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BS: English To English Dictionary
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Raedwulf Date: 26 Nov 03 - 05:20 PM "Booty" I suspect is a variant pronunciation of "botty" (short for "bottom"), though there may also be an association with the alternative meaning of treasure. As Amos says, the "Posh" story is nonsense. Widespread use of acronyms is a relatively recent phenomenon, & incorrect back formations of a number of words (such as "fuck") now exist. Another recent occurence is back formation of words by adding or subtracting prefixes to reverse meaning. Usually this is incorrect usage. By way of example: Dis/gruntled - both words mean unhappy, irregardless doesn't suddenly become "full of consideration", nor does "dischuffed" become unhappy ("chuffed", in any case, has reversed it's meaning in the last 50 years, my dad remembered it as meaning angry, rather than pleased, when 'e were a lad...). Often the supposed negative on the front of a word isn't any such thing. Instead, it's an intensive, so that "disgruntled" actually means "really gruntled" i.e. really pissed (off, that is! *g*). In this instance, to reverse the meaning you would probably have to say ungruntled or, more accurately, anti-gruntled. On the other hand, you could just stop being a pretentious pillock & simply use merry, happy, cheerful, gay, jolly, glad, or any one of many other perfectly good words to describe your positive mood! (Not that I'm above using gruntled myself, but I normally use it in its correct context, not least because it confuses people! {Evil Grin}) |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Raedwulf Date: 26 Nov 03 - 05:04 PM Bill D - Actually, the reason that you Yanks spell words like 'colour' wrong is all down to a violent Anglophobe, Noah Webster of Dictionary fame, who decided all the spellings ought to be standardized. So naturally he picked the version that the British didn't use wherever possible! As for 'rent', you would may either rent or hire a car (though the latter is probably moer common), but you would certainly rent a house, flat, or video! Curious, though, you would hire a video player, rather than rent it. We also have the concept of hire-purchase, not rent-purchase. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 26 Nov 03 - 04:55 PM Spike Milligan in The Goons created "Sheik Rattle Nroll" |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Amos Date: 26 Nov 03 - 03:21 PM Johnny: I had to go to the Brits -- the OED Web site in fact -- to find this: The story goes that the more well-to-do passengers travelling to and from India used to have POSH written against their bookings, standing for 'Port Out, Starboard Home' (indicating the more desirable cabins, on the shady side of the ship). Unfortunately, this story did not make its appearance until the 1930s, when the term had been in use for some twenty years, and the word does not appear to have been recorded in the form 'P.O.S.H.', which would be expected if it had originated as an abbreviation. Despite exhaustive enquiries by the late Mr George Chowdharay-Best, researcher for the OED, including interviews with former travellers and inspection of shipping company documents, no supporting evidence has been found. Sorry, mate! A |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Mr Red Date: 26 Nov 03 - 03:16 PM We had an overheated debate about an e-mail on e-cailidh which was basically chastising us for calling English Country Dances as English Ceilidhs - how dare we - it is a Scottish word. This was from a third or fourth generation American. You can imagine the tennet of the rightous on the subject of spelling and English (UK) (HUH?) spell correctors. Personally I like the words Fleadh or Twmpath - much more cashe these days - don't ya know? |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny Date: 26 Nov 03 - 01:09 PM Bill, I can tell you've travelled widely in the US by your use of their mis-spelling of the word 'travelled' :-) Jerry, if the loo (UK) is the bathroom (US), what in hell's name do you call the place you go to for a bath? In the UK it's The Bathroom - logical, no? In the UK we also occasionally call the place where you take a leak The Bog, The Slash-House or The Wazzer (or Wazzerie if you're posh). And in case you're wondering what 'Posh' is, it means 'Upper-Class'. The story goes that, in the old days of travel by steamer between Blighty and The Orient, because of the position of the sun the cabins on the Starboard (i.e. right-hand) side of the ship were hottest on the outward journey and on the Port (i.e. left-hand) side on the return. The upper-class