Interesting Tidbits Language (UK to US Translations) Dining Out Spelling/Grammar Driving in the UK
Interesting Tidbits:
Coming to England is a bit
like going back in time. Milk is still delivered at your door and thatched
roofs abound. An old home in America is maybe 100 years old, while a home
here of that age is relatively NEW! Don't be discouraged by anything
you've heard about English weather - the rain is more of a mist and the summers
are spectacular.
Everything is smaller in
England. The houses are built smaller - the halls are narrow and the rooms
are more like walk in closets. They have no screens on their windows here
and you will find that the hedges and homes go right to the edge of the NARROW
roads. They have adapted by building smaller cars - the British
"mini" for example. The refrigerators are smaller because the
kitchens couldn't bare an American sized fridge. Milk is sold by the liter
(4 liters to one gallon) which is fine because it fits nicely in the smaller
fridge. Gas (petrol) is also sold by the litre - 1 pound per litre on
average. (That's about $6.00 per gallon.) Of course gas on base is
the same as in the states - count your blessings. And the washer and
dryers are half the size and take twice as long. Take heart....base
housing has American washer and dryers.
There is no Wal-Mart in
England but don't fret. We do have TESCO and even SUPER TESCO! Also
there is Wool-worth's and Matalan's which is comparable to TARGET. There
are farmer's markets in Mildenhall where you can find great deals on great
produce. You
will discover some things are cheaper on the economy and some are cheaper at the
commissary or BX.
England is perhaps an exception when it comes to
metric versus Imperial - 
some items are still imperial measurement while
others are metric - they seem to be battling to make that switch over,
even though the official change from Imperial to Metric was made in the
'60s..
Americans typically make beds using blankets and sheets with a bedspread or comforter to cover the bed. Many Commonwealthers use a "duvet" (pronounced doo-vey) which is similar to a comforter but has a removable cover which can be washed.
At Christmas time, the British celebrate Christmas dinner in a similar fashion to Americans with one notable exception. Christmas Crackers: paper tubes that bang when you pull them apart which contain a toy, paper hat, and a riddle or joke.
Keep in mind that England is along the same latitude line as Alaska. Our summers consist of long days (sun up at 4:00-4:30am and down at 9:30-10:00pm). Likewise, our winter days are short (sun up at 9:00am and down as early as 4:00pm).
Light switches are opposite. Down is off in America, while down is on in the Commonwealth. And they are not the common U.S. toggle switches but a push type that takes more effort to find and operate in the dark!
Believe it or not, toilet flush handles are also on the opposite side of the toilet.
The main road in a town is normally called "Main
Street" in the USA, while in England it is invariably called
"High Street".
Most faucets are still separated into hot and cold so washing ones hands can be a painful experience. Adapters are available but leave a lot to be desired in the way of decoration.
If your kids attend a British school they will be reading sooner and better than their American peers but may be behind in Math skills as the British society places greater emphasis on literacy.
A few other differences:
| American | United Kingdom |
|
Electricity |
110 volt* |
240 volts (see note) |
|
Road distance measured in |
Miles
Miles |
|
|
Distance measured in |
Feet, yards |
Feet, Meters |
|
Weight measured in |
Pounds |
Pounds, Kilograms, or Stone |
|
Liquid measured in |
Pints, gallons |
Liters |
|
Temperature measured in |
Fahrenheit |
Celsius |
|
Drive on the |
Right |
Left |
|
Car transmission, mostly |
Automatic |
Manual (standard) |
|
Most popular Winter sports |
Football, hockey |
Soccer, Rugby |
|
Most popular Summer sport |
Baseball |
Cricket |
| Emergency | Dial 911 | Dial 999 |
*NOTE: Before you leave anything behind because of the electricity difference, check to see if it can be switched to 240 volts. Some hair dryers, curling irons and radio/clocks come with adjustable voltage. You can buy an adapter when you get here. Transformers are also plentiful and can be used to convert the electricity so that you can use your American appliances. (Small ones - leave the fridge back in the states.)
