Lost in translation - American, British English

 

American - British English

backup lights - reversing lights

blinkers/turning lights - indicators

elevator - lift

emergency brake / parking brake - hand brake

faucet - tap

fender - mudguard/wing

gas station - garage

gas tank - petrol tank

hood - bonnet

lug nuts - wheel nuts

pavement - tarmac/road

sedan - saloon

sidewalk - pavement

station wagon - estate car

tail lights - brake lights

truck - lorry

trunk - boot

windshield  - windscreen

British English - American

bonnet - hood

boot - trunk

brake lights - tail lights

estate car - station wagon

garage - gas station

hand brake - parking brake / emergency brake

indicators - turning lights/blinkers

lift - elevator

lorry - truck

mudguard - fender

pavement - sidewalk

petrol tank - gas tank

reversing lights - backup lights

saloon - sedan

tarmac/road - pavement

tap - faucet

wheel nuts - lug nuts

windscreen - windshield

Useful Websites

https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/do-you-know-these-15-british-terms-for-auto-parts/

https://blog.intlauto.com/2019/04/30/us-english-uk-english-car-parts/

https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/uk-us-car-part-names/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English_vocabulary

Please share links to your favourite posts

Americanisms and British English - do you know all of these?

 American - British

burrito - cylinder of pancake like thin bread to hold fillings, made from tortilla, found in southern USA

dish soap - washing up liquid

eraser - rubber

elevator - lift

Fall - autumn

faucet - tap

hack - tip

intersection - junction

make a right - turn right

shortening (butter or solid fat sold in blocks for making crumbles, tarts, pastry or bread, as opposed to stetchy fats or cooking oils sold in bottles, various brands in the USA, UK and Australia)

sidewalk - pavement

trash - rubbish

tortilla - Mexican flatbread, which looks like a pancake, originally made from maize, found in southern USA

British - American

autumn - Fall

junction - intersection

lift - elevator

pavement - sidewalk

rubber - eraser

rubbish - trash

tap - faucet

tip - hack

turn right - make a right

washing up liquid - dish soap

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortening

Please share links to your favourite posts

American and British English Words You Should Know

 USA - UK

ball hop - porter

closet - wardrobe/walk in wardrobe/cupboard

comforter - duvet

cookies - biscuits

cops - police

diaper - nappy

eraser - rubber

faucet - tap

hack - tip

(car) hood - bonnet

gas - petrol

Jello (brand name) - jelly

jelly - jam

mail - post

pants - trousers

pavement - roadway/tarmac

porter - porter (at railway stations, bell hop is at hotels)

rubber - Durex (brand)

sidewalk - pavement

soccer - football

(car) trunk - boot

underpants - pants

UK  USA

biscuits - cookies

(car) - bonnet - hood

(car) boot - trunk

cupboard - closet

duvet - comforter

football - soccer

jam - jelly

jelly - Jello (brand)

nappy - diaper

pants - underpants

paper hanky - tissues/Kleenex

pavement - sidewalk

petrol - gas

police - cop/cops (plural)

post - mail

(hotel) porter - bell hop 

tap - faucet

tip - hack

trousers - pants

wardrobe/walk-in wardrobe - closet

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_American_and_British_English

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English, Americanisms, Australian

American flag.

British English - Other 

biscuit (UK) - cookie (USA)

cubicle (UK) - stall (USA)

jelly (UK) - Jello (USA brand name)

my mistake (UK) - my bad (USA)

shopping trolley (UK) - shopping cart (USA)

pants (UK) - underpants (USA)

spare room (UK) - guest suite (US)

Sweets (UK) - candies (USA)

tap (UK) - Faucet (USA)

toilet (UK) - restroom (USA)

trousers (UK) - pants (USA)

wash basin (UK) - bathroom sink (USA)

washing up liquid (UK) - dish soap (USA)