passengers could afford to pay extra for the cooler Port-side cabins on the outward journey and Starboard-side ones on the return - hence the word 'P-O-S-H' (Port Outward, Starboard Home' was applied to them. At least that's what they say, no doubt some smart-ass (US) (sorry, arse (UK)!) will tell me its a load of manure (UK) - shit (US)! Johnny |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Bill D Date: 26 Nov 03 - 12:45 PM re: 'hire' as in hire car...is this used for other situations in the UK where one gains temporary use of something in exchange for cash? Are and is the term 'cab' used when wishing a taxi? We in the US use taxi, cab, or taxicab almost interchangably, with 'cab' sort of being common street usage in many big cities.(We seem to like the shortest possible word or slang for many terms...we seem to even choose shorter spelling versions..'color', 'colour'..) |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: bill\sables Date: 26 Nov 03 - 12:19 PM As an Englishman I have traveled to most states in the USA and found that I can understand almost all of the English spoken including accents. I find there is not so much difference in accents between San Francisco and New York or between New Orleans and Boozeman Montana as there is in England. I think it would be puzzling for an American to understand accents during a British trip taking in Cornwall, London, Birmingham, Norwich, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle and Glasgow. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Merritt Date: 26 Nov 03 - 12:19 PM Re "shake your booty"..and then there was Frank Zappa's late-70s album "Sheik Yerbouti" - Merritt |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Steve Parkes Date: 26 Nov 03 - 11:40 AM No, Jacqui, "bloody" is like "lousy": it acquired its expletive value as an extension of its literal meaning. Swift used it in a letter to Vanessa (which I can't find; but here's an example in a poem of his -- use search to find it). This suggests it was a "respectable" expletive in those days and suitable for use by "nice" people, but later became disreputable by its increasing use by the hoi-polloi. (Probably!) Shame -- the "by Our Lady" story is a good one! Steve |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: jacqui.c Date: 26 Nov 03 - 08:35 AM Bloody isn't really that bad a swear word and gets used quite regularly in English conversations - at leat in the circles I travel in. It's actually quite mild in comparison to some of the more high powered words, although I suppose, as with any expletive, it's the emphasis with which a word is pronounced that adds to its efficacy. i can't think of many people who would be shocked by the use of bloody - which, I believe, is a shortening of 'by our lady'. I think that the word gap is narrowing with the spread of films and TV programmes, particularly from the States. sooner or later we'll probably all end up talking the same language, but will it be Chinese or Spanish? |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Cluin Date: 26 Nov 03 - 08:20 AM radiator = often shortened to rad. dipped headlights = low beams (also running lights) full headlights = hi beams gearbox = transmission or tranny demister = defogger (or defroster in Canada) spare wheel = spare tire or spare connecting rod = piston rod Everything else is pretty much the same. What do you call "wipers" and "pissers"? |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 26 Nov 03 - 08:08 AM A car "boot" over here is a security item you attach to your steering whell which locks it in place so nobody can steal it. There is also a device called a "boot" that parking lots threatened to use if you parked illegally, which locked the wheel of your car so it wouldn't turn. And when they sing, "Shake Your Booty" as they did in disco days, they wasn't talking about shaking your trunk. It's lower down in the anatomy.. Did they really sing "Shake your bum?" in Australier? Jerry |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Steve Parkes Date: 26 Nov 03 - 05:22 AM I thought "bumper"="fender"? And "gearstick" is what I call "gear lever" (and "lever" rhymes with "beaver"!) Engine=motor Main beam=high beam Carburettor=carburator (or carburater?) What do you US-ers call: radiator (and grill), dipped headlights, door pillars, dipstick, head gasket, cylinder head, gearbox, con[necting]-rod, camshaft, timing chain, fuel injection, spare wheel, accelerator (assuming the correct technical name is not "gas pedal"), demister ... anything else? Steve |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Gurney Date: 26 Nov 03 - 05:01 AM More car parts. Wing = Fender Windsceen = Windshield