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

Americanism of the Day - done

 

Done on Facebook and American English websites means an action has been completed.

In Braitn, steaks are done, or well done.

American - British English

convenience store - corner shop

done - finished

snuck - sneaked

thru - through

truck - lorry

British English - American

corner shop - convenience store

finished - done

lorry -truck

Sneaked - snuck

through - thru

well done (action) 

well done (steak cooked through, no pink centre)

Useful Websites

https://www.vogue.com/article/britishism-dictionary-translating-american-british-english

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Americanisms and Other Languages that leave you lost in translation

 

American - British

gas - petrol

realtor - estate agent

step on the gas - put your foot on the accelerator

truck - lorry

British -American

estate agent - realtor

lorry - truck

petrol - gas

press on the accelerator / accelerated off - put your foot on the gas

Please share links to your favourite posts.

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 language equivalents

 

American - British

attorney - lawyer/solicitor

In the UK, a solicitor deals with paperwork, such as when buying a house. A barrister stands up to speak for you in court.

US - UK

drug store - chemist

diaper - nappy

elevator - lift

eraser - rubber

fall - autumn

hood (or car) - bonnet

parking lot - car park

real estate - property

rubber - Durex/condom

shopping cart - shopping trolley

sidewalk - pavement

trucker - lorry driver

trunk (of car) - boot

vacation - holiday

UK - US

autumn - Fall

bonnet (of car) - hood

boot (of car) - trunk

car park - parking lot

chemist - drug store + pharmacy

holiday - vacation

lift - elevator

lorry - truck

lorry driver - truck driver/trucker

Nappy - diaper

pavement - sidewalk

property - real estate

rubber - eraser

shopping trolley - shopping cart

Useful Websites

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

see my other posts for more details

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

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.

Your Handy list Of American English and British English Words - how many do you know?

British - American

a quarter past - a quarter after
bag-handbag - purse
bonnet (of car) - hood (of car)
brought up - raised
Burgle (past tense, burgled) - burgle (past tense burglarized)
car park - parking lot
caster sugar - superfine sugar
chemist - drug store
cling film - plastic wrap
cooked both sides (of fried eggs) - over easy

educated - schooled
estate agent - realtor
garage (for filling up your car with petrol) - gas station
ground almonds - almond flour
guys (male only, no females) - boys/men
gym shoes - sneakers
hockey - field hockey
ice hockey - hockey
icing sugar - powdered sugar/confectioners' sugar
lorry - truck

luggage - baggage
marzipan - almond paste
momentarily - briefly
nappy - diaper
petrol (for cars) - gas
plain flour - all-purpose flour
purse - purse or bag
Rubber - eraser
rubbish - trash
pants - underpants

porter - bellhop
self-raising flour - self-rising flour
shop - store
spring onion - scallion
stand still (or I'll shoot) - freeze
stop - yield
store - warehouse
take away - take out
toilet - rest room
tip (advice) - hack
trousers - pants

trouser suit - pant suit
trunk (part of an elephant/box shaped suitcase)
turn left/right - make a left/right
waste paper basket - trash can
You folks/you people - you guys (both sexes)

Flag of the USA

American - British

a quarter after - a quarter past
baggage - luggage
bellhop - porter (in a hotel)
broil - grill or cook with strong heat from above or below
burglarized (past tense of burgle) - burgled
davenport - couch or sofa
drug store - chemist
diaper - nappy
eraser - rubber
field hockey - hockey

freeze - stand still (or I'll shoot)
gas (for cars) - petrol
gas station - garage
guys - boys/men/people/folk (both sexes)
hack - tip (advice, trick)
hockey - ice hockey
hood (of car) - bonnet (of car)
make a left/right - turn left/right
momentarily - shortly, soon
over easy - cooked both sides (fried egg)

pant suit - trouser suit
pants - trousers
parking lot - car park
purse - bag/handbag (sometimes purse)
raised - brought up
realtor - estate agent
rest room - toilet
schooled - educated/went to school
take out - take away
trash - rubbish

trash can - waste paper basket
truck - lorry
trunk (of car) - boot (of car)
underpants - pants
yield (traffic sign) - stop
you guys (goup of people of either sex or both) - you people/you folk(s)/you boys and girls/you girls

Websites
wiki - American English
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_American_and_British_English#Vocabulary
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyhound_Lines
Terminology worldwide for Filling Stations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filling_station
https://www.sweet2eatbaking.com/uk-us-conversion/

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author, speaker and speech trainer, was born and educated in England and lived in the USA.

