The same word, different meaning conversation....

So, this morning, I went downstairs to get my cereal, and M/FIL were making porridge. Which I know as....oatmeal. Which then continued on with them telling me that in the UK, oatmeal is pretty much oat flour. RFLMAO! Then DH and I talked about all the words that are the same exact word(s), but, are completely different things. Interestingly, we came up with mainly food items.

Here are the words we thought up:

Tomato sauce(UK)=ketchup. Tomato sauce(US)=tomato puree

Pickle(UK)=Branston Pickle. Pickle(US)=pickled baby gherkins

There were more this morning, but somehow, I'm at a loss. I think it was funnier this morning.

One that comes to mind is pants...

To say something is pants (UK)= not very good.

pants (UK) = Underwear(US)
whereas pants (US) = Trousers(UK)

pissed = drunk (UK), annoyed (US)

To say something is pants (UK)= not very good.

That is one of my favorite sayings of all time! 


Vest (UK) = tank top (US)

That is one of my favorite sayings of all time! 


Vest (UK) = tank top (US)

Maybe things have changed but vest in the UK use to be an undershirt/tee shirt in the US?

Maybe things have changed but vest in the UK use to be an undershirt/tee shirt in the US?

Correct.


The best of all.....fanny!

Pavement (US) = road surface
Pavement (UK) = sidewalk

Maybe things have changed but vest in the UK use to be an undershirt/tee shirt in the US?

IME, in the UK a vest can be both a tank top (mostly when refering to women's clothing) and an men's undershirt (even if said undershirt has sleeves). A vest in the US = waistcoat in the UK.

IME, in the UK a vest can be both a tank top and an undershirt (even if said undershirt has sleeves). A vest in the US = waistcoat in the UK.

In the ladies department, it's primarily tank tops! 

Exactly. Darn - you were too quick.  I added the women's bit in parenteses as you were typing your reply

Geezer (UK) = Bloke, guy
Geezer (US) = Very old man

It seemed like every story at my local pub involved a "geezer." Yet none of the stories made sense as the typical one involved a "geezer" drinking 7 pints of Guiness and beating someone up after a Man U football match.  That didn't seem possible for a very, old person.  Now I get it...yet I wont use it coz it doesn't feel right.

common: (US) popular (UK) working class

I think because I say the word "common" so infrequently, this is the hardest for me to remember to substitute.  Unfortunately that means I've insulted a few co-workers by talking about (what I'd thought) were very safe topics such as their names and hobbies.


ETA: A more ambiguous word than I'd originally thought.  The British version is actually a derogatory term for a person or thing that's "coarse" or "vulgar" such as "white trash" or "chavs."  I am sorry if I've offended anyone by previously having an incorrect understanding of what this word means.  I'd picked up my interpretation based on the comments and reactions of various co-workers and it in no way reflects or has ever reflected on my own opinions of class.  Thanks to everyone who's shown me the correct definition of this word.

pissed = drunk (UK), annoyed (US)

Also mad = crazy (UK) angry (US)

The day after our wedding was our reception, and everyone was about an hour late to getting to the site in the morning for set up except for Tim's parents.
We tried to call them at the hotel, and there was no answer...and neither of them had a working mobile. My comment to Tim : "Your parents are going to be so pissed...I mean mad...no, wait, I mean cross with us".  

pissed = drunk (UK), annoyed (US)

This happened to me the other night when chatting with zoyabean online... I told her I was pissed and she was so concerned.... LOL!!!!

Braces (UK) = Suspenders (US)
Suspenders (UK) = garter belt (US)

You get odd looks if you ever mention that your grandpa wears suspenders.



Also:

Fanny (UK) = lady lower portions (US)

Again, slapping someone on the fanny in the UK is likely to get you a black eye.



Jelly (US) = jam (UK)
Jelly (UK) = jell-o (US)

Far less embarrassing if you get it wrong.




Pancakes (UK) = crepes (US)
Biscuit (UK) = cookie (US)

common: (US) popular (UK) working class

Not necessarily working-class... but more like 'white trash'.


ETA:  if you use the word 'common' to mean 'working class', you are most certainly going to make some enemies, or in my neck of the woods, get your head kicked in.