So.....you're on your way to England? One would assume that because they speak English here that you will understand every word! But alas; the Queen's English and American English vary greatly as do the cultures.
American English is spoken in the USA, Canada and many Pacific Rim countries where America has more influence. The Queen's English is spoken throughout the United Kingdom.
Many words differ completely between the two "languages".
United States vs. United Kingdom Dictionary List
|
|
|
| AMERICAN
ENGLISH |
QUEENS ENGLISH |
|
Ground
Floor |
|
|
2nd Floor |
1st
Floor |
|
3rd Floor (and so on) |
2nd
Floor |
|
Ages (as in ages ago) |
Yonks |
|
Area
code |
Dialing
code |
|
Apartment |
Flat |
|
Apartment - two floors |
Maisonette |
|
Appointment calendar |
Diary |
|
Automobile |
Car,
motor car |
|
Baby carriage |
Pram |
|
Baby crib |
Cot |
|
Back up (a car) |
Reverse |
|
Bandaid |
Plaster,
elastoplast |
|
Bangs (hair) |
Fringe |
|
Bar |
Pub |
|
Barrette |
Hair
slide |
|
Baseboard |
Skirting board |
|
Bath robe / house coat |
Dressing
gown |
|
Bathing suit |
Swimming costume |
|
Beets |
Beetroot |
|
Biscuit |
Roll
or Bread roll |
|
Blacktop |
Tarred
road |
|
Bleachers |
Terrace |
|
Blender |
Liquidiser |
|
Blinkers, turn signals |
Flickers,
indicators |
|
Boy |
Lad |
|
Braid (hair) |
Plait |
|
Broil |
Grill |
|
Broke |
Skint |
|
Buddy (friend) |
Mate, matey |
|
Bumper cars (at amusement parks) |
Dodgem
Cars |
|
Busy (as in telephone line is busy) |
Engaged |
|
Butt |
Bum (bum in the US is a tramp) |
|
Button (kind that pins on) |
Badge |
|
Cafeteria |
Canteen (canteen in US is a drinking bottle) |
|
Can |
Tin |
|
Candy |
Sweets |
|
Candy Bar |
Chocolate
Bar |
|
Check (as in restaurant check) |
Bill |
|
Cigarette |
Fag |
|
Closet |
Cupboard |
|
Club Soda |
Soda |
|
Coat (men's suit) |
Jacket |
|
Collect call |
Reverse charge call |
|
Condo |
Flat |
|
Cotton Candy |
Candy Floss |
|
Counterclockwise |
Anticlockwise |
|
Cookie |
Biscuit
(VERY different to a US biscuit) |
|
Crepe |
Pancake
(normally served rolled with cinnamon and sugar - very different to US
pancake) |
|
Cross walk |
Zebra crossing |
|
Davenport
(in USA a couch) |
Davenport
(in UK a desk) |
|
Dessert |
Pudding |
|
Defroster,
defogger |
Demister |
|
Dead End |
Cul-de-sac |
|
Deductible (insurance) |
Excess |
|
Diaper |
Nappy |
|
Diner |
Tea room |
|
Divided highway (4 lanes) |
Dual carriageway |
|
Down payment |
Deposit |
|
Downsize
(at work) |
Retrench,
made redundant |
|
Drapes,
draperies |
Curtains |
|
Dress |
Frock |
|
Eggplant |
Aubergine |
|
Electrical cable |
Flex |
|
Elevator |
Lift |
|
Emergency room |
Casualty |
|
Eraser |
Rubber |
|
Estimate (as in "to obtain an estimate") |
Quote |
|
Extract
(as in Vanilla extract) |
Essence |
|
Exit |
Off
Ramp |
|
Expert (like a computer nerd) |
Boffin |
|
Autumn |
|
|
Fancy |
Posh |
|
Fanny Pack (fanny in UK does NOT mean bottom, use this word VERY carefully) |
Bum Bag |
|
Faucet / Spigot |
Tap |
|
Festival |
Fete (pronounced "Fate") |
|
Fire
(from a job at work) |
Sack
(fire is used as well) |
|
Fire Department |
Fire Brigade |
|
First Name |
Christian
