ira

>...it was common to call it "Monkey Wards" - no reason ....<

It was called Monkey Wards because that was its name.
.....................................
Hey BK,

>...does this behavior offend you?<

Nothing offends Flanner. His mission in life is to offend.

chartley

When I remind Americans to stay on the pavement, they always walk in the road.

wellididntknowthat

Furryboots are ye fae Sheila?

Apologies couldnt resist. I like Aberdeen and enjoyed working there frequently.

janisj

When I used to give a 1/2 day class about travel to the UK I handed out a several pages long English/American Dictionary I put together w/ mainly just words/terms that might confuse tourists.

There were a couple hundred entries from bonnet, windscreen, boot, spanner to subway, pavement, coach, return to tip, pants fag, joint, rubber,

Fag/joint/rubber and a few other were always worth a few giggles . . .

BKP

Thank goodness! He's turning into a proper little Brit and I would hate for anyone to think we were being ridiculous.

annhig -- yes -- we're Americans and we've been here for two years with plans to stay a bit longer. With our accents, clothes and mannerisms I know we'll never pass for Brits but I do want my son to fit in with his peers as much as possible.

sheila -- you're right about the naff bit. I'm friends with a few other expats and sometimes it feels a bit forced when they drop some Britishisms. I think "Really? You've been here 6 months and already it's more natural to say cheers than thank you?"

janisj your list should be required reading on the plane ride. I had a run in with pants v. trousers -- at church no less. Imagine complaining to all the church ladies that you're so cold because you're wearing a skirt and not pants!

Jean

When my dad was stationed in England during WWII, he was billeted for a time in a private home in Yorkshire. During his "orientation," the lady of the house asked him what time he'd liked to be knocked up in the morning.

Several weeks later, he was moved to another area and had to say his good-byes to the Norton family that had been so kind to a young man far from home. He told Mrs. Norton what "knocked up" meant in America and that she might not want to say it to the next Yank. She laughed. "Bah gum! That's a goodun. I can't wait to tell that to me oosband."

Mucky

"I would use and expect to hear, all of "Marks and Sparks", M&S, and Markies (not MarkSies)"

Sheila-I can honestly say I have never ever heard it called 'Markies'

Strange intit



Muck

kerouac

Since I haven't lived in the U.S. for a long time, I don't even know when they started saying Mickey D's for McDonald's.

Morgana

I pass a large (and very good) food hall only M&S on my way home from work in Leeds, and after a particularly stressful day it can call me in to choose something quick and easy for dinner. Too frequent a use of this option makes my husband call it 'Marks and Expensive'.

MissPrism

I've been thinking about this and I agree with Flanner about using other countries' slang for their own institutions.
It is irritating and the only thing I can suggest is that it is like family pet names.
If your son John is called Tootles at home, you would expect outsiders to call him John.
Pal's "Chunnel" is a bit like calling the lad Toot-toot" ;-)

sheila

For the record, I HATE Chunnel, too.

PatrickLondon

>>Furryboots City

I never heard that before - I must look for an occasion to use it. At least they don't call it Ugg. Yet.

As for pants, there's this famous Australian ad:

Bert4545

I'm English, but I've only lived in four places for any length of time - Warrington, Oxford, Lancaster and Peterborough - so I can only comment on what I've heard in those places. I think I first heard sick jokes at secondary school - 1960-65. I don't remember 'spaz' or 'spastic' being a term of abuse then. I first heard, and started using 'cheers' - which I hate and loathe with a passion - at Oxford (1966-69). It's such a ridiculous way to say 'Thanks' or 'Thank you'. I'd like to know what 'return to tip' means. Churchill is supposed to have said, "Americans and British are one people separated only by a common language." Do any Americans use lie/lay correctly? I know that very few English people do.

Dukey

IMO we do not use "lie/lay" cotrrectly..what everyone here DOES know is the term "to get laid" and there is little confusion about that....add in "rubber" and you're on your way for sure.

This thread is great IMO and despite Flanner's probably prudent warning about "foreigners" using other folks' slang terms, I, for one, would love to hear, and understand, a few MORE of them.

It also might be interesting to include some of the more common phrases..anything from "roe to hoe" to "beat feet."

Dukey

also "pogey bait"

ira

Hi Bert,

>Do any Americans use lie/lay correctly?<

A few, but we do know how to pronounce "weekend".

ethrush

Are there still signs up in Britain warning about "Old Age Pensioners" who might be crossing the road? I guess it was the late 90s when I saw those. You could never do that in the States- we have all kinds of euphemisms, such as "Golden Agers".

Mimar

I remember in college (at university) talking to a foreign student from the UK. He said "Doctors here seem to earn a really big screw." My friend and I agreed, carefully avoiding each others' eyes.

Dukey

Oh, almost forgot..the term "swish" definitely has a different connotation in the US than it apparently does in the UK

LJ

Marks and Spencer took a shot at breaking into the Canadian market (back in the late 80's). In Toronto, there was a sort of "I'm-in-the-know-because-my-background-is British snobbery" in refering to a trip to "Marks and Sparks" on one's lunch hour.

It passed and, sadly IMHO (loved that Extra Strong M&S tea!), did the brief Canadian love affair with the chain.

But that lie versus lay thing and its side-kick hanged versus hung...that still dogs us...

When I was a kid,my sister and I used to collect 'funny' words our Norwich cousins used: cardy, plimpsolls, loo paper,WC, trousers, lift...

I rather suspect their list would feature the word 'eh' quite prominently.