I have several more posts on Americanisms and learning languages.
See my previous post
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/07/american-english-and-british-english.html
Please share your favourite posts.

Americanisms - British Equivalent - A Quiz

American Flag

American - British English
antenna - aerial
apartment - flat
bangs - fringe (haircut)
cookie - biscuit
downtown - city centre
fall - autumn
my bad - my mistake/my fault/that
parking lot - car park
pump - court shoe
sidewalk - pavement
that sucks - that's bad
trailer - caravan
truck - lorry
good catch -


British - American
aerial - antenna
autumn - fall
biscuit - cookie
car park - parking lot
caravan - trailer
city centre - downtown
court shoe - pump
flat - apartment
fringe - bangs
lorry - truck
my fault - my bad
pavement - sidewalk
that's bad - that sucks

Quiz
American - British
Test yourself and give yourself a point for each instantly correct answer. Keep doing the quiz until you get the top score.


American - British English
antenna -
apartment -
bangs -
cookie -
downtown -
fall -
my bad -
parking lot -
pump -
sidewalk -
that sucks -
trailer -
truck -
good catch -


British - American
aerial -
autumn -
biscuit -
car park -
caravan -
city centre -
court shoe -
flat -
fringe -
lorry -
my fault -
pavement -
that's bad -

British - American
Make your own quiz. Send it to me and I can use it in a later blog, attributing it to you.

Useful Websites
https://context.reverso.net/translation/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/polygotcommunity
https://translate.google.com/

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

I and my family have lived in the UK, Spain, the USA and Singapore. I am a travel writer and photographer and teacher of English A level and English as a foreign language.

Please come to a Toastmasters International Club where the English clubs have a language evaluator or grammarian.  We also have French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil and other language clubs based in Singapore and many more online around the world which because of Covid-19 are now meeting online.

I am Immediate Past President of Braddell Heights Advanced, meeting on Zoom the first Wednesday of the month but  the third Saturday afternoon and occasionally on other Wednesdays our workshops are on app learncool.sg 

Incoming president Faith from July 1st 2020 could change dates and platforms so please contact the club.

learncool.sg

Or quicker to type and easier to remember: 

 tinyurl.com/BHACOOL

For language lovers:Useful Websites

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

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

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

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogs
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/04/how-to-say-thank-you-in-several.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-yourself-in-english-spanish.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/second-set-of-portuguese-words.html Please share links to your favourite posts
https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club
translate.google.com
duolingo.com

Americanisms and Britishisms which travellers need to know: from British autumn to trousers, from American bassinet to underpants

American - English
bassinet - Moses basket
candy - sweets
cookies - biscuits
cop - copper
crib - cot
diaper - nappy
drooled - dribbled
eraser - rubber
Fall - autumn
fanny pack - bum bag
federal - national / nationwide
fussy - grizzly
hood - bonnet
onesie - Babygrow
pacifier - dummy
pants - trousers
scallions - spring onions
sneakers - trainers
sprinkles - hundreds and thousands
store - shop
stroller - pram/push chair
sweatshirt - jumper
tired - knackered
turn signal - indicator
trash - bin
truck - lorry
trunk - boot
underpants - pants

 


English - American
autumn - Fall
Babygrow - onesie
biscuits - cookies
bin - trash
bumb bag - fany pack
boot - trunk
copper - cop
cot - crib
dribbled - drooled
dummy - pacifier
grizzly - fussy
indicator - turn signal
jam - jelly / preserve
jelly - Jello
jumper - sweatshirt
knackered - tired
lorry - truck
Moses basket - bassinet
nappy - diaper
national - federal
pants - underpants
pram/pushchair - stroller
rubber - eraser
shop - store
spring onions - scallions
sweets - candy
trainers - sneakers
trousers - pants