Useful Websites

I have several posts on Americanisms

Americanisms and British equivalents and Commonwealth countries' English

American flag

American - English+Commonwealth Countries

bell hop - porter (in a hotel)

a bunch of people - a group of people

busy (of a phone line) - engaged

candies - sweets

clean up - clean, tidy

clever - too clever

cookie - biscuit

cops -police

downtown / city center - city centre

driveway drive

elevator - lift

eraser - rubber

faucet tap

guys - mates, friends, folks - of both sexes, or even a group of girls

hacks - tips

hood - bonnet

homely - plain

it sucks - it's a real shame/that's bad/that's annoying/that's a pity/that's awful

make a right - turn right

mail - post

main street - high street

momentarily - in a moment - shortly, soon

my bad - my mistake/fault

pants - trousers

parking lot - car park

parkway - motorway

pavement - roadway

a quarter after - a quarter past

a ride (noun) - a lift

rubber - condom/Durex

server - waiter

sidewalk - pavement

sure/sure will - definitely/I certainly will

truck - lorry

truck driver - lorry driver

trunk - boot

underpants - pants

yard - garden

y'all - you all

you guys (you people - both sexes)

zee- zed

zip code - postcode

Commonwealth flag

Singapore speaks British English but a lot of Singlish, English with Chinese (Mandarin) sentence structure which sounds abbreviated like text talk. eg. You okay? We go? Australians have their own vocabulary, such as 

British+Commonwealth Countries - American

biscuit - cookie

bonnet - hood (of a car)

boot - trunk

car park - parking lot

city centre - downtown/ city center

clever - smart

condom/Durex - rubber

a drive (noun - in front of a home) driveway

engaged (of a phone line) - busy

garden - yard

guys - men/males

high street - main street

hoover - vacuum cleaner

lift (in a car) - ride in an automobile

a lift (electrical, in building) - an elevator

lorry truck

lorry driver - truck driver

pants - underpants

pavement - sidewalk

plain - homely

police/bobbies/Mr Plod - cops

porter - bell hop

post - mail

rubber - eraser

sweets - candies

tap - faucet

tips (eg cleaning, DIY) - hacks

trousers - pants

zed - zee

Useful Websites

American

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2022/10/more-americanisms.html

American

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English

Australian

Please share links to your favourite posts

Americanisms and British equivalents

 

American - English

apartment - flat

closet - wardrobe

cookie - biscuit

drug store - chemist

Fall - autumn

faucet - tap

Mom and Pop store - family business/corner shop

movie - film

hood - bonnet

parking lot - car park

realtor - estate agent

sneakers - gym shoes

store - shop

truck - lorry

English - American

autumn - Fall

biscuit - cookie

bonnet (in a car) - hood

car park - parking lot

chemist - drug store

estate agent - realtor

family business - Mom and Pop store

film - movie

flat - apartment

gym shoes - sneakers

lorry - truck

shop - store

tap - faucet (in the uk faucet is a technical term used by plumbers and instructions books)

wardrobe - closet

Useful Websites

Wikipedia

American English

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_English

Americanisms and British Equivalents - How Many Do You Know?

Americanism - British English

1 at this moment in time - now, currently

2 briefly - momentarily

3 bullshit - nonsense

4 dish brush - washing up brush

5 dish soap - washing up liquid

6 eraser - rubber

7 fall - autumn

8 faucet - tap

9 garbage - rubbish

10 momentarily - in a moment, shortly

11 next up - next

12 pavement - roadway

13 raised in - brought up in/grew up in

14 range - hob

15 resume - c.v. (Latin curriculum vitae)

16 rubber - condom

17 sidewalk - pavement

18 subway - underground

19 truck - lorry

20 trucker - lorry driver

British - Americanisms

1 autumn - fall

2 brought up in - raised in

3 soon, shortly - momentarily

4 condom - rubber

5 c.v. - resume

6 hob - range

7 lorry - truck

8 lorry driver - truck driver

9 nonsense - bullshit

10 now - at this moment in time

11 Pavement - sidewalk

12 rubber - eraser

13 rubbish - garbage

14 tap - faucet

15 underground - subway

16 washing up liquid - dish soap

17 washing up brush - dish brush

Useful Websites

wikipedia

About the author

Angela Lansbury was born and brought up in Britain but has also lived in the USA.

