Word Meanings - Page 3

If i was cold i would say i am Shrammed, well that is what we folk said living in the West  Country side of England usedto say
Plus the rest of the Country used to call us  'Carrot Crunchers'
Steve

Hi Steve,
I was "tickled pink" when you described my new borns as "crackers" and not at all offended. I'm British and my husband is American (active duty USAF). We have a lot of fun and a few misunderstandings over words and meanings... talk about separated by a common language!

trash can / bin
garbage / rubbish
elevator / lift
flash light / torch
travel trailer / caravan
gas / petrol (diesel is usually from the GREEN nozzle here and petrol is from the black nozzle!)
hose / tights
realtor / estate agent
interstate / motorway
station wagon / estate car etcetcetc

My hubby is a huge Beatles fan and one of our trips was to Liverpool to go to the Cavern and experience the Beatles tour - we had a lot of fun that day - but imagine my hubbys dissappointment when we got to Strawberry Fields and he was expecting a beautiful field full of strawberry plants but he learned it was the name of the orphanage behind John Lennons aunt's house! He loved seeing Penny Lane and all the landmarks in the song... We had a great time and the new knowledge he learned made the song even better on reflection...
Maxine

Amazing, isn't it, that the Brits and Americans both speak English, but can't understand each other half the time! I hope that Aussies and more Canadians weigh in here--should be interesting!

cigerette / fag
paper diaper / nappy
hood / bonnet
bunch of rubbish / untruthful story

languages are ever developing, or they die........its how our little planet ended up with so many.

My father was British, although he lost his accent immediately upon obtaining his citizenship here, but his mum came over & stayed with us for a while, & she did not. My dad was a navigator for the RAF, & my mom was in the CAP here in the states, they met when they were both stationed in Canada in the 1950's.
Some of the words I remember were budgerigar for parrakeet, bonnet for hood of the car, nappies, petrol, fags, cheeky(when we were rude), BLOODY right!, forward ( if we did something intelligent),--- and then there were some things that we ate that no one else seemed to understand---kidney pie, Yorkshire pudding, lamb with mint sauce.....some kind of dessert thing, I think it was treacle? I remember getting punished by my Dad for saying "Bloody right", seems so tame, now. I can't remember much of it, there was so much more, sigh! 
But I knew what you meant when you said 'cracker' Steve! But if you offer my husband a cracker, he'll say, "No, thank you, I've had enough of crackers to last me a lifetime, but I'll take a cookie, thank you!" I never knew what the heck he was saying until he explained it, LOL! He was raised in the Deep South in the '30s & '40s, & suffered through Jim Crow times. His grandfather was German/ Seminole, & his mother was Seminole, but he was still not white, & as he tells it, that's all that mattered. And a pleasanter, more dignified person you'll never meet; for he truly looks at a person & sees what is inside as well, & treats every one with respect, unless you prove to him that you don't deserve it.
I think that our differences in language are charming, & it is readily apparent when words are used in good spirit, & when they are not. Steve, you have always been pleasant & a true gentleman. You needn't worry about causing offense, not on this board! LOL! Cheerio! jackie harris

 American: napkin
Canadian: serviette (which seems French but my in-laws from the prairies say this too!)

American: garbage disposal
Canadian: garberator

American, in a restaurant wanting to pay: "Check, please!"
Canadian: bill

American: dollar
Canadian: loonie  (LOL just kidding)

Kailbeck

What your dad was saying was two things regards Crackers

In the UK we have the Jacobs Cream Cracker, a very nice square flaky biscuit made from wheat, you have it with Butter on it and thin cheese, Then an english saying is this and i must admit some posts do the same to me, They drive you CRACKERS, here is an illustration
Meaning the kids are playing up so we say 'YOU Kids are driving me CRACKERS'
The big letters are to describe the sayings because what it means is the person who is saying it is getting irrtated
Steve

 

Hi Steve, all my relatives came from England and Scotland, one of my ancestors  Ensign Charles Ewart (1769—23 May 1846) was a Scottish soldier of the Royal North British Dragoons (more commonly known as the Scots Greys), is housed at the Edinburgh Castle. My dad used so say we drove him crackers too. My grandmother also called me a pill. This thread brought back memories.
Always,
Cee

Jacobs cream crackers with butter and cheese! - gosh I miss those. It's time for a trip to my local import store to go get some treats! Biscuits too! Digestive biscuits that is - not the savory scone like type that is served here with dinner (though they are very delicious too), but chocolate coated digestive biscuits for with my cup of tea - hot, not iced!
I'm very lucky - I experience the best of both worlds.

I take in sweets (candy) for my friends at work... the office favorite is the crunchie bar!

Thanks Steve... I've really enjoyed your thread.

Maxine

Ex in New Mexico
Yes, the Cream Crackers we cannot but biscuits like those in Belgium, We have an English Store near Brussels about 60 miles from me, i go there once a month to buy Sausages English of course, Mc Vites, Ginger Biscuits The Digestive Biscuits, Proper Bacon Smoked, and some Steak and Kidney Pies,  Proper Strong Chedder Cheese
Over in Belgium you cannot buy these things
And i buy my Oxo Cubes and Bisto Gravy at the same time
It costs more as expected but we Only have them for a treat and make them last out
Due to go there next week tomorrow to stock up
The Crunchie Bar made up of Honeycomb with Chocolate, Is a rare treat and again i get it from the English Store
Steve