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

[windy-lea.livejournal.com]

Enh... I know I've looked at lists of this kind of stuff before. Wikipedia even has one, btw, if you're allowed to have a look-see.

Do you guys still call the hood of a car the bonnet? And do you still call the trunk the boot?

Also, I still haven't worked this out: is "custard" for you guys what we call "flan"? or is that pudding?? Or are these two different things of similar color and texture?

Maybe it's not appropriate enough, but what about "knocked up" as in an unplanned pregnancy (Or have you guys picked that one up as well?)

Gas was petrol last time I checked. Do you call a commercial on the TV an advert, or is that only written ads? Is the TV still the telly(sp?)?

I think British "public schools" are what Americans call "private schools", and our "public schools" are run by the local school district.

[hellzabeth.livejournal.com]

We were told no wiki. ;o; sob.

Yup yup, though I accidentally called the boot a trunk the other day and my friend hit me for it. A trunk here is a suitcase.

Custard (mmmm yummy) is a sweet yellow substance that you put on puddings. Idk what you mean by flan. Don't think we use that word. Yay! A new example! You put custard on things like treacle tart and my god is it glorious. Has to be hot though. Cold custard congeals and personally I think it looks gross, but my dad could eat tins of it.

Unfortunately inappropriate. :[ We have that one now, thanks to you guys, though the original meaning over here just meant to get beaten up. Imagine the confusion. XD

My driving instructor gives me this look whenever I say "so I put it full on the gas right?" We have petrol stations and petrol cars etc.

My god, the school naming is so confusing. We have "state schools", which are run by the government (aka the state), "public schools" that cost money to send your kids to, and "private schools" which are full of twats, usually situated in the middle of nowhere, and are often boarders.

[windy-lea.livejournal.com]

Because I'm not even clear on what "flan" is, I wiki'd it. Apparently "flan" refers to a couple different things depending on where your from. What many Americans call 'flan'--via Latin American influence--can also be called "creme caramel". It is made with custard, apparently, but it's got the caramel going on, too.

I've had that, and I've had frozen custard (yummmy), but I don't think I've had straight-up custard. I've never looked for it in regular stores--though, I assume you can find it. I have seen it at World Market. My grandma mentioned wanting some last week, but I've honestly rarely heard people mention custard.

Also, our "puddings" aren't quite the same. Usually puddings here--except something traditional like bread pudding--are too soft to really "top" with custard. They're roughly the same consistency.

"so I put it full on the gas right?"
I'm sure you guys have heard it, but do you say "Pedal to the metal"?