When I moved to Scotland from America I was not aware of just how many thousands of differences there are in the language. Many books have been written on this subject. When one travels from Britain to the US or vice versa, a British/American English dictionary is required!
I have had to become multilingual! English in the US, in England, and Scotland are NOT the same. Now I'm in Uganda where English is their second language....but that's a whole other subject.
A few of the common differences - US vs UK (in general)
gas - petrol
gas station - garage (gairij)
trash can - bin
garbage - rubbish
eggplant - aubergine
zucchini - courgette
shopping cart - trolley
french fries - chips
potato chips - crisps
cigarette - fag
offer a ride in a car - offer a lift (ride is sexual)
woman's bits - fanny
damn - bloody
movie theater - cinema
guy/dude - bloke
yard - garden
confused/befuddled - lost the plot
flabbergasted - gobsmacked
vacation - holiday
tennis shoes/athletic shoes - trainers
pants - trousers
underwear - pants
outfit (clothing) - kit
call (on phone) - phone
bathroom/restroom - loo, toilet
period (end of sentence) - full stop
parenthesis - brackets
brackets - square brackets
crazy - daft as a brush
stupid - thick as mince
supper - tea
bad (person, stomach, etc) - dodgy
US vs Scotland (English slang and Scots language - Lowlands)
why not? - how no?
(it was) no trouble - nae bother
our little house - oor wee hoose
vomit - boak
I am finished - that's me
We are finished - that's us
Are you finished - is that you?
go shopping - go for messages
home - hame
jaiket - jacket
car - motor
cash - dosh
woman - hen
baby - wein or bairn (depending on area of country)
little girl - wee lass
garden - geerden
flowers - flurs
down - doon
aw.. you poor baby - yer a poor wee soul
cup of tea - cupper or cuppa tea
out - oot
do - dae
no - nae
to - tae
yes - aye
you know? - ken (East Scotland)
have a talk/chat - blether, patter
cannot - cannae
In order to be understood I had to begin saying things like twenty instead of twunnie and water instead of wadder. Dates are written differently - 1/10/08 in US = 10/1/08 in UK. Loads of other differences as well.
Google British American English for a wealth of info.
Lowlands Scots
view link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A839207
view link
view linkgrammar/lang.htm
English is English, or is it?
posted 3 months ago
Comments
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- 1. 3 months ago derguy wrote:
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Yes, there are very many variations of the english language. Then again what would it be like to talk to a fellow American about a hundred and fifty years ago?. Language is progressive. Always changing and on the move to say. Yes you too can be a professor "Harry Higgins". The same rule applies to all language(s). Enjoy Scotland !
- 2. 3 months ago Mzungu wrote:
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Aye, there are many variations. The differences though can cause problems when one is adjusting to a new culture - either UK to US or vice versa. I'm well accustomed to them now after I lived 7.5 years in Scotland. I have always had to rethink how I speak when visiting the US. I have to remember not ask where the toilet is as I get very strange looks. In the UK the toilet is the room, not the toilet bowl itself.
Now we are in Uganda and a new culture shock.
Thanks, I do enjoy Scotland. I absolutely adore it. Scotland = home. Will be back in another 1.5 years.
