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Post by browneyedgirl on Oct 13, 2010 8:55:12 GMT 9.5
I have questions about OZ/UK/NZ etc., and I am wondering if you all have questions about the US. We are so divided by a common language. For example; why do you say biscuits (we Americans say cookie)? And what do you call what looks like an American biscuit (not cookie), a roll? Bread roll? I have another question: In America, when one sits down on a sofa, a persons bum sits on what we call "cushions" and the "pillows" are the decorative part to lean on or just for show. I have heard that UK/OZ call cushions "pillows" (what your bum sits on), so what do you call the decorative bits of what we call pillows? And any slangs you know...list it here.
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Post by Jules on Oct 13, 2010 9:28:01 GMT 9.5
What a great thread to start BEG.
I always wondered why what the Aussies call thongs here, which is classed as something we wear on our feet, and England calls them flip flops and I think the people in the States call them that as well, but thongs in the States is what us Aussies call G-strings.
So it no wonder why people get confused in learning the English language.
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Post by Chips on Oct 13, 2010 9:50:01 GMT 9.5
We cushion our backs and bums with cushions and rest our heads on pillows.
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Post by Crystal Fox on Oct 13, 2010 14:46:33 GMT 9.5
I had a look on google and a US biscuit is apparently pretty much what we call a scone. Scones generally are English but we call them the same thing here in Aus. You can have savoury scones like pumpkin and sweet potato but the most common way of eating them is with a cup of tea and with jam and cream spread on top of it. I have a question for you BEG. In America you only pumpkins you actually call pumpkins are the type used for halloween and you call the rest squash. Here in Aus we call all varieties of pumpkin, pumpkin ie Jap, Queensland Blue, Butternut etc. And a Squash is completely different here. A squash is a little yellow vegetable generally shaped like a flower, (well sort of). What do you call a squash (our terms.) Here is a link to a pic of squash so you know what I am talking about Put photo link into image brackets
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Post by browneyedgirl on Oct 14, 2010 10:12:05 GMT 9.5
I thought this thread might be informative and funny too. It has not disappointed me. I call "thongs" a G-string. Although you will find many Americans use the word "flip-flops" to mean "thongs" (foot beach wear). I thought I heard Brits (and I am not sure if Aussies say this or not) to mean "pillows" as something one sits on rather than what we call "cushions." I was confused. CF, this is a funny one about pumpkins/squash. OK, this is what I looked up in Wikipedia. In British and Australian English, pumpkin generally refers to what North Americans call winter squash. "Some squash share the same botanical classifications as pumpkins, the names are frequently used interchangeably." (I know I am confused now!) The pic you posted are summer squash here in the US. Pumpkins (big orange blobs) are used for Halloween/Thanksgiving (pies, decorations, etc.) and winter storage and animal feed, etc. Jarrahdale pumpkin is gray in colour and is like your Queensland Blue. <http://www.allaboutpumpkins.com/varieties.html> OK, here is another one. I have heard (Brits ~~ possibly Aussies) refer to the word "lounge" what we call "living room." <comment?>
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Post by Cullyn Of Cerrmor on Oct 14, 2010 11:04:41 GMT 9.5
OK, here is another one. I have heard (Brits ~~ possibly Aussies) refer to the word "lounge" what we call "living room." <comment?> We call it a lounge room as that is where the lounge (sofa) and the lounge chairs are. We do not call it a living room as we do not live in it.
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Post by Garry on Oct 15, 2010 1:56:42 GMT 9.5
OK, here is another one. I have heard (Brits ~~ possibly Aussies) refer to the word "lounge" what we call "living room." <comment?> We call it a lounge room as that is where the lounge (sofa) and the lounge chairs are. We do not call it a living room as we do not live in it. I totally agree with this statement. being an Aussie. As for calling a lounge a living room, is it about time you got a life and got out doors occassionally.
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Post by Willow on Oct 18, 2010 20:46:54 GMT 9.5
and we have family rooms - typically the mian room where the TV etc is.
The lounge room tends to be slightly more formal - in our house the lounge room is electronics free and I have renamed it our "talking room"
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Post by browneyedgirl on Oct 29, 2010 19:07:52 GMT 9.5
Here in America, some families have a formal room called a den in addition to a living room (lounge). Yep, a den and it is very formal for dining usually a huge dining table with chairs and china hutch cabinet with posh dishes, etc.
We use the term for our kitchen/bathroom storing spaces "cabinets" but why do you call them cupboards? How many cups does one need? (joke!) : )
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Post by Crystal Fox on Oct 29, 2010 21:48:26 GMT 9.5
My mum says in America a porch is like another room but where she stores her salt (for snow), and her washing machine etc. A porch in Australia is out the front door, before you enter a house ie the front porch and the porch light etc.
Also my mum said that she doesn't have wardrobes she has an alcove type thing with no doors where she hangs her clothes (is that the same in most American houses)?
And I know you do have wardrobes but I usually hear the term closet in American movies etc. We have pantry's to store food, what do you call them? We have linen press or linen cupboard (somewhere to store towels, quilt covers etc.)
And also I can't remember but what do you class as a quilt. A quilt here in Aus is a blanket which is filled with down, stuffing etc and we have to buy covers to go over them called quilt covers just like we have pillowcases for our pillows. (Pillows are what we rest our heads on whilst sleeping). I sleep with a U pillow and a normal rectangle pillow. Do you have U pillows. They are pillows in the shape of a "U"?
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Post by Mrs Chips on Oct 30, 2010 23:15:18 GMT 9.5
Crystal when your Mum went to America I had to send her 2 U pillows and covers because no-one had ever heard of them. It cost me more to post them than what the pillows cost. Another food item that has a strange name i found when I was there was rudebakker which is what we call swede.
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Post by Cullyn Of Cerrmor on Oct 30, 2010 23:19:36 GMT 9.5
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Post by Crystal Fox on Oct 31, 2010 8:24:35 GMT 9.5
And also Rock melon is called Cantaloupe.
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Post by Crystal Fox on Oct 31, 2010 8:27:18 GMT 9.5
Also in England they call Zucchini a Courgette.
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Post by Jules on Oct 31, 2010 10:50:18 GMT 9.5
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