|
English Culture
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 - 77pence per litre on
average. (That's about $4.00 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 have 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..
We, Americans make up their beds using blankets and
sheets with a bedspread or comforter to cover the bed. Most
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,
Britons celebrate
Christmas dinner in a similar fashion to Americans with one notable
exception. Christmas Crackers: paper tubes that bang when you pull them
apart and they contain a toy, a paper hat and a riddle or joke.
Keep in mind that England is
along the same longitude line of Alaska so 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.
You will find cell phones to
be cheaper here than in the states and the internet is about the same price but
with slower hook ups.
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.
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A few other differences:
|
Electricity
|
110 volt*
|
240 volts (see note)
|
|
Road distance measured in
|
Miles
|
Kilometres
|
|
Distance measured in
|
Feet, yards
|
Meters
|
|
Weight measured in
|
Pounds
|
Kilograms
|
|
Liquid measured in
|
Pints, gallons
|
Liters
|
|
Temperature measured in
|
Fahrenheit
|
Celsius
|
|
Drives on the
|
Right
|
Left
|
|
Car transmission, mostly
|
Automatic
|
Manual (standard)
|
|
Most popular Winter sports
|
Football, hockey
|
Soccer, Rugby
|
|
Most popular Summer sport
|
Baseball
|
Cricket
|
|
Prefix for dialing long distance
|
1
|
0
|
|
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.)
Back to Top
Language
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 exerted an 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
|
A-E
F-J
K-O
P-T
U-Z
|
| AMERICAN
ENGLISH
|
QUEENS
ENGLISH |
|
1st
Floor
|
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
(bandage)
|
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
(that is owned not leased)
|
|
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 |
|
Fall |
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
(Futon in the UK is the "real" Japanese style low bed with
slats)
|
|
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
, sitting room
|
|
Loaded
(as in a car is "loaded" with extras)
|
Full
house |
|
London
Broil
|
Silverside
beef roast
|
|
Love
Seat
|
Couch,
sofa, settee
|
|
Mail
|
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 |
|
Pacifier
(baby) |
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
, call 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
, doss
|
|
Slowpoke |
Slowcoach |
|
Small
flapjack, served with tea
|
Crumpet
|
|
Sneakers |
Trainers |
|
Soda
|
Coldrink
|
|
Squash
|
Marrow
|
|
State
|
Province
|
|
Station
Wagon
|
Estate
|
|
Steal |
Nick,
pinch |
|
Store
|
Shop
(in US Shop is only a verb)
|
|
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
|
|
Umbrella |
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
|
Back
to Top
DRIVING IN BRITAIN
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.
Dining Out
 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.
Back to Top
Grammar and Spelling
|
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
"-re" in the Commonwealth is replaced with "-er"
in the USA.
|
|
Metre
|
Meter
|
|
Theatre
|
Theater
|
|
Centre
|
Center
|
|
The LL versus L difference
"-ll-" in the Commonwealth is replaced with a
single"-l-" in the USA.
|
|
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
|
|
Archaelogy
|
Archeology
|
|
Byelaw
|
Bylaw
|
|
Kerb
|
Curb
|
|
Defence
|
Defense
|
|
Doughnut
|
Donut
|
|
Draught
|
Draft
|
|
Grey
|
Gray
|
|
Jewellery
|
Jewelry
|
|