Backlight = Rear windshield (LAMPS produce light, lights let it in) Tyre = Tire Gearstick = Shifter Ever part of a car has it's specific name, and not many are common, from my reading of American Mags |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Steve Parkes Date: 26 Nov 03 - 04:30 AM I found a book at a car boot sale, on English English for Americans, i.e. if you're from the US, how to make yourself understood and avoid embarrasment in the UK. Written by an ex-pat Yank lady,it includes a big glossary, much of which was sent her by correspondents from all over the British Isles. It includes quite a few words and expressions I've never heard of, and I think one or two of her "pals" may have played a joke on her. I'll try and find it out tonight. Steve |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Jeanie Date: 26 Nov 03 - 04:20 AM LadyJean - the "jumper" you wore as your school uniform was called a "gym slip" over here in the UK. I wore one, too, in a lovely shade of cabbagey green (plus blouse, tie, blazer with braid in house colours, hat with tassel on the back if you were a prefect, etc. etc.) Unlike your school in the US, though, our headmistress most definitely *did* look like Alastair Sim !! - jeanie |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 26 Nov 03 - 04:12 AM I remember hearing "Knocked Up" in the 1960's or 70's as an Australian expression meaning pregnant. Robin |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Hrothgar Date: 26 Nov 03 - 03:46 AM Knocked up - exhausted (Australia, possibly UK?) Knocked up - pregnant (US) |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 26 Nov 03 - 02:13 AM There were some Americans over for EXPO 88 - in 1988 - and I was walking with a lady who saw a stuffed Dingo in a window display. She: Is that dingo stuffed? Me: He don't look too well. Robin |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: HuwG Date: 26 Nov 03 - 02:12 AM A tale floated my way once of a journalist who was caught up in a coup somewhere in Africa; it may have been Idi Amin's takeover of Uganda. For a few weeks after the coup, scowling troops stopped all vehicles on the main roads, ordered the drivers and passengers out, then made them take off their hats and shoes. They examined them without saying why and handed them back to their owners. Eventually, the hack summoned up the courage to ask them why they were performing this odd procedure. The Corporal in charge said, "We got written orders from HQ. We got to stop all cars and check all bonnets and boots". |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: LadyJean Date: 26 Nov 03 - 01:21 AM Our school uniform was a baggy, sleeveless outer garment with a yoke neck, and box pleats. There was a small breast pocket with the school crest on it. It was worn over a white blouse, belted, with knee socks and loafers or oxfords. In the U.S., the unlovely garment we wore is called a jumper. I know English girls wore them too. The Belles of St. Trinnians dressed just like us, except they wore ties. (And our headmistress didn't look at all like Alistair Simms.) But I don't know what they were called, because in England a jumper is a sweater, not a dress. I found a uniform from our old school at a rummage sale. I sent it to my sister for her birthday. I'm looking forward to her response. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Coyote Breath Date: 26 Nov 03 - 01:09 AM Clew, lift, pram, lorry, hire car, motorbike, mould, bangers, and dirty dick, and... I love English as she is spoke by the British. Usually I have absolutely no trouble understanding what is being said because of the context within which it is being used. So when someone is pushing a pram I know almost instinctively that: It's a Monty Python sketch!! Our PBS local is really a BBC outlet. Most "Englishisms" make perfect sense, pram - perambulator. Still I question SOME words. aluminum is NOT spelled al-u-minium and it is missle NOT mis-sile. But, then, the poor dears over the pond have a Queen and while I'm sure she is a lovely person, she certainly doesn't know how to dress. CB (irreverent as usual) |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Cluin Date: 26 Nov 03 - 12:11 AM chad = (US) some evil sort of obfuscating ballot thingy used to confuse the results in an election, thereby allowing the governor of the offending state to keep playing now-you-see-it-now-you-don't with the votes until the duly appointed-by-another-relative's beaurocrats can step in and hand the top office of the nation over to yet another relative while the general populace stands by wondering what the fuck just happened chad = (Canada) a term denoting a thing or state