#UK vs USA

[alexelyan]

With everything going on in the US at the moment with the UHC assassination, I can't stop thinking about a nursery rhyme about a kid who's doll is ill so she gets a doctor. I was taught it by a UK daycare, so the ending I learnt went:

He wrote on his paper for a pill pill pill

"I'll be back in the morning if the dolly's still ill."

Whereas my sister learnt it from YouTube and the ending she knows is:

He wrote on his paper for a pill pill pill

"I'll be back in the morning for the bill bill bill."

I don't know which is the original or 'correct' version, and the UK health system is far from perfect, but I do think that discrepancy is interesting to say the least.

[salmonella-destroyer-of-worlds]

[isaacsapphire]

🔥horses

The class valiance of horse access and even ownership is actually pretty variable across the country and between urban and rural areas. Like, horse stuff is rich kid only in some areas, and a fairly lower middle class or even lower class thing if you’re working for lessons in some areas.

Also Pony Club is apparently government funded in the UK. A huge amount of English language horse content comes out of the UK, but that’s obviously a different government, culture, economy, and biome, and people forget that.

[cheeseanonioncrisps]

I know that it's probably a perfectly common word over there, but watching films and tv shows with Americans talking about “being tardy” or “getting a tardy slip” at school is so fucking surreal to me.

Like howdy I'm an American. I missed the big bus made of cheese that was supposed to take me to school because I was too busy mining for CDs in the hamburger mines, so now as punishment my teacher gets to call me a slur. Also I'm not allowed to play four square at recess or eat a Dairy Queen.

Yee-haw, dagnabbit! ☹️

[shower-thoughts-last-responder]

Okay I just fell down a weird tiktok rabbit hole and now I have to ask y'all:

Also, please tell me why you do/don't, if you think it's normal and where you're from. Please I need answers

[hils79]

It’s been hours and I’m still thinking about the fact that breadsticks in the US are not at all like the ones we have here in the UK.

For literally decades I’ve been seeing jokes about people stuffing their bags with breadsticks and picturing these

When in fact people are talking about these

Or maybe these? Unclear. But definitely not thin crunchy things that snap if you dunk them too vigorously into some dip

I feel like everything I’ve known up until now is a lie

[doppleganger-rental]

How to differentiate a U.K. Fishing program from one in the U.S.?

Well, one, you have a guy fishing with a neck tie.

And two, you have this guy close out your show like he’s telling you about Bilbo Baggins.

[londonlingo]

American vs British spelling

(yo)U need to remember U in the UK

Some nouns despite being the same in both languages are spelt with a U in the UK but NOT in the USA

USA → UK

Honor → honour

Behavior → behaviour

Neighbor → Neighbour

2. S/Z 

Verbs that end -ise in the UK, end -ize in the US

USA → UK

Apologize → apologise

Formalize → formalise

Organize → organise

3. Double L

In the UK we sometimes  use two Ls, when the US only uses one

USA → UK

Traveled →  travelled

Equaling →  equalling

Canceled → cancelled

4. The OTHER double Ls

Just to confuse you further, some words are spelt with two Ls only in the US

USA → UK

Skillful →  skilful

Fulfillment →  fulfilment

Enrollment →  enrolment

[ryan-waddell11]

for my UK friends, I tried your specialty.

[enderslut]

raves here: ‘i’ll trade you this balloon full of laughing gas for a bump of ket’

raves in america: ‘i’ll trade you my bracelet with rainbow dash on it for your one that says ‘emo queen 666’

[obaewankenope]

American to English translation for fic

So I read and write fanfic, as do lots of others, and I've noticed that when it comes to British shows or movies, Americanisms or American terms crop up often. It's mostly because most don't know we have specific terms for things in the UK, and I've seen references here and there before, but I've decided to write one of my own. Feel free to add to it tho! I'm gonna put it up on Ao3 too and any additions, I'll reference the tumblr and link them on Ao3 too.

AO3 link is here!!

Anyway, here we go I guess.

Some Americanisms to English-isms

Gas = fuel/petrol/diesel (we tend to specify the type of fuel the vehicle uses, diesel vehicle or petrol vehicle for example)

Gas station = petrol/fuel station

Gas court = petrol/fuel court, or sometimes forecourt (not often with this one tho)

License plate = registration plate/reg

Diner = cafe

Fast-food = takeaway (this is sort of interchangeable. McDonald's is called fast food, a meal from a pizza place that delivers is takeaway)

Motel = hotel

Side-note: We tend to use specific named hotel chains like Premier Inn (or Prem-Inn for short) or Holiday Inn or Travelodge. We also have Britannia Hotels and several others. If the fic is based in a specific place, local hotels or famous ones may be better options. For example, in Liverpool, we have The Shankly or Adelphi.

Cab = taxi or black hac for a specific type of taxi.

Side-note: These are what you see in BBC Sherlock, for example, and are a UK staple. They're less popular or common-place nowadays but there are dedicated taxi companies that use them. There's on in my town that operates until 4pm each day. They are also usually more expensive than a car taxi but they have oodles of space and you can have a pram/buggy kept upright rather than folded-down in them which is brilliant.

Cop = police officer

Side note: more informal, colloquial terms include "copper", "the fuzz", "tit-head" (because of the nipple hat okay, just look up the hat, it's hilarious), "bobby", "rozzer" (pronounced r-o-z-er not Row-zer), and "the bill" (there's an actual show called this btw. It can be a good reference for anyone writing crime fic in UK). There's more but those are the most common. Older terms do include "peelers" and "old bill".

