English

This humble Yorkshire blog is proud to receive visits from all North Americans. Of course, Canada was once part of The British Empire and since gaining full independence in 1982, it has remained in our Commonwealth of Nations. I suspect that Canadians, at least those whose first tongue is English, generally have a better appreciation of British English than the majority of their neighbours in the USA.

For the purposes of transatlantic understanding, I often find myself having to clarify words and phrases for American visitors to this blog. Since the sixteenth century when British settlers began their new lives in The New World, the English language evolved both here to the east of the Atlantic Ocean and over there to the west. Many differences have emerged.

The list below is meant to be generally helpful for those who live in the shade of the star-spangled banner...

BRITISH ENGLISH     AMERICAN ENGLISH

chips  =  fries

crisps  = chips

rubbish   =    garbage

trousers  =  pants

biscuit   =  cookie

aeroplane  =  airplane

nappy   =   diaper

catalogue   =   catalog

football   =  soccer

caravan   =   trailer

dummy  =  pacifier

lift  =  elevator

pocket money   =  allowance

vest   =   undershirt

tea towel   =  dish towel

boot (car)  =  trunk

sweets  =  candy

shopping centre  =  mall

arsehole   =   asshole

trump  =  fart

Trump   =  asshole

I am an arsehole  =  covfefe

Please may I have some salted peanuts?  =  Gimme some nuts!

pissed  =  drunk

pissed off  =  pissed

I realise that this is not a comprehensive lexicon but in its small way it should be a useful  aid to residents of the fifty states who seek better understanding in international communicatio.

from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/OMHFa8d