of affairs which is really supremely excellently cool and choice... "Did you see Steve's new bike? With the black suede banana seat, extra high sissy bar, butterfly handlebars and really small front tire? It's soooooooo chad, man!" |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Amos Date: 25 Nov 03 - 11:46 PM The boys in Wyoming roll fags, while the lads in Bristol go out Paki-bashing. Eh? A |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Cluin Date: 25 Nov 03 - 11:44 PM My Dad told me how a neighbour's mother was over visiting from England and requested that on his way out to work the next morning, he "Come by and knock me up, love..." But being Canadian, he knew what she really meant. But then again.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Bill D Date: 25 Nov 03 - 11:25 PM Hoover? but what if your Hoover is an Electrolux? or Kirby? or Miehle? Hoover is a brand name....(and is the verb form "hoove"?) *grin*... when analyzed, some UK terms make more sense (petrol, for one..not 'gas', which means several other things) and some US terms make more sense (panties(a diminutive generic)for ladies brief undies, rather than 'knickers', which has roots in a family name Knickerbocker) ..but folks aren't really interested in making sense, are they? They would rather just speak, eat and dress as they learned as a child. Yes...me, too ..it's hard to break out of the mould. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Midchuck Date: 25 Nov 03 - 10:27 PM Pharmacist (US) = Chemist (UK) Internal pickup in acoustic guitar (US) = bug (UK) "Bloody" in US simply means someone or something has blood on it. In UK it appears to be one of the nastiest dirty words - for no reason I can see - i. e., calling someone a "bloody idiot" in UK is as bad as, or worse than, calling him a "goddam f***ing idiot" in US. (Of course, I always supposed that if I must be an idiot, I'd rather be a f***ing idiot than a non-f***ing idiot, but I digress.) Peter. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Snuffy Date: 25 Nov 03 - 07:39 PM UK community doctors operate from "surgeries". Politicians also run "surgeries" where you go and tell them what's wrong, just like at the Doctor's |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Bee-dubya-ell Date: 25 Nov 03 - 07:30 PM Oh, goody! Maybe someone from the UK can explain one of the ways in which the word "surgery" is used over there. In the US "surgery" usually means a medical procedure. Occasionally it may mean the place where the procedure takes place (though "operating room" or just "doctor's office" are much more common). I once read a book written by a British author in which "surgery" was used in a non-medical sense. It seemed to mean something like "office hours" during which elected officials meet with constituents. Is it just a matter of "surgery" meaning "doctor's office" getting applied to the offices of other professionals as well as doctors? Bruce |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Amos Date: 25 Nov 03 - 07:11 PM IMHO it would take a fool to object to his brand becoming a generic and widely known noun such as Xerox. Sure you lose some sales to brand confusions, but you probably garner many more because of the implicit "genuineness" of your product. Why fight that? A |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Ebbie Date: 25 Nov 03 - 07:08 PM Aspirin, itself, was once a trade name for acetylsalicylic acid. Companies are far more alert for infringements on trademarks than they used to be, I believe. As mentioned above, Frigidaire, Kleenex, Scotch tape, Hoover, Xerox, Jello and many, many more have become generic names for specific products, and it's common to hear people saying 'Our xerox is a Pitney-Bowes'. Or, 'Pick up some kleenex at the store, but don't get the expensive brand'. Companies that have successfully insinuated their product with great effort and expense into our culture are not happy about the takeover. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Amos Date: 25 Nov 03 - 07:05 PM While over here it is a highly frowned upon abuse against those of differing sexual persuasions.... A |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Micca Date: 25 Nov 03 - 06:53 PM Vest= Undershirt(UK) Vest= Waistcoat (US) Suspenders= Garter belt (UK) Suspenders=Braces(US) |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Les from Hull Date: 25 Nov 03 - 06:08 PM Pissed off = angry Pissed up = drunk (a piss-up is an opportunity to drink heavily) So you can see where that comes from. On the subject of car parts we have 'bonnet' for what in the USA is I believe the 'hood'. Now isn't that just cute and British? I suppose that in the British Isles and other places where English is spoken we understand more of the Americanisms because of our contact with US films, TV and books. Anyway it's time for me to roll a fag (which is commonspeak here for making a cigarette). |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Emma B Date: 25 Nov 03 - 06:08 PM I shared an office with an American colleague for a couple of years. We had the usual "misunderstandings" over requesting to borrow his rubber etc but I was completely taken aback at being asked to purchase a sample bottle for another colleagues birthday. