A cry for help!

[hellzabeth]

Hey, majority of watchers!

You're American, right? /obvious

I'm doing a project at college (what, Pidge, are you actually working? Yes, yes I am) about the differences between British English and American English. I need some stereotypically American phrases and amusing miscommunications. (Unfortunately I can't use the usual "rubber vs rubber" that first came to mind.) Any random help would be appreciated.

Additionally, anyone Australian, similar to the above request?

/feels kind of stupid

/wishes she was at home instead of in this stupid class

orz

Edit: I'm not allowed to include anything naughty in my essay guys, the examiners are stuck up. :| So stuff like the difference between "wank" in American and "wank" in British are not applicable. <3 You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.

Comments

[amygirl.livejournal.com]

Since I just read the chapter on this... (though granted this is from the early 90's and I have no idea how much these things still hold true) But apparently over there "to be stuffed" is considered rude over there? So the author (an American who is married to a Brit and lived there for quite a while) tells a story about how at the end of a meal he said that he was "stuffed" (which is a common Americanism for when we're full) and was met with uncomfortable silence.

Also I believe homely means different things. It's a compliment over there where here it's the opposite.

Bryson also says that it sometimes seems that the two countries sometimes go out of their way to be contradictory. Where you guys have the Royal Mail that delivers the "post" not the "mail" we have the US Postal Service that delivers the "mail" not the "post."

I used to have the link to a rather lovely article about a Englishman living in New York with his American wife and having to get used to all the differences but that was about more then just the language differences and I don't have the link anymore.

Well...that was probably incredibly unhelpful. I apologize... :-/

[hellzabeth.livejournal.com]

Those are some really good ones! Thanks!

"Stuffed" in England has a different use. Usually it's in a phrase like "oh go get stuffed", which refers to getting killed and then taxidermy'd. :| So yeah. It's like "fuck off" only more graphic. Thing is, it's not used so much these days, and the American meaning of the word "stuffed" is more often used, though older people tend to frown about it.

Homely in England means you're kind of bland, don't stand up for yourself and don't have much of a social life. Applies only to women.

Oh lol, yes. My mum scolds me for saying I've got new mail, when it's post.

What that on Cracked.com? Because I read that and it was hilarious. XD

Thanks muchly!

[amygirl.livejournal.com]

It might have been on Cracked....checks...yeah it must have been. I liked the bit about the whole Debit/Credit thing the best I think...though loved the whole thing.

*And now I've been sucked into an article about World War II...darn you...I'm supposed to be writing Russ/Am Fluff...*