Language barrier - those funny misunderstandings! lol

The first place that I ever worked here (and I think this might have just been specific to that employer) - they referred to the kitchen (or what I would call a break room) something like the 'rest room' or 'rest area' (can't remember which).  I was still pretty new here then (less than a year or so), and I used to laugh to myself everytime when I thought - I'm going to eat my lunch in the rest room.  And I got weird looks when I said I was off to the restroom for a loo break. 

I first encountered that one as a joke about a brit announcing he was going to have a fag in the restroom and all the americans being scandalized.

I first encountered that one as a joke about a brit announcing he was going to have a fag in the restroom and all the americans being scandalized.

 

One that I've always found puzzling is the two different ways of pronouncing "PRIMER" in American English..

There's the elementary textbook, and the special paint that you use to seal the wood so you can use the finish paint.

British people pronounce them both "primer", the first syllable pronounced long, just the same as "prime."

But Americans always pronounce the paint, that same way, but the book is pronounced "primmer" by some people and "primer" by some other people.  And yet it is essentially the same word; i.e. something that is preparatory ??

How some Americans pronounce era as error. Particularly puzzled me in a speech by G.W.Bush when it sounded like he said "We should be very proud as this is our greatest error" 

How some Americans pronounce era as error. Particularly puzzled me in a speech by G.W.Bush when it sounded like he said "We should be very proud as this is our greatest error" 

No, I think that's what he meant.  What was it that he was talking about, though?  His greatest error must have been something pretty egregious.

One that I've always found puzzling is the two different ways of pronouncing "PRIMER" in American English..

There's the elementary textbook, and the special paint that you use to seal the wood so you can use the finish paint.

British people pronounce them both "primer", the first syllable pronounced long, just the same as "prime."

But Americans always pronounce the paint, that same way, but the book is pronounced "primmer" by some people and "primer" by some other people.  And yet it is essentially the same word; i.e. something that is preparatory ??

That's odd.  I pronounce them both the same, and I am from the general area you're living.  Maybe I never learned to pronounce the book "properly".

W has a "Texas" accent (in quotes because I honestly think it's mostly put on).  Texas has a whole lot of extra "r"s floating around.

That's odd.  I pronounce them both the same, and I am from the general area you're living.  Maybe I never learned to pronounce the book "properly".

W has a "Texas" accent (in quotes because I honestly think it's mostly put on).  Texas has a whole lot of extra "r"s floating around.

Yes, my experience is that pronouncing primer (the book) as "PRIMMER" is not a regional thing but maybe historical; maybe "primmer" is an old-fashioned pronunciation, and only persists among a minority of older people? Not sure.

Yes, my experience is that pronouncing primer (the book) as "PRIMMER" is not a regional thing but maybe historical; maybe "primmer" is an old-fashioned pronunciation, and only persists among a minority of older people? Not sure.

I've always pronounced the book as "primmer", though to be fair I don't think I've ever actually had occasion to say it.  So I guess I'll say I've always read it as "primmer".  I think I heard it on Little House on the Prairie once as a kid and it stuck.

Maybe.  We don't use them any more, so I may have just assumed it was pronounced like the first coat of paint.  It could be the specific area I grew up as well (high immigration from North Wales in the late 19th-early 20th century).

I just moved in with my fiance on Sunday.  He had two roommates, one of which who comes home for his lunch break during the week.  I still am having trouble fighting the urge when I yell, "Hi!" and he says,"Alright?" to say,"Yes, nothing is wrong!" 

The usage of "scheme" for "plan" always makes me giggle. Because I always still think of a scheme being a bad thing. And I had an email from a lady that I want to take driving lessons from, and she said, "I'd certainly love to take you on", and I told DH that if I'd heard that in the States, I'd think someone was about to fight me. That made me giggle today too.

My favourite one was when I first moved here and my father in law was going to drive me somewhere and was getting ready, combing his hair, etc. He asked me if I wanted a douche. Of course, I was very confused and said, "Excuse me?" Then he pulled out a can of spray deodorant and proceeded to spray himself. I think he actually asked if I wanted a "scoosh" or something like that, but I distinctly thought he said douche.  When I saw what he meant, I had to restrain myself from laughing because I didn't want to explain what I had thought he meant. 

 

 

No, I think that's what he meant.  What was it that he was talking about, though?  His greatest error must have been something pretty egregious.

No, the context was that it was "era" and not "error", although I don't recall now what the subject was