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tortilla - Mexican flatbread, which looks like a pancake, originally made from maize, found in southern USA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

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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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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.

American and British English - auto to yard

American - British

auto /automobile - car
bus (as in Greyhound bus, single decker long distance) - coach
candy - sweets / confectionary
closet - cupboard
consignment - second hand sale or return store, where donor and shop share profits
comforter - duvet (bedding)
diaper - nappy
drug store - chemist
eraser - rubber
fall - autumn
hack - tip
hood - bonnet (car)
hooker - prostitute / street walker
hose - stockings / tights
Jello (brand name) -  jelly
jelly - jam
line - queue
pavement - tarmac / roadway
pickup / pickup truck - HGV, trailer ?
program - programme (theatre)
program - program (computer)
purse - bag (lady's handbag)
rubber - condom / Durex
Run - ladder (in stockings / tights)
Kleenex/tissues - paper hankies (Kleenex is a brand name so I have given it a capital letter)
sidewalk - pavement
subway - underground / London tube
store - shop
story - storey (level of building)
story - story (tale in book)
thrift store (cheap shop) - charity shop
truck - lorry
trunk - boot (car)
tuxedo - man's formal jacket with no tails, named after place where tails were cut off - dinner jacket
wallet / coin purse - purse
yard - garden

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, speaker and author.

Americanese and Britishisms

'Two countries divided by a common language. 'A few words translated:


Americanese - Britishisms
hacks - tips
Pantyhose - tights

British English - American English
tights - pantyhose
tips - hacks


Angela Lansbury
Travel writer, photographer, speaker.