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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.
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:
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