Useful Websites
visitbritain.com
visitbritainshop.com
visitlondon.com
visitsingapore.com
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/07/flags-and-food-for-singapores-national.html

About The Author
Angela Lansbury, the author, - not related to Angela Lansbury the actress nor any of the other dozen people named Angela Lansbury or Lansbury.
I have many more posts on Americanisms and language. I teach English and other languages to individuals and companies. I am a polyglot. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Hi - Americanisms and Britishisms

UK flag

USA flag

BRITISH - AMERICAN
at the end of the day - ultimately
burgle - burglarize
boot (of a car) - trunk
car park - parking lot
chemist - drug store
disembark - deplane
estate agent - realtor
film - movie
for nothing - for free
give it / give it away - gift it
got - gotten
high street - main street
I'm okay / I am fine - I'm good
in the future - going forward
it's a bargain - it's a steal
lift - elevator
lorry - truck
maths - math
momentarily - shortly, in a moment, soon
my fault / my mistake - my bad
nappy - diaper
now - at this moment in time
pavement - sidewalk
railway station - train station
Rubber - eraser
shop - store
shopping trolley - shopping cart
solicitor - attorney
take away food - take out food
tarmac  - pavement
turn right - make a right
zed - zee



Pie a la mode - apple pie with ice cream, created in America. See Wikipedia.

AMERICAN - BRITISH
a la mode as in pie a la mode - apple pie with ice cream
at this moment in time - now
attorney - solicitor, legal representative
automobile, vehicle - car
burglarize - burgle
deplane - disembark
diaper - nappy
drug store - chemist
elevator - lift
eraser - rubber
free / for nothing - for free
gift it - give it - give it away
good to go - ready to go / leave /start
going forward - in the future
gotten - got
hood (of automobile) - bonnet
it's a steal - it's a bargain
math - maths
main street - high street
momentarily - soon, shortly, in a minute
my bad - my mistake, my fault, my error
movie - film
parking lot - car park
physician - GP
real estate - property
realtor - estate agent
rubber - condom, Durex, sheath, contraceptive
shopping cart - shopping trolley
shortly, soon, in a moment - momentarily
store - shop
take out - take away
train station - railway station
transportation - transport
truck - lorry
trunk (of an auto) - boot (of a car)
zee - zed

Flag of Singapore where they speak British English - and Singlish!

USEFUL LANGUAGE WEBSITES
Americanisms
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14201796

Travel Websites
singaporeair.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Changi_Airport
https://www.jewelchangiairport.com/
https://www.visitsingapore.com/en/
visittheusa.co.uk
visitbritain.com
visitbritainshop.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Americanisms and British equivalents

Americanisms - British English

a quarter after - a quarter past
diaper - nappy
eraser - rubber
gas station - petrol station / garage
hood - bonnet
Make a right - turn right
Night stand - bedside table
Pants - trousers
sedan (car) - saloon
truck - lorry
trunk (of a car) - boot
underpants - pants

Now test yourself

What is the British equivalent of these

a quarter after -
gas station -
hood -
Make a right -
Night stand -
Pants -
sedan (car) -
truck -
trunk (of a car) -
underpants -

What is the American equivalent of these

... - a quarter past

 ... - petrol station / garage
... - bonnet
 ... - turn right
... - bedside table
 ... - trousers
 ... -(car) - saloon
... - lorry
... (of a car) - boot
... - pants

Useful Websites
https://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/2009/05/trucks-and-lorries.html
visitbritain.com
visittheusa.co.uk

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Americanisms and Britishisms

Problem
Most people already know that Fall is autumn. But there are others, different and new ones which I see every day.

Answers
American - British
eraser - rubber (stationery)
fall - autumn
hood - bonnet (car)
momentarily - shortly, soon
pantyhose - tights
period - full stop
truck - lorry
trunk - boot (car)
go to (item) - ? (you tell me)
zee - zed

Author, Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have several more posts on Americanisms. Please share links to your favourite posts.

American and British English

Problem
When writing a book for an American audience you need to change your vocabulary. Even if you have lived in both countries, it is a constant challenge. Churchill said, We are divided from America by a common language.

Answer
Just make a list, stop worrying, enjoy the differences.

Stories
In an American hotel I phoned down and asked reception, "We're checking out. Can I have a porter?"
No porter appeared. After ten minutes I phoned again.
"Can I have a porter?"
"Ma-am, I'd gladly send you one if I knew what it was."
Thought for a minute. "A person to carry out suitcases.:
"You mean a bell-hop?"
"Yes, that's what I mean."
"Now I know who you want, Ma-am, I'll send one right away."

Americanism/Americanese - British English
à la mode - (Pie) with ice cream
aliens - visitors, people from outer space in science fiction films
attitude - bad attitude
attorney - lawyer
automobile - car
awesome - awe-inspiring, impressive, marvellous, wonderful
back in the day - in the past
baggage - luggage
bathroom - toilet
biscuit - savoury biscuit, savoury flat scone eaten with white sauce in the Southern States
bell hop - porter
buddy - friend, mate
bunch of people - group of people
burger - hamburger
butt - bum, bottom
can I get - I would like / may I have / ... please
candy - chocolate, sweets
catch a movie - watch a film
chips - crisps
close of play (sports term) - end of day or meeting
cookie - biscuit
crosswalk - crossing
deplane - disembark
do lunch - have lunch
done - finished
dove - dived
drug - dragged (past tense of drag)
dude - mate, man
elevator - lift
eraser - rubber
fall - autumn
faucet - tap
Fish and chips (same as English)
field hockey - hockey
for sure - certainly
freeway - motorway
fries - French fries (thinly cut)
French fries / fries - chips
garbage - rubbish
gas - petrol
get go - beginning, start
gifted to me - given to me
go-to man - Mr Fixit
good job - well done
good to go - ready to go
gotten - got
grits - grains of corn ground up and boiled/cooked (a bit like polenta, speciality of Southern states of the USA)
guys - people (of both sexes); girls and boys, folk
hacks - tips
heads up - warning or briefing (as if you literally had your heads up to see danger or action coming)
heaping tablespoon - heaped tablespoon
I'm good - I'm well
issues - problems
j
k
l
make a left/right - turn left/right
math - maths
Mom - Mum
moment in time - moment, time
movie - film
my bad - my (bad) mistake, my fault, my error, my bad thought / speech / action , mea culpa (Latin for my fault); sorry I did that, sorry I got found out / caught / oops
New York cheesecake - baked cheesecake
on line (New York expression for in Line)
on sale - reduced price
over easy - (eggs) cooked both sides
passed - died
pavement - built up road, roadway
period - full stop
play period - break time
q
reach out - contact
realtor - estate agent
regular size - standard size
rent it out - let it out
rest room - toilet
ride - lift
rubber - condom, Durex (brand)
sidewalk - pavement, path
skinny dipping - nude bathing (dipping in water showing your skin)
skinny latte - coffee with skimmed milk
snuck in - sneaked in
so - really / very
soccer - association football
Spring Break - Easter Holiday
stand in lie - queue
totally - yes
touch base - get in touch
trash - rubbish
truck - lorry
two times - twice
u
vacation - holiday
w
x
y
zee - zed

