Saturday, March 25, 2023

Americanisms and British English - do you know these? Bog, brolly, crosswalk, elevenses



AMERICANISMS - British English

break - school holiday - Easter holiday, half term

bunch of people - group of people

crosswalk - zebra crossing (pedestrian crossing)



decal - long-lasting, large, decorative sticker, water based, often part see-through, slides on. But the word sticker is often used for decal eg bumper sticker

dude - man, guy, dandy

elevator - lift

first floor - ground floor

freshman - first year student

hazing - initiation ceremony, rite, ritual challenge

horseback riding - horse riding

jugging - tailing an affluent customer or one who withdraws money from a bank or ATM

make a right - turn right

realtor - estate agent

second floor - first floor

semester - term

single family home - detached house

sophomore - second year student

It sucks -that's awful, it's a disaster

My bad - my mistake 

snap fastener - press stud




BRITISH ENGLISH - Americanisms

Bog standard = nothing special, basic

brolly - umbrella

elevenses - food and drink served at 11 pm or a mid-morning break, originally to increase productivity in WW2 but later everywhere in the UK at home

estate agent - realtor

first floor - second floor

first year student - freshman

ground floor - first floor

group of people - bunch of people

holiday - vacation

lift - elevator

pants - underpants

press stud - snap fastener

rubber - Durex/condom

second year student - sophomore

term - semester

toilet/bog/loo - restroom/ washroom

trousers - pants

turn right - make a right


QUIZ

1 UK brolly means an  . . . . . . . .

2 American  pants in the UK are called . . . . . . . .

3 An UK lift in the USA is calle an . . . . . . . .

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