George Bernard Shaw, the great British writer, wrote that England and America are two countries divided by a common language.
I was walking along the street after an American who told me, "Follow me. Don't walk on the pavement." I was a bit puzzled because he stepped briefly into the road to avoid a pothole and then back onto the pavement.
He turned around and said, "I warned you not to walk on the pavement."
I replied, "I'm doing what you said. I'm in the road."
He shouted, "Get out of the road!"
I frowned, "but you said off the pavment. This is the pavement."
"No, he said, "that's the sidewalk, He pointed to the road, "Thtat' the pavement." I scratched my chin. I scratched my ear. I shook my head. I sighed.
UK - USA
bonnet (if a car) - hood
boot ( of a car) - trunk
call in - drop by
lorry -truck
math - maths
nappy - diaper
pavement - sidewalk
porter - bellhop
roadway/tarmac - pavement
Rubber - eraser
Tip or trick - hack
tap - faucet
USA - UK
bellhop - porter
diaper - nappy
eraser - rubber
faucet - tap
hood (of a car) - bonnet
Maths - math
drop by - call in
hack - tip or trick
pavement - road/roadway/tarmac
sidewalk - pavement
truck - lorry
trunk (of a car) - boot
Useful Websites
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-14201796
About the Author
Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.
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