Americanisms of the day - fall and faucet - and British language equivalents

 I am British. I thought I knew Americanisms, such as truck for lorry, and Fall for autumn, and cookies for biscuits. However, when I went to live in the USA I found a lot more. Such as faucet. I had to learn about the car hood and trunk. 

I also had some confusions. What did make a left mean? Stop on the left? Turn left?

When I was in the stationery department of a big department store I asked the assistant, "Do you sell rubbers?" 

She said, "You need a drugstore. There's one upstairs."

I walked around the department store and found a rubber. I asked her, "You have this. Why did you say you didn't have any."

She replied, "That wasn't what you asked for."

I thought. "I asked for a rubber. What do you call this?"

"An eraser."

"But you understood the word rubber. What did you think I meant?"

"Go upstairs to the department store and ask for a rubber."

I bought the eraser. Then I went upstairs. 

US - UK

diaper - nappy

eraser - rubber

fall - autumn

faucet - tap

hood (of a car) - bonnet

make a right - turn right

staff - flagpole

truck - lorry

trunk - boot

windshield - windscreen

UK - US

autumn - fall

bonnet (of a car) - hood

boot - trunk

flagpole - staff

lorry - truck

nappy - diaper

rubber - eraser

tap - faucet

turn right - make a right

windscreen - windshield

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English

About the author

About Angela The Author

The Author - Quick Quotations

Angela Lansbury B A Hons  is the author of ten books by regular publishers plus another ten self-published books. 

About Angela The Speaker & Trainer

Angela Lansbury is a teacher of English and other languages to Toastmasters clubs and businesses.

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Vice President  Public Relations, Immediate Past President.

Former Area Director S3. Club Coach for Nee Soon South Toastmasters Club.

Also Member of: TCA Toastmasters Club; Singapore Online Dynamic; Harrovians UK

Garen Tee on using story telling in business, on bha.learncool.sg . 

Recent meetings of BHA included an educational session on using Powerpoint for posters.

Next BHA meetings, always first Wednesday evening, 7 pm Singapore time. Next meetings 1st Wednesday evening is Wednesday June 2nd at 7pm; and third Saturday afternoon, June 19th 2pm Singapore time.  

Angela The Blogger 

Angela has several blogs speeches, comedy and song writing and organizing, writing intermittently, but writes almost daily on these three:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

See next post on sculptor Tom Harvey.

Please share links to your favourite posts. 

American English and British English

 

American - British

A bunch of people - a group of people, a bunch of flowers

check - bill

chips - crisps

cookies - biscuits

diaper - nappy

eraser - rubber

faucet - tap

french fries - chips

gas - petrol

it sucks - it's bad news/it's a disaster/that's bad luck/a real bind/that pisses me off/disappointing

over easy (of an egg) - cooked both sides

raised - brought up

rest room - toilet

rubber - condom

sunny side up - a fried egg

truck - lorry

worrisome - worrying

British - American

a fried egg - an egg,  sunny side up

a group of people - a bunch of people

bill - check

biscuits - cookies

brought up - raised

chips - french fries

condom - rubber

crisps - (savoury) crackers/potato chips

it's bad news/it's a disaster - it sucks

lorry - truck

nappy - diaper

petrol - gas

rubber - eraser

tap - faucet

toilet - rest room

worrying - worrisome

Useful Websites

translate google

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.

Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Americanism and British English

Americanism - British English

construction site - building site

diaper - nappy

drug store - chemist's shop

faucet - tap

Hood (of car) - bonnet

make a right - turn right

real estate - property 

resume - c.v.

seniors - OAP, pensioners, senior citizens

store - shop/department store

toss (eg unmatched socks) - throw away

truck - lorry / truck driver - lorry driver

trunk (of car) - boot

An interesting house to visit in the USA is the house of Webster who wrote the dictionary.

Useful Websites

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.

Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Speaking English Outside England and Undertanding Americanism - the challenge

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.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Americanisms and British English - you have to laugh

American - British English - British English
1 diaper - nappy
2 drug store - chemist
3 eraser - rubber
4 pharmacy - chemist
5 realtor - estate agent
6 pants - trousers
7 underpants - pants
8 hood (car) - bonnet
9 trunk (car) - boot
10 faucet - tap

British English - American
1 bonnet (car) - hood
2 boot (car) - trunk
3 Chemist - drug store containing pharmacy
4 estate agent - realtor
5 nappy - diaper
6 pants - underpants
7 rubber - eraser
8 tap - faucet
9 Trousers - pants
10 shop - store

Useful Websites
https://www.a-speakers.com/speakers/brad-ashton-keynote-speaker/
 Brad Ashton's books on comedy: 
“How to Write Comedy”, 
“The funny Thing about Writing Comedy”, 
“The Job of a Laughtime”, and 
“Stand up and Be Laughed at”.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer, author of 20 books, and a speaker and speech trainer.
Her books include:
Wedding Speeches & Toasts
Quick Quotations

Writing Poetry For Fun
Angela's Alarming Animal Poems

Pantomime characters, pantomime dames create humour.

Can you answer the quiz on Americanisms and British equivalents? Words of the world: bothy, diaper, grifter, pants and more

I shall start with a couple of words which were new to me, which I saw in the newspaper this week. Then I shall give you a list of some common words in the USA and British equivalents.

USA
grifter - con artist, swindler, petty crook, USA (not to be confused with drifter, a low-life person who drifts from place to place, as the British police and newspapers would say, of no fixed abode


UK
bothy - mountainside overnight shelter open for the public, UK, especially Scotland - mountain refuge

AMERICAN - BRITISH ENGLISH
1 a quarter after - a quarter past
2 bell hop - porter (in a hotel)
3 closet - wardrobe (or walk-in wardrobe)
4 condo - large apartment block or complex of several blocks with communal leisure facilities such as a gym and swimming pool, maybe a shop - apartment complex with leisure facilities
5 cookie - biscuit
6 diaper - nappy
7 faucet - tap
8 hacks - tips and tricks
9 make a right - turn right
10 momentarily - briefly, for just a moment

11 over-easy - cooked both sides (usually to describe fried egg, occasionally meat)
12 pants - trousers
13 pie a la mode - pie with ice cream
14 private school - fee paying school
15 public school - private school
16 regular - standard size
17 rest room - toilet/bathroom
18 underpants - pants
19 truck - lorry
20 trucker - lorry driver

BRITISH ENGLISH - AMERICAN
1 a quarter past - a quarter after
2 biscuit - cookie
3 council housing - public housing
4 council school - state school
5 fried egg cooked both sides (rarely served, usually just fried egg) - egg over-easy
6 lorry - truck
7 momentarily - soon, shortly, not for long
8 nappy - diaper
9 pants - underpants
10 pie with ice cream -  pie a la mode

11 porter (in a hotel) - bell-hop
12 public school - private school, usually historic with high fees
13 toilet - rest room
14 standard size - regular, normal, medium size
15 tap - faucet
16 tips and tricks - hacks
17 trousers - pants
18 turn right - make a right
19 wardrobe - closet
20 condo

Quiz
1 What is a grifter?
2 What is a bothy?
3 What is the British English for diaper?
4 What is the American word for lorry?
5 What do the Americans call trousers?
6 What is the British for truck?
7 How do the Americans say turn right?
8 What is a quarter after?
9 What is the British English for faucet?
10 What is the American for toilet?

Answers above

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, has lived in the UK, the USA and Singapore.
See many blog posts on American English British English and learning languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.

British English and American English - Do you know these words?

American English - British English
Lightning Rod - lightning conductor

Learn something new every day. I thought I new most American variations.
For example:

American - British
cookie - biscuit
diaper - nappy
eraser - rubber

faucet - tap
pavement - tarmac

sidewalk - pavement
soccer - football
truck - lorry

British - American
Biscuit - cookie
football - soccer
lorry - truck
nappy - diaper
pavement -sidewalk
rubber - eraser
tap - faucet
tarmac/road surface - pavement

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Born in Britain. Has lived in the USA and Singapore.

Contact Angela through
Facebook
LinkedIn
Toastmasters International
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Club
Meets Singapore time afternoon every third Saturday 2-5, next meeting Sept 15 2020.