aardvarks - lack of&quot; and finishes with &quot;Zeppelins - No longer fly there&quot;.