translating English into English
Jul 26, 2012, 2:49 pm
#32
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Pissed USA == mad, UK == Drunk
Of course these two probably wished they translated their English tweets into American for the DHS.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ter-jokes.html
Of course these two probably wished they translated their English tweets into American for the DHS.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ter-jokes.html
Jul 26, 2012, 4:03 pm
#33
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Bonnet in terms of a hat isn't widely used (if at all) these days - it went out with the Victorians, apart from in parts of Scotland where I believe they call the tartan Tam O Shanter hat a bonnet......
Got a couple more
US Vest - UK waistcoat
US Tank top - UK vest
US Billfold - UK wallet
US Gas pedal - UK accelerator
US (school/staff) cafeteria - UK Canteen
US Take out - UK takeaway
But there is so much regional variation here that even natives can have problems. Scots and Irish in particular have words that none of the rest of us understand....
The "half eight" thing is a UK wide saying and definitely means 8:30
Re the junk in the trunk question up there - have no idea... personally I call it hubby's "mobile shed"
Got a couple more
US Vest - UK waistcoat
US Tank top - UK vest
US Billfold - UK wallet
US Gas pedal - UK accelerator
US (school/staff) cafeteria - UK Canteen
US Take out - UK takeaway
But there is so much regional variation here that even natives can have problems. Scots and Irish in particular have words that none of the rest of us understand....
The "half eight" thing is a UK wide saying and definitely means 8:30
Re the junk in the trunk question up there - have no idea... personally I call it hubby's "mobile shed"
Jul 26, 2012, 4:45 pm
#35
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In the town where I grew up woodlice are known as 'cheese logs'.
On another site I am a member of we have a lot of fun translating between American, English and Australian with odd bits of Canadian thrown in. Texan is still a mystery though
On another site I am a member of we have a lot of fun translating between American, English and Australian with odd bits of Canadian thrown in. Texan is still a mystery though
Jul 26, 2012, 5:05 pm
#36
Join Date: Jun 2006
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First time I went to the UK and went to the hotel to check in. I was there before check in time and my room wasn't ready, so I waited in the lobby. I asked the receptionist at the front desk where the restrooms were. She looked very confused and had no idea what restrooms were. She said "Um, I think there might be some at the place across the street?" I wandered around and eventually found them myself, where the sign above reminded me that the Brits call them toilets.
Jul 26, 2012, 5:12 pm
#37
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My sister married an Englishman. At the rehearsal dinner, I was seated with my brother-in-law's brother and girlfriend. They were in black tie and little black dress. My cousins and their wives were in church-going boots (ladies and men) with string ties, silver belt buckles and western suits (embroidery on lapels) with the ladies in their floral print dresses. The Brits were drinking wine and my cousins, beers out of the bottle. I spent the whole evening translating from Queen's English to TX/LA/OK Redneck and back.
"We took the tube to the hotel and when I stepped off the pavement to cross the street, a lorry almost ran me over and if there hadn't been a sleeping policeman there, he just might have" to "He took the subway to the hotel and when he stepped off the sidewalk to cross, a truck almost ran him over and would have it hadn't slowed down for the speed bump"
Made for an interesting evening.
"We took the tube to the hotel and when I stepped off the pavement to cross the street, a lorry almost ran me over and if there hadn't been a sleeping policeman there, he just might have" to "He took the subway to the hotel and when he stepped off the sidewalk to cross, a truck almost ran him over and would have it hadn't slowed down for the speed bump"
Made for an interesting evening.
Jul 26, 2012, 5:23 pm
#38
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,353
Actually, it can work in upstate NY, too. I went to college in Ithaca and heard that term from someone I worked with who was from a very small town about 20 miles away. I've never heard it anywhere else, but I don't spend a lot of time in Wisconsin.
I have an American friend who moved to the UK about 20 years ago when she married a British guy. Once when I was visiting her in Wales, someone asked me the time, and I said "Ten of two." I got a big blank stare until my friend translated for me.
I have an American friend who moved to the UK about 20 years ago when she married a British guy. Once when I was visiting her in Wales, someone asked me the time, and I said "Ten of two." I got a big blank stare until my friend translated for me.
Jul 26, 2012, 5:40 pm
#39
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That can trip up even Americans sometimes. My girlfriend (now wife) and I were staying at a hotel before catching a 10:30am flight, and I guess I started talking or thrashing in my sleep. She woke a bit and said "what time is it?", and I looked at my watch, saw 3:50, and said "Ten of Four". She woke all the way up and started to bolt out of bed, thinking it was 10:04 and we were late for our flight...
Jul 26, 2012, 5:43 pm
#40
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And in Italy it is calcio, not football or some derivation like "futbal or foosball".
To the guy asking about a #2 pencil, that has to do with the hardness of the lead. #2 is the right softness for kids in school and such. #1 is much hard and the highers softer.
It happens in the USA too, especially when I hear soda called "pop". Pop could be your father but not your drink...
Jul 26, 2012, 6:18 pm
#41
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I was in Las Vegas at a breakfast buffet, and a pax from Australia was asking the various buffet employees where he could get some porridge, no one could help him, when I came to his aid by translating
porridge into oatmeal, was he able to get what he wanted.
Have others encountered similar things (where the words are in English yet they are specific to a particular country (locale)?
porridge into oatmeal, was he able to get what he wanted.Have others encountered similar things (where the words are in English yet they are specific to a particular country (locale)?
Jul 26, 2012, 6:25 pm
#43
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Jul 26, 2012, 6:31 pm
#44
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Jul 26, 2012, 6:32 pm
#45
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