Things that Americans find odd about the UK

Ah. That makes more sense with the explanation of the 'upper bound', which is above what you're actually rounding down from. My British partner hadn't heard of it either, so he was no help. Thanks!

No worries I totally see why it's confuzzling! It's the definition of "upper bound" which makes the difference.

CB - thats why you make the big bucks - that totally confused me ;-)

On the subject of education, I find the idea of a national curriculum to be odd - that everyone in the country learns the same things in the same subjects and takes the same exams on the same day.

When I was a kid in the US, there were kids who lived in my neighbourhood who learned different things than me in English, history, etc. because they went to different schools or went to the same school but had different teachers.

Getting back to this thing about Americans usually saying "negative twelve" instead of "minus twelve" for what is written as "-12"..

I live in Northern New York, where it gets cold.  So I'm constantly hearing negative numbers on the radio weather forecasts.  I'm fairly sure that the newsreader does not say "the low tonight will be around negative twenty Fahrenheit, possibly closer to negative thirty in the mountains."  He says "the low tonight will be around minus twenty Fahrenheit, possibly closer to minus thirty in the mountains."  And I happen to know that he is not an old guy...

Getting back to this thing about Americans usually saying "negative twelve" instead of "minus twelve" for what is written as "-12"..

I live in Northern New York, where it gets cold.  So I'm constantly hearing negative numbers on the radio weather forecasts.  I'm fairly sure that the newsreader does not say "the low tonight will be around negative twenty Fahrenheit, possibly closer to negative thirty in the mountains."  He says "the low tonight will be around minus twenty Fahrenheit, possibly closer to minus thirty in the mountains."  And I happen to know that he is not an old guy...

I think that it is standard with weather in the US.  Of course, if you're talking colloquially, you'd probably hear "30 below" in northern New York more than anything else, as in:

"Bundle up, it's supposed to get down to 30 below tonight."  I am not sure how widespread it is though.  I don't remember hearing it outside of western New England or the northern half of NYS.

I think that it is standard with weather in the US.  Of course, if you're talking colloquially, you'd probably hear "30 below" in northern New York more than anything else, as in:

"Bundle up, it's supposed to get down to 30 below tonight."  I am not sure how widespread it is though.  I don't remember hearing it outside of western New England or the northern half of NYS.

Sounds normal to me and I'm 2,000 miles away from the East being in the rockies.

Because weather has been around longer than new math 

Could be a rural vs urban thing.

It's for the BBC! Think of it more like cable--you get access to some of the best news, documentaries, shows, and programmes around! Plus amazing radio. Worth every penny, I think!

It's only worth every penny if you actually receive the programs.  If we paid according to reception, being able to tune in BBC programs, our tv license would cost us about 80p a month.  More than half the time those are the channels that do not come in.  Very frustrating.

Getting back to this thing about Americans usually saying "negative twelve" instead of "minus twelve" for what is written as "-12"...

I grew up using them interchangeably, so 'minus' doesn't sound out of the ordinary to my ear.  My school education (before univ) was in the 1970s & early 80s - no idea if I was taught new math, old math, or some jumble of the two.  For all I know, there are parts of Kansas that may still be stuck in the 1950s or earlier. 

I haven't lived in the US for seven years, but I remember weather often being stated as '30 below', windchill '40 below', etc - like what Legs Akimbo was talking about & I wasn't anywhere near western New England or the northern half of NYS.

I haven't lived in the US for seven years, but I remember weather often being stated as '30 below', windchill '40 below', etc - like what Legs Akimbo was talking about & I wasn't anywhere near western New England or the northern half of NYS.

Yeah, that's why I posted that it could be a rural vs urban thing.  I only lived in cities outside that general area.  It wouldn't be the only example where something is used more prevalently in a rural (or urban setting) and is more widespread than a dialect generally is.

30 below is used in New York City.

I don't find much odd about the UK any more, but I can't get the idea that peanut butter+a sweet thing (apple, jam, in sweet biccies) is an odd thing.  My husband almost shudders when I don't stick to PB as strictly savoury.  I just wish I could convince him of what an awesome combination it is.

Negative, Minus or Both? Cute story herehttp://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=11774091
Negative, Minus or Below?
There are pros and cons to using each, and varying opinions on when to use each. To be honest, its just semantics, and I believe that all are perfectly acceptable. In casual conversation I think everyone understands, regardless of which you say. Having said that, let's go over each.

See above link to the simple reply

It's only worth every penny if you actually receive the programs.  If we paid according to reception, being able to tune in BBC programs, our tv license would cost us about 80p a month.  More than half the time those are the channels that do not come in.  Very frustrating.

Oh my gosh THIS.

Another thing that drives me batty is the street name signs only at the ends of a street. WHY? Why does it have to be like that?

I might use "minus" and "negative" interchangeably with regards to weather. I don't care either way, which I guess is why I can't remember if I only use one or the other

I don't find much odd about the UK any more, but I can't get the idea that peanut butter+a sweet thing (apple, jam, in sweet biccies) is an odd thing.  My husband almost shudders when I don't stick to PB as strictly savoury.  I just wish I could convince him of what an awesome combination it is.

Huh! I use PB in both sweet and savory combinations but I've never heard of sweet being strange. Interesting!