I received a flattering description of myself as a teacher of English, describing me as respectable. I fell about laughing because to me respectable means morally respectable, married, rather than single, in a previous era it would have meant no longer an unwed mother, nor prone to one night stands.
I was brought up in Britain and in America we would say goodnight to a friend in a hotel, asking, 'Shall I knock you up in the morning?', meaning, knock on the door.
But in America to knock somebody up means to have sex and get pregnant.
The next surprise was to hear myself described as beautiful inside out. I think the admirer was typing in a hurry. The Americans do tend to drop the word and. Without and, inside and out becomes inside out. You can have a sock or jacket or dress or garment turned inside out with the inside seams showing. But how could a person be inside out!
French
The French call this kind of verbal misunderstand faux amis, in English literally false friends.
A French speaking toastmasters international speakers training meeting is known as a reunion, meaning a regular weekly or fortnightly or monthly meeting. But in British English a reunion would be a meeting taking place once or annually or after a long period of time, such as a reunion of people who met on holiday, or a graduation class from school or university.
A French toilet cubicle is occupe - occupied (not engaged). (Engaged means committed.)
Spanish
A Spanish speaking friend of mine from Toastmasters club Harrovians in London gave a speech about similar sounding or identical Spanish and English words which can cause confusion.
Useful Websites
wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_American_and_British_English
https://www.myenglishpages.com/english/vocabulary-lesson-faux-amis.php
About The Author Angela
Angela Lansbury is a British author who has lived in the USA.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
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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