Name |
|
Flashlight |
Torch |
|
Floppy disk (for a computer) |
Stiffie
disk |
|
French Fries |
Chips |
|
Futon |
Sleeper
couch |
|
Game (as in sports) |
Match |
|
Garbage man |
Dustman |
|
Gas station |
Filling station, petrol station |
|
German Shepard |
Alsation |
|
Good bye |
Cheerio |
|
Goof off |
Skive off |
|
Granola |
Muesli |
|
Grill |
Barbecue |
|
Ground (electrical) |
Earth |
|
Ground beef |
Mince, minced meat |
|
Guy |
Bloke |
|
Hash Browns |
Grated
potato, fried |
|
Home Fries |
Cubed
potato, fried |
|
Hood |
Bonnet |
|
Honk |
Hoot |
|
Horn |
Hooter |
|
Hot pocket (brand name) |
Meat
Pie |
|
Hot water heater |
Geyser |
|
Intermission |
Interval |
|
Jello |
Jelly |
|
Jelly |
Jam |
| Kerosene |
Paraffin |
|
Ketchup |
Tomato
Sauce |
|
Last Name |
Surname |
|
Leash (for a dog) |
Lead |
|
Letter opener |
Paper knife |
|
Laundromat |
Laundrette |
|
Laundry detergent |
Washing powder |
|
Lawyer |
Barrister, solicitor |
|
License plate, tag |
Number plate |
|
Line (as in "standing in") |
Queue |
|
Living room |
Lounge |
|
Loaded (as in a car is "loaded" with extras) |
Full house |
|
London Broil |
Silverside
beef roast |
|
Love Seat |
Couch,
sofa, settee |
|
|
Post |
|
Main
Street |
High
Street |
|
Mixture of fruit preserve used like ketchup on meat dishes such as curry or sausages |
Chutney |
|
Mobile home, trailer |
Caravan |
|
Molasses |
Treacle |
|
Movie Theater |
Cinema |
|
Moving truck |
Removal van |
|
Muffler
(car) |
Silencer |
|
Nail polish |
Nail varnish |
|
Napkin |
Serviette |
|
Nurse - R.N. equivalent |
Sister |
|
Oatmeal |
Porridge |
|
Outlet (electrical) |
Power point, wall plug |
|
Overpass |
Flyover |
|
Dummy |
|
|
Pants |
Trousers |
|
Panties |
Knickers |
|
Panty hose |
Stockings |
|
Parka,
hooded jacket |
Anorak |
|
Parking lot |
Car park |
|
Pass (another car) |
Overtake |
|
Pavement |
Tar
road |
|
Payphone |
Phone
box |
|
Period (punctuation) |
Full
stop |
|
Pig's stomach, eaten boiled with onions |
Tripe |
|
Pharmacy, drug store |
Chemist |
|
Plexi-glass |
Perspex |
|
Policeman or cop |
Copper
or Bobby |
|
Pop (Midwest US for Soda) |
Coldrink |
| Popsicle |
Ice Lolly |
|
Pork Sausages |
Bangers |
|
Popsicle |
Ice lolly |
|
Potato Chips |
Crisps |
|
Pound sign (on a telephone) |
Hash sign |
|
Powdered
sugar |
Castor
sugar |
|
President (of a company) |
Managing
Director |
|
Private school |
Public school |
|
Purse |
Handbag |
|
Radio |
Wireless |
|
Railroad |
Railway |
|
Realtor |
Estate agent |
|
Red hair |
Ginger
hair |
|
Reflectors (in the middle of a road) |
Cat's eyes |
|
Resume |
CV
(Curriculum Vitae) |
|
Restroom, bathroom |
Toilet, W.C. (Water Closet) |
|
Round Trip (as in flight tickets) |
Return |
|
Santa Claus |
Father
Christmas |
|
Saran Wrap |
Cling Film |
|
Savings Bank |
Building Society |
|
Scotch
tape |
Sticky tape |
|
Sewing
thread |
Cotton |
|
Shopping Cart |
Supermarket
Trolley |
|
Shrimp |
Prawn |
|
Sidewalk |
Pavement |
|
Sleep |
Kip |
|
Slowpoke |
Slowcoach |
|
Small flapjack, served with tea |
Crumpet |
|
Sneakers |
Trainers |
|
Soda |
Coldrink |
|
Squash |
Marrow |
|
State |
Province |
|
Station Wagon |
Estate |
|
Steal |
