A few words you might like to remember.
USA rest room / bathroom / john - UK toilet / loo / little boy's room / lavatory Australia - dunny
Foods
USA Jello (brand name) - jelly (UK generic or general term)
USA jelly - UK jam or marmalade
UK - flip flops (beach shoes with toe post) - Australia - thongs
In the UK thongs are underwear or bikini bottoms with a string or t-bar at the back
So a sign at Bondi beach telling you 'no thongs' is referring to beach shoes, not bikinis
Names
In the USA it is common for a boy to be called Randy, as a 'given name'. In the UK anybody who is randy is hoping chatting up girls and looking for sex. In the USA they would be horny.
In England we refer to your maiden name (girl's family name before marriage). Surname is what other countries call family name. First name means what other countries call given name.
In Australia a sheila means a female.
In Singapore an older man might be called uncle and an older woman might be called Auntie, even though unrelated and not even a friend, just a stranger on the train or the taxi driver. In the UK this is only used by toddlers and small children.
I wrote a post a while ago about translating the words in Australia's favourite song Waltzing Mathilda.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Author of Quick Quotations; Who Said What When?
USA rest room / bathroom / john - UK toilet / loo / little boy's room / lavatory Australia - dunny
Foods
USA Jello (brand name) - jelly (UK generic or general term)
USA jelly - UK jam or marmalade
UK - flip flops (beach shoes with toe post) - Australia - thongs
In the UK thongs are underwear or bikini bottoms with a string or t-bar at the back
So a sign at Bondi beach telling you 'no thongs' is referring to beach shoes, not bikinis
Names
In the USA it is common for a boy to be called Randy, as a 'given name'. In the UK anybody who is randy is hoping chatting up girls and looking for sex. In the USA they would be horny.
In England we refer to your maiden name (girl's family name before marriage). Surname is what other countries call family name. First name means what other countries call given name.
In Australia a sheila means a female.
In Singapore an older man might be called uncle and an older woman might be called Auntie, even though unrelated and not even a friend, just a stranger on the train or the taxi driver. In the UK this is only used by toddlers and small children.
I wrote a post a while ago about translating the words in Australia's favourite song Waltzing Mathilda.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Author of Quick Quotations; Who Said What When?
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