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 25 Nov 03 - 05:26 PM And now I know that a bathroom (or a "can", or the "head" over here) is a loo in England. I finally understand what the song Skip to my Loo is all about... And over here, why do women refer to the bathrooms as "The Little Ladies room" or the "Little Boys Room?" As in, "I'll be right back; I have to go visit the Little Ladies Room." Visit? Of course... it's a necessary place to visit but no one would want to live there.. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Richard Bridge Date: 25 Nov 03 - 05:24 PM Oh, I nearly forgot. Fanny = Backside, usually female (US) Fanny = Female pudendum (UK) |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Richard Bridge Date: 25 Nov 03 - 05:21 PM A packet of fags = 20 cigarettes (UK) |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Amos Date: 25 Nov 03 - 04:38 PM We don't have wankers in the U.S. We believe in the inherent dignity of the individual and a couple of other forgotten things...I forget what they are, but they are very important...but basically we have a wanker-free nation throughout the 50 states, excluding the District of Columbia... A |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: GUEST Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:51 PM In canada there is a mixture of these terms.. I wear wellies, say arse not ass, a vacuum cleaner is a hoover, a tie is a slepper, and so on. Guess it just depends on where you come from but a vest is still an undershirt and wankers are the same all over. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: GUEST Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:29 PM More car parts: gudgeon pin (UK) = wrist pin (US) propeller shaft (UK) = drive shaft (US) cam follower (UK)(not to be confused with cathode follower) = valve lifter petrol (UK) = gasoline (US) saloon (UK) = sedan (US) : This one could really cause problems! |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: GUEST,MMario Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:27 PM "bum" is rude WHICH "over there"? |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Cluin Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:20 PM Then there's that whole pants vs. trousers potential embarrassment for North American visitors to the British Isles. Pants = Trousers (North America) Pants = Underpants (Britain) Shorts = Short Trousers (Britain) Shorts = Underpants or Short Trousers (North America) And "bum", as an anatomical part, is considered a rude word over there. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:13 PM When my wife and I went to take Colin (ColK) to the airport when he was flying back to England, I said that I'd put his suitcase in the trunk of the car. That's another foreign English word to him. If I remember correctly, you Brits call the "trunk" of the car the "boot?" Jerry |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: GUEST,MMario Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:01 PM SRS - re: stuffed again had a *distinctly* different connotation (in ADDITION to the common) where I grew up. Sometimes TONE changes meaning... |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: GUEST,pdq Date: 25 Nov 03 - 01:59 PM From recent threads: porked (US) = shagged (UK) whole step (US) = whole tone (UK) half step (US) = semi-tone (UK) And you could write a book about car parts! bonnet (UK) = hood, etc... |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 Nov 03 - 01:54 PM Stuffed = eat too much (US--particularly applicable to this week's Thanksgiving holiday) I hear it means something a bit different in the UK :) |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: GUEST,MMario Date: 25 Nov 03 - 01:54 PM pissed = either angry *OR* drunk - at least where I grew up in the states. |
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Subject: RE: BS: English To English Dictionary From: Amos Date: 25 Nov 03 - 01:52 PM Hoods and bonnets, chicks and birds, Quite the mess, these English words! Leaves us gaping, old or young, Divided by a common tongue. A |
