Comments on THEY SIMPLY DON'T UNDERSTAND PLAIN ENGLISH!

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Mapet

To show my good intentions I've posted a few more Real English words today.

posted by Limey on May 30, 2005 at 3:36 PM | link to this | reply

Tanoo

I promised you a few more unusual English words. See my blog of today.

posted by Limey on May 30, 2005 at 3:35 PM | link to this | reply

kingmi

And car-park for parking lot.

posted by Limey on May 30, 2005 at 3:06 PM | link to this | reply

Chelly

Why do most men disgust you? I'd be intrigued to know.

posted by Limey on May 30, 2005 at 2:20 PM | link to this | reply

Limey,

forecourt - parking lot. 

posted by kingmi on May 30, 2005 at 12:42 PM | link to this | reply

Limey - I think I'll just stay single. Men disgust me right now anyway.

posted by Kiddo75 on May 29, 2005 at 6:11 PM | link to this | reply

Zen

Yes, of course, I do know the word pollywog.

posted by Limey on May 29, 2005 at 6:08 PM | link to this | reply

LizzyMorrow

That's a great story, and so apt.

posted by Limey on May 29, 2005 at 6:01 PM | link to this | reply

zenresistance

I'm sorry not to get back to you sooner.

However, you'll be interested to know those examples cme from a wonderful little 'two-way glossary of words in daily use on both sides of the Atlantic' published by Abson Books.

I must admit that I'm not familiar with pollywog, notions or roomer!

posted by Limey on May 29, 2005 at 6:00 PM | link to this | reply

LE Gant

I read somewhere that Australians were the first to begin calling British sailors Limey.

posted by Limey on May 29, 2005 at 5:52 PM | link to this | reply

Limey...

That's a flattering way to put it.

posted by Mapet6 on May 29, 2005 at 5:45 PM | link to this | reply

Mapet

I'm simply more concerned that we should understand one another.

posted by Limey on May 29, 2005 at 11:43 AM | link to this | reply

Ms N Dependence

Yes, I agree.

I like queue in both its forms. But why it's not used in America is mystery to me. It takes so much longer to say or write stand in line!

posted by Limey on May 29, 2005 at 11:39 AM | link to this | reply

Limey...

Did you ever consider the words on the left as just cultural differences in speech? You know, cultural difference do exist. You don't expect everyone to talk and act the exact same, do you? That doesn't sound like something an understanding Brit would advocate.

posted by Mapet6 on May 29, 2005 at 11:37 AM | link to this | reply

reni

I hardly think so.

posted by Limey on May 29, 2005 at 11:12 AM | link to this | reply

Limes...

I think cul-de-sac and queue are actually of French derivation.

posted by Transcendental_Child on May 29, 2005 at 10:36 AM | link to this | reply

Of course we don't understand plain English. We speak "American". They

are two completely different languages, ya know...

posted by Renigade on May 29, 2005 at 8:24 AM | link to this | reply

Tanoo

I thought you might like to know that when a ladybird landed on them children would sometimes chant this little rhyme:

Bish, bishy barny bee

When will your wedding be?

If it be tomorrow day

Open your wings

And fly away.

Of course, the ladybird usually did fly away.

posted by Limey on May 29, 2005 at 7:51 AM | link to this | reply

I grew up in a house on a cul-de-sac. When my mother remarried, her new husband yanked the sign out of the ground (it was cemented in our front yard). When I asked her why he did it, she said, "He didn't want to start a new life, in a new home with a sign that read dead end."  Lizzy

posted by Narek on May 29, 2005 at 1:32 AM | link to this | reply

Ummm... Wasn't it the Americans who started calling British sailors "Limey"? In which case, it really belongs in t'other column... 

posted by L.E.Gant on May 28, 2005 at 8:20 PM | link to this | reply

interesting ones

As much of a vocabulary junkie as I am, I have to say that some of the terms you wrote down are new to me, as far as it goes for this side of the Atlantic.

haberdashery - notions: "notions" is a new one for me

lodger - roomer: I've never heard of a "roomer" before. It's almost always been "lodger".

roundabout - traffic circle: There aren't any of those in this country, I believe. The roundabout is a European traffic event, not an American one. That term is alien to Americans, unless they are cultured.

tadpole - pollywog: I'd always heard "pollywog" on British tv, cinema and books. I've only ever heard "tadpole" in the US.

Interesting list. There's also "tits up", which gets the strangest expressions from listeners when I use it in conversation, and there's also when I call something "cack". Funny looks there, too.

posted by zenresistance on May 28, 2005 at 6:30 PM | link to this | reply

Limey,

Thank you again.  I commented here, went to your other post and saw your response there, commented there about the irrelevance that had come up here, came back here, and found further information of usefulness.  Turned out well, in a roundabout way.   JJ

posted by Jack_Flash on May 28, 2005 at 5:26 PM | link to this | reply

Why thank you Limey!

posted by Tanoolicious on May 28, 2005 at 5:00 PM | link to this | reply

Tanoo

I'll try to send you a few more tomorrow.

posted by Limey on May 28, 2005 at 4:53 PM | link to this | reply

a ladybird is called a bishy barny bee??  Oh my God that sounds like an insult!! hahahaha I love it! This is where I feel blessed that my english is mixed with british and american terms!

posted by Tanoolicious on May 28, 2005 at 4:42 PM | link to this | reply

I thought pollywog was one of ours but, apparently, it's from your side of the pond(!).

Did you know that in some parts of England a snail is known as a dodman and a ladybird (ladybug to you) is called a bishy-barny-bee?

posted by Limey on May 28, 2005 at 4:37 PM | link to this | reply

Mike

We also use grill as a verb.

posted by Limey on May 28, 2005 at 4:34 PM | link to this | reply

JJ

Regarding the name Limeey - see my comment under They Are In Love With Themselves.

Blimey, I believe, derives from blind me.

posted by Limey on May 28, 2005 at 4:32 PM | link to this | reply

oops i pressed post

Dosh = cash
fancy = like
sod off = F*** off

Hmmm anything else?

Hey I didnt know tadpole also was a pollywog

Pollywog heeehee it sounds so cute!

posted by Tanoolicious on May 28, 2005 at 4:26 PM | link to this | reply

Bloke = man

posted by Tanoolicious on May 28, 2005 at 4:25 PM | link to this | reply

Grill = Broil?

So do you actually have a term for our grill (verb)? Otherwise thanks, I will understand the mysteries that I read a little better now.

posted by mikea18 on May 28, 2005 at 4:25 PM | link to this | reply

Limey,

Thank you very much.  Your list should prove quite helpful.  I must see if I can find a book listing the entire vocabulary of the ''King's English.''

Unfortunately, I find that Limey is blank.  I suspect that it may come from an expression that is something like ''bligh me'' or ''bly me'' that was a common expression in England during the WW II period.  Perhaps you are familiar with that expression.    JJ

posted by Jack_Flash on May 28, 2005 at 4:15 PM | link to this | reply

Van

The other type of British van is known in America as a delivery truck.

posted by Limey on May 28, 2005 at 4:03 PM | link to this | reply