Nick, pinch |
|
Store |
Shop |
|
Street car |
Tram |
|
Stroller |
Push chair |
|
Studio apartment |
Bedsitter |
|
Study, learn hard |
Swot |
|
Stupid |
Daft |
|
Styrofoam |
Polystyrene |
|
Subway |
Underground
/ Tube |
|
Suspenders |
Braces |
|
Sweater (pullover) |
Jumper or jersey |
|
TV,
Television |
Telly |
|
Take out (as in fast food) |
Takeaway |
|
Taxi stand |
Taxi rank |
|
Thumb tack |
Drawing pin |
|
Ticket (Midwest for restaurant check) |
Bill |
|
Tired |
Knackered |
|
Toilet |
Loo |
|
Traffic circle |
Roundabout |
|
Traffic light, stop light |
Robot |
|
Trash |
Rubbish |
|
Truck |
Lorry |
|
Tram |
Cable
car |
|
Trunk (on a car) |
Boot |
|
Turnpike, Interstate |
Freeway,
Motorway |
|
Brolley |
|
|
Undershirt |
Vest |
|
Unemployed |
On the dole |
|
Unemployment checks |
Giros |
|
Vacation |
Holiday |
|
Valence (window) |
Pelmet |
|
VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) |
Video
Machine |
|
Vest |
Waist
Coat |
|
Vice-president |
Director |
|
Windshield |
Windscreen |
|
Wrench |
Spanner |
|
Y'all |
You lot |
|
Yard |
Garden |
|
Zee
(the letter as in XYZ) |
Zed |
|
Zip Code |
Postal
Code |
|
Zucchini |
Courgettes, baby marrows |
Road regulations are given in the
"Highway Code" Booklet. Your options for getting a copy of this
booklet include: - Look at a copy of the book on the web or - Pickup a copy
through your Unit INTRO Monitor once you arrive - Ask sponsor if they can send
you a copy of the book so you (and eligible family members) can study it before
you arrive in Britain. Information about registering your vehicle or buying a
car are located on the Lakenheath Pass and Registration/Wing Ground Safety local
area websites. This will be accessible to the service member once she/he arrives
and sets up an official e-mail account.
The majority of British traffic signs are of International standard. In Britain,
you must drive on the left and pass on the right. The wearing of seat belts is
mandatory for all passengers. Unless signs indicate otherwise, the speed limits
are 30 MPH in built up areas, 60 MPH on single lane carriageways, and 70 MPH on
dual carriageways and motorways. British roads are generally much narrower than
US roads. (Check the web site listed above for more information.)
ROUNDABOUTS - Give way to the right before entering a roundabout. They are
designed to keep traffic moving, always use indicators to signal intentions.
Roundabouts are NOT FOUR WAY STOPS.
ROAD TAX- Your vehicle will be 151/year (approx $250) or 82.50/6 mos ($145). If
your car is imported (shipped) into the UK, it will be tax free for the first
year - then you must pay. Additionally, all vehicles over 3 years old must have
a Ministry of Transportation (MOT) safety inspection. Imported vehicles also
must have some modifications (i.e. white parking lights, headlights tilted left,
amber turn signals (both front and rear), etc.). Your car can be modified before
or after you arrive, but the modifications must be made before it is certified
to be driven on the roads. It is recommended that the modifications be made
after your arrival to ensure it meets UK standards.
