I remember how we as a British family visiting Disney in Florida were on the monorail and heard the words, 'We will be stopping at ... momentarily.'
I shouted to my family, 'Quick, quick, quick! It's only a brief stop. We'll get carried on if we don't get off in a hurry!'
Later I went to a department store and wanted to buy stationery. I asked an assistant, "Where can I find rubbers?"
She said, "We don't stock them. Try the drug store upstairs."
I stayed in the same store, looked around and found the ruler I needed. Nearby I spotted the rubbers.
I took one to the assistant and said, " I found it."
She looked puzzled, and nodded.
I said, accusingly, "But you said, 'we don't stock rubbers'."
"Yes," she agreed.
I demanded, "So what do you call this?"
"An eraser."
"Ah. What did you think I said, and meant?"
"Rubbers. Which you buy upstairs in the drug store."
Later I wanted to buy a carpet.
I was told, "We don't stock carpets."
But carpets were on the floor below.
What do you call these," I asked as assistant.
"Rugs."
"Do you understand the word carpet? What does it mean to you?"
"Floor covering which is fitted, wall to wall."
Here's a list of words which you need to know when visiting another country or serving strangers in a shop or on the phone.
American - English
briefly, soon - momentarily
closet - wardrobe
hidey hole, hiding place, locked or shut in cupboard with doors - closed space, closet (as in the phrase skeleton in the closet)
momentarily (shortly, soon) - briefly, just for a moment
pants - trousers
realtor - estate agent
rubber - condom
rug - carpet
British English - American
carpet - rug
closet - enclosed, locked space, hidey-hole
fitted carpet - carpet
momentarily - briefly, only for a moment, soon
estate agent - realtor
flat - one level dwelling in a multi-occupancy building
knickers, panties, pants, smalls, underwear, undies - underpants
rubber - eraser
Rug - small carpet, no bigger than the size of a kitchen table
wardrobe - closet
walk-in wardrobe - walk in closet
Useful websites
Wikipedia American English language
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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