The difference between

[Linz_1987]

So a 'futon' is a 'sofa bed'? lol

 

[peapoo_bunny]

yeah..but our family usually just calls them pull out beds

 

[maherwoman]

Oh, man...I totally typed this wrong...I was REALLY tired...LOL!! I meant to type in "I bet"...LMBO!! Oh dear...:shock::foreheadsmack::lookaround

maherwoman wrote:

I'd bed my Canadian husband would LOVE this discussion...LMBO!!

 

[proxima centauri]

Speaking of sofas...

in Canada, especially in western Canada, a three seater is called a "chesterfield".


Some funny albeit sexual ones:

rubber -> eraser
rubber -> condom

... more to come as I think of it.

 

[cheryl]

bojay wrote:

My friend in Australia says she has several pot plants growing her in house. :shock:

A pot plant in the US is illegal.

:laugh:that is soooo funny,i had such a giggle,im australian and i never even thought of the other meaning,ohh i just gotta tell everyone this one now.



cheryl

 

[thor]

Oh-by the bye-I just remembered something. Perhaps this may be more of a difference between canadian and american, rather than british, but...While on vacation to the western U.S., I've notice that if I want to have a tea, I must refer to this as a "hot" tea, lest I be given an iced tea. I've found this out by asking for a "tea" with my meal, and I'll get a tall glass of iced tea. Most peculiar. Another difference I've noticed, is that I will have to ask for vinegar with my fries whenever I travel to restaurants in the states, but vinegar always seems to be on the tables in canadian restaurants. Also, I'm not too fond of malt vinegar (like malt beers); I prefer mine white. I'm not nitpicking, but I've also noticed that some american stores will not accept canadian pennies, but in Canada, I've yet to see a store not accept an american penny.

 

[peapoo_bunny]

thor wrote:

Oh-by the bye-I just remembered something. Perhaps this may be more of a difference between canadian and american, rather than british, but...While on vacation to the western U.S., I've notice that if I want to have a tea, I must refer to this as a "hot" tea, lest I be given an iced tea. I've found this out by asking for a "tea" with my meal, and I'll get a tall glass of iced tea. Most peculiar. Another difference I've noticed, is that I will have to ask for vinegar with my fries whenever I travel to restaurants in the states, but vinegar always seems to be on the tables in canadian restaurants. Also, I'm not too fond of malt vinegar (like malt beers); I prefer mine white. I'm not nitpicking, but I've also noticed that some american stores will not accept canadian pennies, but in Canada, I've yet to see a store not accept an american penny.

man we have lots of canadian pennies...nobody really checks them...

vinegar? on fries? people around us tend to hate vinegar, we only use it to clean the coffee maker, die easter eggs, and sometimes in slaw

people here do love their sweat tea!!!! who knows how many things of tea waitresses have to make around here...lol..ive only drank hot tea once at a tea party when i was 10 or 11

 

[LuvaBun]

In the UK, vinegar (usually malt) on fries is almost a 'must have'

Jan

 

[nose_twitch]

I just found out another difference today. I was driving and talking to my Australian bf on the phone. He said, "Hey, I can hear your indicator."

I guess he meant turn signal? Hahaha.

 

[proxima centauri]

And in Quebec, a turn signal is a "flasher".

 

[Dwarf_Angel04]

proxima centauri wrote:

And in Quebec, a turn signal is a "flasher".

Here a flasher is a stop light that blinks red or yellow. But thats just my little town and we are 'different' LOL!

 

[Meganc731]

OMG I just read this thread and I LOVE it!! When I was a kid I went to an international school, so from the time I was 5 until I was 10 I was in a British curriculum. When we moved back to the US I had so many language barriers, it took me almost 2 years until all the brit was out of me. I remember my first week at my new American school, the teacher told me to put my homework in the bin (I thought she was talking about the trash can) and I kept asking her if she was sure I was supposed to put it in the bin, and she insisted that I put it in the bin. Finally I went over to the trash and threw it away, at which point she started yelling at me. It was so embarrassing!! Obviously, the teachers I had weren't that patient with my language barriers. I really can't remember that many words now that are different. My favorite is that in England instead of "exit" signs they have "way out" signs.

One thing that I'm not sure if people from other countries know, is that in the US people talk differently in different parts of the country. I didn't realize it until I got a bit older. Sweet Tea is Iced Tea with sugar already in it and you can usually only find it in the south. I didn't even know it existed until 2 years ago!! Not all American's say Y'all. Soda and Pop are a big thing, in some parts of the country you might ask for a Pop and they have no idea what you're talking about.

Back to the original post, in the US sanitary napkin canmean the type of pad that your mom was given. And if someone already knows what you're talking about you might refer to it as a napkin for short, but if someone asked for a napkin, most people would automatically give them a regular napkin that you would wipe your hands and mouth with, they would not assume you were asking for a pad. Maybe it's just me, but if I were in that situation, and I thought she was asking for a pad, I probably would have clarified with her.

So now I have a really dumb question. There seem to be3 accents in the US, southern, new england, possibly midwestern???, and then the way people talk when they're not southern or new englanders. What is that accent called, or is it not called anything? And do midwesterners have an accent? My other question for anyone outside the US, is can you hear the difference in the American accents? When I was little I had a total british accent and I don't remember hearing a difference in the American accents. If you can hear a difference is one harder to understand than another?

LOL fun thread.

Megan

 

[naturestee]

proxima centauri wrote:

And in Quebec, a turn signal is a "flasher".

Here, a "flasher" is someone who flashes his naughty bits at someone!

Don't forget about Western US accents, Minnesota/ Northern Michiganaccents (Yoopers! Or think Fargo.) and so manyothers. We all talk different.

 

[Linz_1987]

I call them indicators here. The directionsignals on a car. In the UK also a flasher is someone who isflashing their dirty bits at you. I think thats funny.

When I watch tv and an American comes on, I cant tell where abouts they come from. They all sound the same to me... American!

I am pleased I started this thread as I am learning loadz each time someone posts on it.

 

[Linz_1987]

Meh, double post again :X

 

[peapoo_bunny]

people call flashing mooning here

 

[proxima centauri]

English being my second language, I didn't really understand it well enough until I was about 12.

In the 1st year I learned english, I would say I could tell thedifference between the british and north-american accent (the way mostactors on television speak).

I could also say if someone was from the southernmost part of theU.S.A. but I might not have been able to understand what the personwould say.

It took me a few years to be able to understand someone speaking with abritish or thick texan accent. Although since the southern accentusually means the person speaks really slowly, it might help, dependingon the situation.

I went in the Canadian Maritimes one year with my wife, and although Ispeak english on a daily basis with her (she is a native englishspeaker), I had the hardest time understand sometimes.

These days, I can probably differenciate most accents, although some are so close it's hard to tell.

 

[peapoo_bunny]

you can usually tell who's from the north andwho's from the south here....whenever i go up north with my friends,people ask usa whole bunch of questionsbecause theythink our accent is funny

 

[thor]

When I was growing up, a 'turn signal' wascalled a 'blinker'. Boy, I must be old! (turnsignal on a car, that is). Also, as much as I love themulti-purpose vinegar, I too, use it to clean the floor and coffee pot,etc. 5 gallons goes a long way!

 

[Linz_1987]

On a post recently I notice someone saying already 'Shredded' cheese.

Here in England we call it 'Grated' Cheese. And we grate cheese with a 'Cheese Grater'.