Language

Well... I may have said she was "full of spunk"  that morning...eek! But we were always laughing and joking in that office, nobody thought I meant it in the bad sense. Especially since after I said it she started laughing and asked me again what I said to which I repeated it and said "You know...spunky, happy, full of life!"

 :-( I never heard it in the context of it being vulgar.

I remember watching Benidorm not long ago though where a couple were doing a crossword and the clue was "American term for energetic, happy," (something like that) Which was replied with "Spunk." "What? Oh that's disgusting!"   

Apologies for bringing it up. I think k it was my worst (or best) example of language differences here!!

Haha, that's hilarious! There's no need to apologise!
And the only problem you had was saying she was 'full of spunk'... which would probably have 12 year old boys in America giggling. It's more of a dude term. Don't they use it in American Pie or something?

My big one... wasn't a single word. It was a phrase that I used in a bi-monthly, company wide newsletter... That goes out to several hundred people, including the CEO. *facepalm*

I was writing about how the entire team worked together to get a major project done on one of the locations and how everyone 'put their oars in'. I was thinking about how in whitewater rafting everyone has to paddle during certain points and they tell you, 'everyone oars in'!

It apparently means sticking your nose into other people's business. I was so embarrassed. My boss didn't catch it either!

I've gotten used to most British definitions for things, but when talking about what to wear for our wedding to my husband I said "well, maybe you could wear suspenders? My dress is vintage looking."  Obviously didn't know the UK meaning. Had a *very* confused and slightly offended spouse, until I sent a photo and learned they were called braces in the UK and suspenders are entirely different! 

Haha, that's hilarious! There's no need to apologise!
And the only problem you had was saying she was 'full of spunk'... which would probably have 12 year old boys in America giggling. It's more of a dude term. Don't they use it in American Pie or something?

Do they? My goodness...may have gotten this wrong in American English as well then hahaha!

I've gotten used to most British definitions for things, but when talking about what to wear for our wedding to my husband I said "well, maybe you could wear suspenders? My dress is vintage looking."  Obviously didn't know the UK meaning. Had a *very* confused and slightly offended spouse, until I sent a photo and learned they were called braces in the UK and suspenders are entirely different! 

Ahh...clothing. I don't think I will ever call underwear "pants" or "knickers"!

Do they? My goodness...may have gotten this wrong in American English as well then hahaha!

Ahh...clothing. I don't think I will ever call underwear "pants" or "knickers"!

Just going to preface this with: I'm a word person and love to discuss definitions, connotations vs denotation and all that jazz.

Spunk/spunky meaning spirited/brave/courageous is a more old fashioned term. Along the same lines as ''pluck' really in they aren't widely used anymore. It's all about context and the group of people you use the word with. With Brits often 'taking the mick' out of everyone it makes sense that theyd assume the worse!

One of the dictionary sites says it's not used much due to the other 'lewd' definition. Haha. Love the word 'lewd', it's so lascivious.

And I will never call them 'pants' either. But knickers... There's something a little bit sexy there.

I know knickers are also boys "short trousers" but that word disappeared from anything like regular usage a long time ago. Haha.

I've gotten used to most British definitions for things, but when talking about what to wear for our wedding to my husband I said "well, maybe you could wear suspenders? My dress is vintage looking."  Obviously didn't know the UK meaning. Had a *very* confused and slightly offended spouse, until I sent a photo and learned they were called braces in the UK and suspenders are entirely different! 

Haha. Right. We call them garters.

I love that men used to have garters too, they were down on their calves to hold up their socks! Haha

I love differences in word usage too although, as some examples above show, they can lead to some pretty embarrassing moments.  Besides American/British differences though, a lot of it is just the change in meaning over time. 

When I first heard about what 'fanny' meant here in the UK I was really surprised, since it was a very common name in the past (Jane Austen used it in her stories - although I suppose that is rather long ago  ).  Unfortunately for me I use it quite often - in the American sense of course! 

My driving instructor and I used to love talking about UK/US word differences and I'll never forget her telling me her sister in law used to live on Fanny Bush Lane.....   

....That's here in Northeast England mind you. 

Evidently she refused to give her address out, even to the point of having deliveries made to a relative's house somewhere close by but on a less offensive sounding street. She's moved since then....  *snicker*   


 

When I first heard about what 'fanny' meant here in the UK I was really surprised, since it was a very common name in the past (Jane Austen used it in her stories - although I suppose that is rather long ago  ). 

Still a name. LOL.

I'd bet that fanny Bush lane means exactly what you think and always did.  There are some absolutely filthy street names in London:

http://londonist.com/2010/08/londons_rudest_street_names

Still a name. LOL.

OMG, that poor little girl!    I've never had that drink, but the ad is pretty darn funny. 

I'd bet that fanny Bush lane means exactly what you think and always did.  There are some absolutely filthy street names in London:

http://londonist.com/2010/08/londons_rudest_street_names

I had my suspicions about that and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was on purpose.  Then again, it's a perfectly valid name - if George W had named one of his daughters Fanny.....   

Honestly, some of the things parents do to their kids with a name can be downright cruel!  But that's another subject altogether.

My wife and I went to a Fannie Flagg talk once....in Thomasville, Georgia.

There was a little reception afterwords and I saddled over to her and told her I enjoyed Fried Green Tomatoes. She was very gracious and showed no inkling at all that she had heard that ten million times before.

On the golf course Wed.....I hit (yet another) crappy shot....and said "Buggers"......an older gentleman I was playing with was a bit offended as an older person and I clarified by saying it was more American for boogers. These older golf folks really are.....the older folks. Granted.....later I really did repeat Sh*t multiple times when I hit into a sand trap..... at least I didn't "grope" anybody.

I know knickers are also boys "short trousers" but that word disappeared from anything like regular usage a long time ago. Haha.

My grandfather always talked about his knickerbockers! Some rather cute photos of him as a small boy in them, c. 1920.

I have been careless far too often and made small children cackle with laughter by saying 'pants' at the library. 
The first time someone asked me if we had a guillotine.  An 18th-century French execution device?  Nope, haven't seen one of those in the back room....

I've been in the UK for nearly 16 years and find I use English phrases here but when I go back to visit the USA I just naturally use American phrases. It's kind of like driving.... I can get in a car at the airport (USA) and never even think about driving on the left. Then when I come home (UK) I also make that switch without even thinking. I still have my American accent though, so it always gives me away when I use an English phrase. I find, however, that people here understand American phrases and words much better than Americans understand British phrases and words.

The only things I still have trouble with are trousers(UK)/pants(US), zed/zee, forgot/forgotten, petrol/gas.

My grandfather always talked about his knickerbockers! Some rather cute photos of him as a small boy in them, c. 1920.

I have been careless far too often and made small children cackle with laughter by saying 'pants' at the library. 
The first time someone asked me if we had a guillotine.  An 18th-century French execution device?  Nope, haven't seen one of those in the back room....

Aw, that's just lovely! I've not met anyone who actually wore them. Well, anyone who has told me they did at least.

Haha. I do that too! I say pants entirely too loudly at the shipping centre or on the train. People give you the side eye. Haha.

A guillotine? That's a weird one!

I can back up the guillotine thing, we've got one at our house.  I wonder if that word existed before the French Revolution?  If I remember, I'll ask the wife