Second side-note: the police have a whole host of terms, colloquial and slang that can be a great thing to include in fic, which I'll link a glossary of here. It's not all UK centric but cross-country policing is a thing so that may just be a boon imho. Also the short-hand acroynmns used are useful so here's a link to the Metropolitan Police glossary of those too!

Patrolman = constable or police constable

Antenna = aerial or TV aerial

Fall (season) = autumn

Bill = banknote or specifically "tenner", "fiver", "twenny" (not "twenty"). We don't have single banknotes like a dollar bill. We have pound coins

Dimes, nickels, etc = pound coin, two-pound coin, fifty-pence, penny, two-pence, five-pence, ten-pence, twenty-pence (link here about the coin currency)

Drug store = chemist or pharmacy

Optometrist = optician

Primary care physician = GP (general practitioner) here's a link about UK medical terms for doctors etc

Side-note: here's a link about medical terminologies etc between American and UK

Social security number = national insurance number

Liquor store = off-license or, specifically, Bargain Booze™

Liquor = spirits (usually)

Store = shop

Target, Walmart, etc = honestly, it's probably gonna be Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, ALDI or Lidl

Superstore = supermarket

Shopping cart = shopping trolley or just "trolley"

Yard-sale = car-boot/car-bootie/car-boot sale

Attorney = barrister or solicitor (solicitors you go to for legal help, barristers tend to be involved in actual court matters, like a the Crown Prosecution Service), here's a link that explains it better

Janitor = caretaker

French-fries = chips (although McDonald's French-fries are just that, French-fries)

Intersection = crossroad

Highway/freeway = motorway

Interstate = usually an A-road or a motorway, we don't really have interstates here)

Overpass = flyover

Turnpike = toll motorway

Windshield = windscreen

Trunk of a car = boot or car boot

Hood of a car = bonnet or car bonnet

Truck = lorry

Sedan = saloon car

Blowout = puncture or flat tyre

Pavement = road

Sidewalk = path

Subway = underground (like the London Underground)

Drapes = curtains (though we do use "drapes" we tend to say "curtains" more)

Pacifier = dummy or "dodo" or "dodi"

Diaper = nappie or a pull-up (if its like underwear for toddlers)

Baby crib = baby cot (though we do use "crib", we tend to say "cot" more)

Baby carriage/pushchair/stroller = pram or buggy (more specific type tho, here's a link about the differences)

Trash/garbage can = bin, dustbin, rubbish bin

Garbage/trash collector = binman/binmen

Mail = post

Mailman = postman

Mailbox = postbox

The movies = cinema or pictures

Movie = film (less common nowadays with influence of Americanisms but I still use "film" and a lot of people my age and older do too (25+)

First floor = ground floor okay, it's the ground floor because it's on ground level

Sneakers = unless they're Converse, it's probably just "trainers"

Baggage = luggage

Purse (as in the bag) = handbag, or "purse" but that tends to be the thing you put your money and cards in then put in your handbag

Vacuum cleaner = hoover or a specific brand like Henry Hoover™, which you'll find we tend to just call Henry (though I have a John Lewis hoover I got from George, ASDA that I've named 'George' and yes, I do say "I need to use George in a bit to hoover" regularly)

Sweater = jumper or, if it buttons up it's a cardigan or cardi

Closet = wardrobe

Elevator = lift

Call collect = reverse charges

Schools = we have primary/infants (11yrs)and secondary/high school (11-16yo) with some high schools have sixth-form college (16-18yo) or actual independent colleges for the same ages

College = university

Semester = term

Vacation = holiday

Kindergarten = nursey/reception

Flashlight = torch

Wrench = spanner

Backyard = garden

Cookie = biscuits

Chips = crisps (like Walkers™ or Lays™ in the States)

Pants = trousers

Cottoncandy = candyfloss

Dude = bloke/fella/mate

John Doe = John Smith

Exhausted (tired) = knackered

Cell phone = mobile

Cell data = mobile data/4G/5G

Bathroom/restroom = loo/toilet (informal term "bog")

Thanks = cheers

Soccer = football

Y'all = "you lot"

Fuck off/hit the road/go away = bugger off

Some slang phrases too

Bits and bobs = stuff, usually random

Take the mick/mickey = making fun of someone or over-exaggerating

Bob's your uncle = there you go, basically

Bog standard = typical, run of the mill kind of deal

Gutted = feel upset, disappointed

Dull as dishwater = basically really, really fuckin boring

Chinwag = basically "shooting the breeze" or just having a talk/chat

.

If you have any others that you think of or want added, reblog and add em! Tags too if you'd prefer but reblogs would be easier ☺️

[thingsidonethunked]

I'm very introverted even by British standards so, based on British-vs-American things I've seen on social media, I think I would just straight up not survive in America.

[ryan-waddell11]

UK friends, I found some of the recommended snacks!! I will be trying them soon and I’m so freaking excited 😅🤣

[vyorei]

Live coverage of the 11th of January 2024 is now closed.

Here is a recap of today's major events.

It is 12am in Ireland now so I have to go to bed.

I'll be back to resume live updates on Sunday as I'm working, I'm gutted I can't watch the livestream tomorrow. It's at 10AM as far as I can remember. You can find it on YouTube, be sure to watch Apartheid Israel's predictable response and watch out for gore given they'll definitely play shock value.

For continuous updates while I'm gone, click the link below: