British English to US English (schools, train, hygienist)

[Quadcore]

Awesome is a more common word.

[RH1]

Originally Posted by southdown

My (British) grandparents had loads of mad sayings which this thread has reminded me of, has anyone else heard....

• "Face like a wet weekend" (looking miserable)

Oh I still use that! I think it's reasonably common. A less savoury version is face like a slapped ar** (which in the US would be a** ), although I think that's more geared at people looking a bit cross/angry than just miserable or fed up.

I personally associate the 2nd expression you mention with much older generations, which fits in if it's come from your grandparents. Not heard the 3rd at all!

It's incredibly difficult to think what phrases might not be well known out of context... Right, I'm off to get a nice cup of tea, like the living cliche I am...

[RH1]

Originally Posted by TimoMc

Oh, OK like telling someone they got a screw loose as we put it.

They don't have all their Mar balls.

Or marbles, as we call them here

Just thought of another one - one fairy light short of a Christmas tree.

Similar theme, different meaning, one for someone who's a bit slow/ dense/ dim/ thick:
"The lights are on but nobody's home." Is that used over there too?

A friend used a lovely expression the other day for "I'm not naive" - there's a common expression "I wasn't born yesterday" - well my friend said "I wasn't knitted before I came here you know..." I think she just made it up but I liked it.

[TimoMc]

Originally Posted by RH1

Or marbles, as we call them here

Just thought of another one - one fairy light short of a Christmas tree.

Similar theme, different meaning, one for someone who's a bit slow/ dense/ dim/ thick:
"The lights are on but nobody's home." Is that used over there too?

A friend used a lovely expression the other day for "I'm not naive" - there's a common expression "I wasn't born yesterday" - well my friend said "I wasn't knitted before I came here you know..." I think she just made it up but I liked it.

The Lights are on. Yeah we use that.
Also " A couple of cards missing out of a full deck"

I wasn't born Yesterday. = "I just didn't fall of the off the Ice Cream truck"
Also Some people hate it when told, " Did you fall off the Wagon " As meaning their back to drinking. or "Are you on the Wagon" Either way people find that very negative.

Their a lot of sayings here that I most likely haven't heard of.

[southdown]

Originally Posted by TimoMc

The Lights are on. Yeah we use that.
Also " A couple of cards missing out of a full deck"

I wasn't born Yesterday. = "I just didn't fall of the off the Ice Cream truck"
Also Some people hate it when told, " Did you fall off the Wagon " As meaning their back to drinking. or "Are you on the Wagon" Either way people find that very negative.

Their a lot of sayings here that I most likely haven't heard of.

Here's a ton of wacky expressions!

I like 'A few peas short of a casserole'....

Wacky Expressions

[RH1]

Originally Posted by TimoMc

Also Some people hate it when told, " Did you fall off the Wagon " As meaning their back to drinking. or "Are you on the Wagon" Either way people find that very negative.

That's interesting - we use that expression here too but I don't think it has particularly negative connotations (in my experience) in fact I've most often heard it to indicate that someone had a good night last night That may be more indicative of differing attitudes to alcohol here and there though, and that's another thread entirely....

How about ones for pleased to cheer up a dull Tuesday morning? I heard an American who's something to do with football (soccer) use the word tickled on telly this morning, which sounded completely weird in that accent! erm...

Well, tickled, or tickled pink more commonly
Chuffed
Made up

er...can't think of any more...

[Mooseketeer]

For some more "localised" English Phrases

BBC - South Yorkshire - Voices 2005 - Expert interview
Geordie dialect

[RH1]

Originally Posted by Mooseketeer

For some more "localised" English Phrases

BBC - South Yorkshire - Voices 2005 - Expert interview
Geordie dialect

I can't watch the video (as ever ) but I like this: Learn how much of a giveaway saying "oh no" is as to your accent.

So true! I can certainly identify people from Sheffield that way. It sounds like "er ner" to me

The Geordie article is interesting too. It explains the term "bait" for lunch, as in bait box, which I always guessed had fishing origins but doesn't at all. Gannin' for going is sucn a cliche and one that I'm always surprised to be true when I hear it!

[TimoMc]

Originally Posted by RH1

That's interesting - we use that expression here too but I don't think it has particularly negative connotations (in my experience) in fact I've most often heard it to indicate that someone had a good night last night That may be more indicative of differing attitudes to alcohol here and there though, and that's another thread entirely....

How about ones for pleased to cheer up a dull Tuesday morning? I heard an American who's something to do with football (soccer) use the word tickled on telly this morning, which sounded completely weird in that accent! erm...

Well, tickled, or tickled pink more commonly
Chuffed
Made up



er...can't think of any more...

tickle on the telly - never heard that one.

Tickled pink - Women say that mostly
Country people use "Whestlin' Dixie", Big cities use "Off the Hook"
Other terms. "Stylin' Profilin' ", "The Bomb". "Tight" And of course
"cool", "Awesome"

I'll like to see if you know how some of these phrases are used.

[RH1]

Originally Posted by TimoMc

tickle on the telly - never heard that one.

OK I should have put quote marks around 'tickled' - I heard someone say "tickled" on the telly. You're inventing new phrases there!

Originally Posted by TimoMc

Country people use "Whestlin' Dixie", Big cities use "Off the Hook"
Other terms. "Stylin' Profilin' ", "The Bomb". "Tight" And of course
"cool", "Awesome"

I'll like to see if you know how some of these phrases are used.

An older meaning for tight in the UK is someone who isn't very generous with money. I'm too old to list stuff that means 'good' these days! We need an 18 year old...