English Words From Other Dialects

[Palantir]

Years ago my dad (Aussie) went on an exchange trip to Canada, and, needing help of some kind went to the neighbors.

The misunderstanding that ensued when he said, 'I'm sorry to knock you up like this.' was monumental.

[impunity]

Years ago my dad (Aussie) went on an exchange trip to Canada, and, needing help of some kind went to the neighbors.

The misunderstanding that ensued when he said, 'I'm sorry to knock you up like this.' was monumental.

My South African aunt while in Canada invited her small son to du-du (no idea how to spell) on her friend's couch. It means sleep.

[Parker Owens]

Mayonnaise:  "may yo nays" or "may nays?"

 

Or then there's the tiny bit of the country that says "my nez."

 

I

[DynoReads]

There are some that are context sensitive, not region sensitive:

 

ride/riding

ride can mean your vehicle or motorcycle

ride can mean traveling as a passenger in a car/truck, usually without destination in mind, such as a country drive, I believe this is more my father's generation, but I grew up hearing it

ride can also mean taking your motorcycle, bicycle or horse out

 

riding can refer to using a motorcycle, bicycle or a horse

 

also bike, as this one causes me a lot of grief, it refers to both human powered 2 wheel vehicles or motorcycles

[Palantir]

There are some that are context sensitive, not region sensitive:

 

ride/riding

ride can mean your vehicle or motorcycle

ride can mean traveling as a passenger in a car/truck, usually without destination in mind, such as a country drive, I believe this is more my father's generation, but I grew up hearing it

ride can also mean taking your motorcycle, bicycle or horse out

 

riding can refer to using a motorcycle, bicycle or a horse

 

also bike, as this one causes me a lot of grief, it refers to both human powered 2 wheel vehicles or motorcycles

Another context meaning for 'bike' - here in Aus. 

if we say 'Get on your bike' it can mean 'Go away, you're not wanted'.

Edited August 29, 2015 by Palantir

[skinnydragon]

Straddling both sides of the border, I can get those "you're illiterate" looks if I refer to certain words as singular or plural in the wrong country.

e.g. Team USA is on a winning streak  vs. Team Canada are on a winning streak 

[Reader1810]

Straddling both sides of the border, I can get those "you're illiterate" looks if I refer to certain words as singular or plural in the wrong country.

e.g. Team USA is on a winning streak  vs. Team Canada are on a winning streak 

 

I'm Canadian and I would never utter the phrase "Team Canada are on a winning streak".

Whoever said that needs grammar lessons...

[Parker Owens]

Another dialect (not dialectical) curiosity is the inland New England multiple preposition. As in the old timer who went deer hunting:

 

"Had to go way up back through around on in there to get him."  This also gets you the 'are you illiterate?' stare, I think.

[Zombie]

aluminium

[Dodger]

There are so many. I went to school on both sides of the Atlantic and there were a lot of words or phrases that I used regulary in the UK that were mis-understood in the US / Canada.

 

The two that always got me in the most trouble in school were

 

"Rubber"  When an Englishman asks if he can use your "rubber" he is asking if he can borrow your eraser not a condom.

 

The worst of all though is

 

"Fag."  Which as everybody knows means cigarette in the UK and nothing else. It is not insulting, or derogatory in any way. Most people who smoke use this word all the time. "I'm going to buy a packet of fags." "Can I nick fag from you." "I'm going outside for a fag" etc. I know how it's used in America but I was so used to using this word in the UK that it would often creep back into my conversations and generally at the worst possible moments. I suppose It got me noticed.

[Rndmrunner]

a good friend of mine is an expat Brit and while we speak the same language and use many of the same works they have different meanings:

 

Tarmac: in Canada associated with an airport runway, in the UK the road surface which we call asphalt 

Jumper in Canada is a simple dress for a little girl vs pullover or sweater

 

I recognize "whilst" but would always use "while"

"shan't" vs "won't"

 

And in Canada spelling is perilous as we sometimes follow British spelling: colour, centre, though  and at authorities have adopted American spelling. Spellcheck has made things worse as it always defers to US standards.

[impunity]

When I moved to the US, the word I found most confusing was"pavement". Everyone knows that Americans use "sidewalk" for what Brits et al call the pavement. But I had no idea about "pavement" until I found a statement in the Drivers' Education manual that no part of the car should leave the pavement at any time.

[Westie]

USA: restroom

Canada: washroom

UK: the loo

Depends where in the UK, and your class. The Bunker, the Lav, the Khasi, the bog, the privvy, the wash-closet (W.C.), or as my dear old Grandma used to say, "The smallest room".

 

Oh, and the word toilet itself... My grandmother used to use the phrase "attending to my toilet" and it meant her morning ablutions - nothing to do with the toilet itself.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Westie

[Emi GS]

I have read somebody write that they don't know what a Missed Call is?! Its a non verbal request to someone, whom you want them to call you back while you are on low balance in your mobile...

 

I know most of them know this, but putting it here for who don't know about it, even for that single person I was talking about...

[Parker Owens]

Depends where in the UK, and your class. The Bunker, the Lav, the Khasi, the bog, the privvy, the wash-closet (W.C.), or as my dear old Grandma used to say, "The smallest room".

 

Oh, and the word toilet itself... My grandmother used to use the phrase "attending to my toilet" and it meant her morning ablutions - nothing to do with the toilet itself.

 Sounds like a doctoral thesis in the making: "Lavoritorical Etymology of North America and the British Isles, with Reference to Special Phrases and Fixtures."