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Topic: Words Left Behind  (Read 7337 times)

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Words Left Behind
« on: November 04, 2003, 12:12:18 PM »
I've seen people mention that they've adopted the British word for things and nearly forgotten the American equivalent, such as petrol/gas, nappies/diapers. Which words are you nearly forgetting?

A few of mine:

gas (petrol)
diapers (nappies)
pacifier (dummy)
acetominphen (paracetemol)
downtown (town centre)
trunk (as in car boot)
subway (underground/tube)
« Last Edit: November 04, 2003, 12:12:37 PM by admin »


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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2003, 12:35:53 PM »
The only 2 definited I can think of are:
paracetemol
car park

The others I seem to use back & forth.

But mostly it's not that I remember the English and forget the American... it's that I forget both and end up doing fake sign language and calling everything the "you know".
« Last Edit: November 04, 2003, 12:37:09 PM by Marlespo »
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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2003, 03:02:36 PM »
I tend to forget which word is for which country--while shopping with my Mom in the states, I mentioned that we needed "corgettes" without hesitation, instead of zuchini.  Boy did I get a funny look!!



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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2003, 03:08:47 PM »
I mostly say the english eqivalent now. What I think is cool is that I don't have to think about it. It comes natural to say lift instead of elevator and flat instead of apartment.

Some things I just say whatever pops into my head first like cilantro/coriander.

What bugs me is trying to think of the words for things we don't get here. For example, I had the hardest time thinking of sopapilla when I was discussing this with a friend. I was like "you know, that mexican desert pastry thingy that you put honey on" she didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about.
« Last Edit: November 04, 2003, 03:09:13 PM by Ashley »
There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared:  twins.


Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2003, 03:33:23 PM »
Pants vs trousers!
Confused a social worker one day when l was telling her about a client of ours. l was telling the social worker that this client was trying to cut off a rope of sorts that she had placed on this childs PANTS because the pants were too big on the child!! hehe The social worker couldn't get her head around this until l finally remembered that pants were trousers!  [smiley=doh.gif]


Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2003, 05:14:24 PM »
I also use alot of British terms for American ones.I think you pick it up before you know it ;D My hubby has picked up some of the American ones too,lol I think that sounds so funny hearing him using them ;).It will be real funny when we go back,to see how his friends and family reacts to him using them :P,hehehehe.I wonder if I sound that way to the British peeps,strange or funny using their terms ?? ::)
                        Rhia


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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2003, 06:45:38 PM »
I forgout about pants/trousers - that's one that I've purposely worked on, and indeed even in America I'll say trousers jsut so I don't get out of the habit of it! :)
« Last Edit: November 04, 2003, 07:34:40 PM by Marlespo »
I'm done moving. Unrepatriated back to the UK, here for good!

Angels are made out of Coffee Beans, Noodles, and Carbon.

http://flyingnunns.blogspot.com
http://coffeebeancards.etsy.com


  • LisaE
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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2003, 07:34:22 PM »
- mobile...pronounced moe-BILE...for cell phone
- (I am always forgetting "zucchini", really have to work on recalling that one)
- (Pants v trousers is definitely a good one)
- windscreen v windshield
- rubbish v trash
- post v mail
Married to Graham, we run our own open-source computer training company in beautiful Wiltshire out of our 1814 Georgian Regency home (a former lodging house and once featured in Antiques Roadshow)


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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2003, 08:17:24 PM »
Quote
- mobile...pronounced moe-BILE...for cell phone


I have to make an effort to say mobile and today (horror of all horros) I slipped and said cell phone at work. Silly people won't let me live it down.
There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared:  twins.


Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2003, 08:34:44 PM »
I couldn't begin to say what words I've given up-but I do know what words I refuse to give up.  
I still say soda instead of fizzy drink (hate that), say change the channel instead of switch over.  I always pronounce it 'aluminum'. Even my kids say braids instead of plaits and math instead of maths.   I almost always say zucchini and slip sometimes when saying post/mail and garbage/rubbish.  
I do sometimes slip and say something really American at work and make everybody around me laugh-wild, gnarly, and ace being the most recent.   :)


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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2003, 12:39:31 PM »
I've dropped "egg plant" in favour of "aubergine"... but only because "aubergine" sounds really flash.  

I think I've finally dropped saying "eh?" at the end of my sentences.  (Yes, Canadians really do say that, and on a regular basis!)

I've been attempting to teach my son to be bilingual - both English and Canadian!   ;D ;D ;)  So I ask him to kick his football and his soccer ball.  I don't want to drop too much of my homeland stuff, because I don't want Connor to miss out on half of his heritage.  And if language is all I've got right now, then here's hoping his first sentence is "Take off, eh?"
LOL  ;D

Morgana

ps - I hope that joke didn't just totally flop....  :-[ :-/
"Ha HA!" cried she, as she waved her wooden leg.


Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2003, 01:04:37 PM »
Quote
And if language is all I've got right now, then here's hoping his first sentence is "Take off, eh?"
LOL  ;D

Morgana

ps - I hope that joke didn't just totally flop....  :-[ :-/


not lost on me you hoser!!!! ;)  I had to download that song and play it for Frank because one day I was singing it and he thought I had lost my mind.  "No no, honey, it's a song!"  lol  Then I had to explain to him what a tooque is (I know that's got to be spelled wrong).  I showed him one when we were out.  He said, "Looks like just a hat to me."  Ei yi yi yi....He liked the song though. ;)  Although he didn't know what SCTV was.  Can't win them all.


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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2003, 03:49:01 PM »
Quote

I think I've finally dropped saying "eh?" at the end of my sentences.  (Yes, Canadians really do say that, and on a regular basis!)


Funny, and offtopic-ish, I've actually picked up putting a "hey?" on the end of some of my questions, without even making a connection with a Canadian "eh?" Language is fascinating, it's all so much related.


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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #13 on: November 05, 2003, 05:48:18 PM »
I have pretty much switched over to british english now, but I always get confused now when trying to find the word for eggplant/aubergine. I think I am going to switch back to eggplant because when I make 'aubergine parmagian' it just doesn't seem right.
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Re: Words Left Behind
« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2003, 06:45:41 PM »
Why do I find it so annoying when Brits say "Yeah?" and the end of every sentence?  >:(

"So I was walking down the street...yeah? And a car drove past...yeah?"

Makes me want to just say..."No."

Maybe I just annoy easily.
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