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 | London Local Customs | Tips 31 - 40 of 696 |  |
Popular Local Customs | Miscellaneous Local Customs Tips | All Tips (696)  | |  |  | Lost (and Found) in Translation | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
My daughter, like so many other kids these days, is a huge Harry Potter fan. When the sixth book, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” came out this summer, there was a mad dash to the bookshops. I went to several to find a copy for my little darling (the Hebrew translation will only be out in December and I figured that getting her to read 607 pages in English wasn’t a bad thing at all this summer). Finally I found a shop that had a few copies left and quickly snatched one up. At home it turned out I had purchased a copy of the BRITISH edition. My daughter was disappointed. Her friends had the U.S. edition, which had a more attractive dust jacket. Besides that, she said, I don’t understand anything… Inspired by that comment, I wrote the following paragraph in American and translated it into British (thank you, VT member Ian-in-Bangkok, for the helpful input): AMERICAN: I was all tired out, ready for a nice cup of coffee, when this guy comes in shouting into his cell phone like a maniac. Was I pissed off? You bet your booties I was. “My god, what’s taking you so long, ” he shouted. “And don’t forget to turn on the TV. I was standing next to a cop when a TV crew pulled up and shoved a camera in my face. Cool, huh? Okay, honey. That’s enough outta you. Don’t get smart with me. Just do it, for God’s sake.” BRITISH: I was knackered. Ready for a coffee. And this bloke comes in shouting his head off into his mobile like a bloody madman. I'm telling you, was I pissed off? Too bloody right. "Get on with it you daft cow / silly bint, and don't forget to turn on the tele. I was standing next to a copper when a camera crew came round and got me on celluloid. I was well chuffed. Alright, alright, alright woman. That's enough, and don't give me any of your cheek / lip. Just get on with it for crying out loud / Christ's sake." . . Leave a Comment
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| | | | Separated by the Same Language | Tip Rating: | | | | |
As Bernard Shaw liked to say, “England and America are two countries separated by the same language.” I still have memories of walking around London in the drizzling rain looking for some bed & breakfast establishment with a “crib” for my baby – and wherever I went, I got these blank stares. Little did I know, back then, that it was called a “cot.” In America, of course, a cot is a folding bed – the kind pulled out for guests. Even after living with English roommates and working for a British boss, there are endless surprises. Like the time I met my boss for breakfast at a cafe, and as he ate, he kept mumbling “Oh my God. This is disgusting!” What he meant, of course, was that the food was delicious, but that was not at all obvious to me, as a speaker of American English. Working for an English-language newspaper in a foreign country – a kind of magnet for English-speakers from every corner of the earth - I have seen serious mix-ups caused by the fact that certain expressions can mean just the opposite, depending on where the person comes from. Take the political term “table a motion.” For Brits, this means to consider a piece of legislation; in the U.S., it means the reverse – to toss it out. Every day my list gets longer. Here are a few more: ENGLISH/AMERICAN chemist – pharmacy, drug store ironmonger – hardware store barmy, mad – crazy dummy – pacifier torch – flashlight bangers – sausage fag – cigarette pinafore – apron/ jumper naughts & crosses - tic tac toe petrol – gas bloke, chap – guy, dude lemonade – Sprite or 7Up (lemon-flavored soda) bobby – police officer crisps – potato chips bog roll – toilet paper rubber – eraser football – soccer gum – glue plaster – bandaid flannel – washcloth Hoover – vacuum cleaner pram - baby carriage wardrobe/closet dinner jacket/tuxedo jersey, pullover or jumper/sweater cooker/range or stove bonnet/hood (of car) boot/trunk (of car) sultanas/raisins Leave a Comment
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| | | | Pubs! Pubs, and More Pubs! | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Pubs are a GIANT part of Londoners daily life. Pubs have a wonderful atmosphere with a much more intriguing aspect about them than any American bar scene. Locals come to relax, unwind with a nice meal, possibly with a good bitter, ale, or lager. Some even drink Jack Daniels (Tennessee Whisky), which REALLY surprised me! There is definitely an abundance of "Old World charm" in most pubs in England. I am no expert pub crawler, by any means, and actually I am a lightweight when it comes to alcohol, but the attitude just seems to magically transform, almost instantaneously, upon entering a nice, friendly pub. There is this awesome site I found when searching for the address of Wetherspoons in London. (See Restaurant Tips for info on Wetherspoons). You can search by the pub name, address, postcode, nearest tube station, etc. It is similar to VT as it has ratings and reviews from the patrons who visited the pubs. You may even refine your search to include extras such as Big screen TV's, dartboard, pool table, live music, Sunday roast dinner, car park, etc. The list is extensive, but those are a few basics. Like VT, it is not neccessary to be a member to view the details. If you are looking for some information about a great pub in London, or anywhere else in the World, this will do all the work for you. All you need do is decide which pub best suits your taste. Cheers! P.S. For more details, please see my Nightlife tip. Leave a Comment Website: www.beerintheevening.com
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| | | | Phones in London | Tip Rating: | | | | |
When I was in London, they were just beginning to replace the old, lovely red phoneboxes with the new, modern ones. It saddened me. The Phoneboxes (In America, we call them Phonebooths), are abundant in London. They are usually on most street corners. As I said, there are two kinds: the old red ones and the new silver ones. Most of the phoneboxes take coins and cards, but read carefully to make sure. You are able to purchase the phonecard (British Telecom Phonecard) at newsstands and post offices. Emergency: dial 999 or 112 For help, call the operator at 100. Oh, yes, you usually are able to use your credit card to charge phone calls also. Leave a Comment
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| | | | More Differences Across The Pond {Chapter 1} | Tip Rating: | | | | |
A few differences I noticed whilst in England, with regard to the language barrier, (well, usually understandable with a little effort) are as follows: First, and foremost, ALL Americans are considered "Yanks." It matters not which part of the US you reside, as I now consider myself a "Southern Yankee." Continuing on in no particular order, random observations, if you will ... In England, you hire a hire-car, not rent a rental car. A landord lets a flat, not leases an apartment, and therefore one may have a flatmate, instead of a roommate. A solicitor is an attorney, not a door to door salesperson. A pushchair in England is the equivalent to a baby stroller, not a wheelchair, as you might guess. A dummy is the equivalent to a baby pacifier, so you may hear, "Give that child a dummy, please!" A Zimmer in the UK, is known in the US as a walker, a device to help the elderly get around easier. "Zimmer" is the popular brand name of such. A thief nicks your belongings more often than steals something, although in England, they do know the meaning of stealing. I, on the other hand, was clueless about nicking. In England, they post mail and wait for the postman. They do not mail letters and wait for the mailman. A zebra crossing is actually a pedestrian crossing. There are no zebras running loose in London, or anywhere else in England. It is known as this because of the black and white stripes designating the area to cross the street. A motor is an automobile. A motorway is an interstate, or highway. A dual-carriageway is a divided highway. A speed camera is a camera that takes your picture as you go speeding by, a crime punishable by fines, and points off of your driving license. Locals will be notified by post (mail) and must pay dearly, or if a visitor, driving a hire-car, your credit card will be charged. Signs warn in advance that look like a camera. Do not get flashed! Leave a Comment Website: http://www.english2american.com
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on September 26, 2005
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