Originally Posted by
emma69
I live in a constant state of confusion, being a Brit, in Canada and working with Americans. I can't even remember what terms of what country specific anymore. I usually run through all the options until the blank look lifts!
One of the more memorable ones was the day one of the ladies who worked for me 'reversed into a pylon'. I (to increasing giggles from onlookers) asked if she was ok, did she need an ambulance / someone to drive her to the hospital to get checked out, call CAA etc. Transpired (eventually!) that a 'pylon' in Canada is what we call a traffic cone in the UK. A pylon in the UK is a very large, substantial pole or metal structure used for telephone or electricity wires.
Hydro confused the heck out of me when I bought a home. Hydro = water (at least in Greek, and thus in my Brit sense, also should be related to water). Of course it is, being hydro-electric but everyone just refers to it as Hydro!
Yes, Canadian English is the hardest to pick up. You don't know when to apply the UK version or the US version. There is no set rhymes and reasons.
Many Canadian multinational HQ have a mixture of Canadian, US and UK which makes happy hours conversations very very interesting. Especially on "Pick on the new Arrival" Friday.