MOT INSPECTION - This is an annual inspection required of any car over three
years old. The cost for the inspection is approximately 25 ($45). Any parts or
service to the vehicle to ensure it passes the inspection will be above the MOT
cost.
NEW VEHICLE INSPECTION - Effective 1 July 1998, all non-European specification
privately owned vehicles less than THREE YEARS OLD that are imported will also
need to undergo a safety inspection before being allowed a license to operate in
Great Britian. This change does not affect vehicles already licensed to operate
here or change the requirement to have a British MOT inspection for any vehicle
older than three years. Contact Pass and Registration upon your arrival for
further information regarding this requirement.
In the UK, one does NOT eat
with just a fork… The knife remains in the right hand and the fork in the
left. In the USA the knife is used to cut up the meat, after that, the knife is
returned to the table, the fork placed in the right hand and the rest of the
meal consumed with a fork only. In the United Kingdom the fork is held upside down, and food pushed
onto the bottom side of the fork - which is now curving downwards (I know this
doesn't make sense, but that's just the way they do it!)
In
the UK, French Fries (chips) are eaten with a knife and fork and NOT one's
fingers - except perhaps in a pub or fast food outlet.. We Americans
always use our fingers for fries even in fancy restaurants so don't be surprised
if you are stared at for eating this way in an English pub although near
American bases the locals are used to us and our culinary manners. And
don't be surprised when you order a coke in the UK and it arrives at your table
WARM and with lemon! (yuck) If you want ice, you must request it and if
you don't want lemon, be sure to ask them to leave it out. You will always
get vinegar with your fries - but you'll have to request ketchup! And then
there is tea. In the UK it is served like coffee - hot and with cream or
milk and sometimes sugar. Iced tea is non-existent on the local
market. (But there is plenty at the parsonage and you can drop by
anytime.)
Here's a bit of good news. You are not expected to tip a waitress/waiter in the United Kingdom. Gratuities are not generally practiced. And when you are done with your meal, you must request your check. It will never be brought to your table without your asking for it.
|
The way words are spelled in America differs substantially from the Commonwealth. The OUR versus OR difference "-our" in the UK is replaced with just "-or" in the USA. |
|
Neighbour |
Neighbor |
|
Colour |
Color |
|
Harbour |
Harbor |
|
The ISE versus IZE difference"-ise" in the UK is replaced with "-ize" in the USA. Also "-isation" replaced with "-ization". |
|
Realise |
Realize |
|
Emphasise |
Emphasize |
|
Organisation |
Organization |
|
Revitalisation |
Revitalization |
|
The RE versus ER difference |
|
Metre |
Meter |
|
Theatre |
Theater |
|
Centre |
Center |
|
The LL versus L difference |
|
Travelling |
Traveling |
|
Travelled |
Traveled |
|
Panelling |
Paneling |
|
Enrollment |
Enrolment |
|
Usefull |
Useful |
|
Revelling |
Reveling |
|
The "further" vs. "farther" difference Americans use the word farther when describing distance, e.g. "Let's not drive any farther today". Whereas when describing a process, the word further is used, e.g. "Let's not take this matter any further today". In England, only the word further is used in both instances. |
|
The "no reason at all" differences - Then there are many words that are just spelled differently for no discernable reason! |
|
United Kingdom |
USA |
|
All right |
Alright |
|
Aluminium |
Aluminum |
|
Analogue |
Analog |
|
Anaesthesia |
Anesthesia |
|
Archaelogy |
Archeology |
|
Byelaw |
Bylaw |
|
Kerb |
Curb |
|
Defence |
Defense |
|
Doughnut |
Donut |
|
Draught |
Draft |
|
Grey |
Gray |
|
Jewellery |
Jewelry |
|
Licence |
License |
|
Manoeuvre |
Maneuver |
|
Mould |
Mold |
|
Omelette |
Omelet |
|
Pyjamas |
Pajamas |
|
Programme |
Program |
|
Speciality |
Specialty |
|
Tyre |
Tire |
| Vise | Vice |
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