Differences in words-

My apologies if this has already been done:

I lay in bed the other night thinking of all of the words that are so different between the US and the UK- here are some of the ones I thought up- feel free to add to the list and offer any explanations if you know of any.  Oh and if I have anything wrong please correct me on that too.

US - vs - UK

Pants - Trousers (though my dad says trousers and he is American but it doesn't get him far because people (US) usually look at him like he has 14 heads when he mentions trousers)
Doctor's office - Surgery (I still don't get this one)
Surgery - Surgery (!)
Operating room - Theater (what would a movie theater then be?)
Zucchini - Courgette
Kiss - Snog (is this slang?)
Sex - Shag (again-is this slang?)
Grade (school) - Year/form
Braid - Plait
Cart (shopping) - Trolley
Bangs (hair) - Fringe
Chips - Crisps
Fries - Chips
Cookie - Biscuit
Biscuit - Scone (? then what are those flaky soft things we call biscuits in the US?)
Z - Zed

I don't really understand how coriander and cilantro can be the same thing, I like coriander and loathe cilantro... what am I missing?
Is it more a matter of something like someone who likes ketchup but not tomatoes?

A movie theater is a cinema

US-style biscuits don't exist in the UK. 

If you want to get really confused, tackle the whole cupboard/closet/cabinet/dresser issue

I don't really understand how coriander and cilantro can be the same thing, I like coriander and loathe cilantro... what am I missing?

I'm afraid this one might just be your imagination?
They are exactly the same... 2 different words for the same plant:  Coriandrum sativum.

Maybe it's how it's prepared/what it's mixed with, etc that bothers you?

zucchine and eggplant too and what's up with the whole Mr.- Dr.- Mr.- Consultant thing??  That one threw me at first.

Maybe it's how it's prepared/what it's mixed with, etc that bothers you?

I should have specified, when I think of coriander I think of the dried herb- it's a powder.
When I think of cilantro I think of the fresh herb they put in things like salsa.

Maybe that's why I have a dislike for one and a liking for the other?

If you want to get really confused, tackle the whole cupboard/closet/cabinet/dresser issue Wink

Please do tell, I have not heard of this one before.

I should have specified, when I think of coriander I think of the dried herb- it's a powder.
When I think of cilantro I think of the fresh herb they put in things like salsa.

Maybe that's why I have a dislike for one and a liking for the other?

The powder is the seed, ground up.  That's why it's a different flavour. 

Operating theatres used to be just that...theatres http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_theater

eggplant too and what's up with the whole Mr.- Dr.- Mr.- Consultant thing??  That one threw me at first.

What is eggplant?

And yep, the Dr. Mr. thing is also very confusing!

The powder is the seed, ground up.  That's why it's a different flavour.

Ooohh, now why didn't I think of that? So if you order a pizza that claims to have cilantro in it, how do you tell if it's the powder coriander or the herb cilantro? I guess one could just ask but that would be much too easy.  

Coriander=cilantro.  It doesn't matter if it's the seed or the herb.  However, if it's the powder it should be called ground coriander/cilantro or coriander/cilantro seed.  The seed or powder is commonly used in Indian cooking, whereas in Mexican they tend towards the herb. 

What is eggplant?

We call it aubergine.

Operating theatres used to be just that...theatres http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_theater

So a movie theater is called a movie theater?

Another couple I thought of are:

Vacation - Holiday
Holiday (as in Christmas etc) - Holiday?

Coriander=cilantro.  It doesn't matter if it's the seed or the herb.  However, if it's the powder it should be called ground coriander/cilantro or coriander/cilantro seed.  The seed or powder is commonly used in Indian cooking, whereas in Mexican they tend towards the herb. 

Thank you!

So a movie theater is called a movie theater?

Cinema.

Operating theatres used to be just that...theatres http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_theater

And just to add to the confusion...I found out last year that in the military, 'theatre' is used to refer to a warfare zone where conflict is occurring (such as Afghanistan) - so at work they are always talking about 'operations in theatre', except they have nothing to do with either surgery or entertainment .

So, for military purposes, you can have a 'Theatre of War' which has a 'Theatre of Operations' within it .

So a movie theater is called a movie theater?

It's a 'cinema' in the UK.

So, instead of saying 'going to the movies' or 'where's the nearest movie theatre?', we just say 'going to the cinema' or 'where's the nearest cinema?'

So, instead of saying 'going to the movies' or 'where's the nearest movie theatre?', we just say 'going to the cinema' or 'where's the nearest cinema?'

I say I'm going 'to the show' (as in, picture show!) and DH thinks it's soooooo funny.