British English - Americanism

a
baked cheesecake - New York cheesecake
biscuit - cookie
break time - play period
bum, bottom - butt
car - automobile
certainly - for sure
chips - French fries
cooked both sides (eggs) - over easy
contact - reach out
crisps - chips / potato chips
died - passed
disembark (aircraft) - deplane
dived - dove
dragged - drug
Easter holiday - Spring break
engaged (sign on toilet door) - occupied
film - movie
finished - done
Fish and chips - Fish and chips (same in American)
free - for free
full stop - period
gas station - garage
get in touch - touch base
given - gifted
group of people - bunch of people
guys - boys, men
hockey - field hockey (as opposed to ice hockey)
holiday - vacation
I would like - can I get
I'm well - I'm good
j
k
lawyer - attorney
let it out - rent it out
lift - elevator
lift - ride
lorry - truck
luggage - bagage
man, mate - dude
mate - buddy
maths - math
motorway - freeway
Mum - Mom
Mr Fixit - the go-to man
n
on sale - available
Pavement - sidewalk
petrol - gas
porter - bell hop
problem - issue / challenge
queue - line, line up, stand in line
ready to go - good to go
really / so
route (pronounced root, a French word, as in r o u t i e r) - rout pronounced r o w t rhyming with out
rubber - eraser
rubbish - trash, garbage
s n e a k e d in - snuck in
standard size - regular size
start (noun) get go
tap - faucet
time - moment in time
tips - hacks
toilet - rest room
turn left/right - make a left/right
twice - two times
u
v
watch a film - catch a movie
well done - good job
x
yes - totally
zed - zee (last letter of the alphabet)

Stories
I was arguing in a supermarket over the novelty of Pepperidge Farm cookies which I wanted to buy. The whole joy of going overseas is to try new things. I saw about ten varieties and wanted one pack of each, to do a taste test comparison.

My husband thought we should buy one packet of biscuits, eat frugally, and sensibly, and low calorie, low sugar, no more than one biscuit between two per day for a week, and buy a different pack the following week.

From the far end of the supermarket I could see a member of staff scurrying towards us. She had clearly spotted two Brits arguing about why NOT to buy her products.

I assumed she was going to tell us to be quiet, and not disparage the supermarket's premium biscuits, nor discourage any less prejudiced and less penny-pinching customers from buying.

It turned out that she just loved our accents and wanted to know where we were from.

Tips
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4508804/Countdown-s-Susie-Dent-reveals-love-Americanisms.html#comments

Author
Angela Lansbury, author, speaker, teacher of English and languages. Please share posts.

Today's Americanism: the candy and cookie in the trash can

I find lots of Americanisms when Americans comment on forums.

American English - British English

baggage - luggage
hood (of car) - bonnet
trunk - car boot
candy - sweet / dessert
cookie - biscuit
convenience store - corner shop
cop - police / bobby / Mr Plod
correction officer - prison officer / prison guard
drug store - chemist / pharmacy
elementary school - junior school
eraser - rubber
first floor - ground floor
second floor - first floor (and so on)
garbage - rubbish
IRA - tax office / inland revenue/ income tax office
Kleenex - paper hankie(s) / tissues
Mom - Mum /mother
on consignment - second hand shop / sale or return shop
pavement - tarmac / road / roadway / motorway
sidewalk - pavement
Pop - Dad/father
private school - public school (one of the grander and more expensive private schools, originally
rubber - Durex, condom
sticking plaster - Elastoplast (brand name)
sticky tape - Sellotape (brand name)
church schools which were later opened to the fee paying public)
public school - state school, council school
rookie - fresher (college/uni) / novice
senator - member of Parliament / MP
store - shop
take out - take away
thrift store - charity shop
trash can - dustbin / litter bin / rubbish bin / waste paper basket / wheelie bin
truck - lorry
I guess - I suppose / I think
I figure - I guess / I presume
go figure - how absurd / whatever / who'd have known/ who'd have guessed/ who knows why / well I never / well, what do you know / live and learn
vacation - holiday
WTF - what the hell

So an American might say:
There's candy and cookies in the trash can.
A British person would say:
There's sweets and biscuits in the litter bin.

Please send me more suggestions. Polite ones!
Angela Lansbury, author, travel writer and photographer, language teacher, speaker

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.

American English and British English

USA-UK

Little insights into how people live 'on both sides of the pond':

USA convenience store - corner shop UK
USA Semi - UK articulated lorry or LGV
(USA Truck - UK lorry)
UK - semi-detached house (two linked mirror image houses, some built with corridors and staircases in the middle which keeps the passageways warner in winter whilst the outside rooms need more heating, another style with the lounges and bedrooms alongside - meaning you can be disturbed by conversation/arguments and TV against the party wall but warmer lounge and bedrooms.
USA train station - railway station
USA freight train - goods train

Angela Lansbury, BA Hons, author, travel writer and photographer