Education qualification differences - UK vs USA (credit, lawyers)

[mike929]

Not sure about the degree part

But on accents..i used to live in England and understood everyone all british accents...and i worked on base in Mildenhall at the shopette and we would get to the funniest conversations....however one day a guy from Scotland deleivered some Highland Spring Water...and when he got off the truck and started speaking, I could only understand every 3-4 word...his accent was very thick and i had to get go get someone else that could understand him

[mxd.Brit]

Originally Posted by Derrick_TheRiskTaker

Well I guess I can agree to some extent. My friend is from the UK and his accent is completely terrible and dreadful. I almost have to ask him to hold his tongue in order to make out his words. Also, we go back and forth about what he and I consider typical English misspellings such a color v. colour.

Thanks for enlightening me, everyone!

Ohhhh don't get me started on English 'English' and American English. I think that will be my biggest challenge when we move to the states. To me a pair of snickers (however you guys spell it) are trainers to us Brits, mainly because they are used for training but why do you guys call them snickers that is a chocolate bar isnt it? .....and candy is a sweet and chocolate is chocolate. Why is a garden a yard? Why is a toilet a bathroom - public toilets do not have baths in them - call them 'the ladies' or 'gents' if you must. The list goes on.

My in-laws and I had arguments about this over the whole of their visit when they last visited us in England. No one was hurt

All these things I will have to adjust to when I relocate..........

[Drover]

Sneakers, not snickers. Slight difference. Also frequently called "tennis shoes" regardless of whether or not they are designed specifically for tennis. The basketball version are called "high-tops." A pair that are specifically bought for athletic training rather than just wearing around town are often called "cross-trainers."

[atlantagreg30127]

All the world's problems would cease if they simply stopped calling cookies "biscuits" over there, ya know.

[mxd.Brit]

Originally Posted by Drover

Sneakers, not snickers. Slight difference. Also frequently called "tennis shoes" regardless of whether or not they are designed specifically for tennis. The basketball version are called "high-tops." A pair that are specifically bought for athletic training rather than just wearing around town are often called "cross-trainers."

My question is why they are called 'Sneakers' as a general term it is not a name derived from a brand (like some people call any vacuum cleaner a Hoover)and it doesn't describe their use either. Please enlighten me somebody?
As for the cookie/biscuit thing, my in-laws and I came to the conclusion that English 'English' tends to be more specific. We call your biscuits - scones and our cookies are the bigger chocolate chip type and we call Oreo's biscuits. Just like the toilet bathroom thing.

I think the solution is to call what British people speak English and your language simply American then there wouldn't be this constant struggle as to who is right. Otherwise there is always 'English being created by the English'.

I will adjust when I get there though !!!!

LOL

[Drover]

I think they're called "sneakers" because they are quieter than other types of shoes, especially dress shoes/loafers. As far as I can tell, the use of the word "sneakers" is falling out of fashion; sort of considered an "old-school" word.

"Toilet" and "bathroom" are interchangeable in the sense that you can say "I'm going to the toilet" just as easily as "I'm going to the bathroom" though using "bathroom" is considered a little more proper and formal; even more formal is to say "I'm going to use the restroom." One thing we don't do in the States is use the "loo."

[Britishintown]

Greg, why do you call scones, biscuits? I think the war of independence was premature as the dictionaries had not arrived by then, hence the problems the U.S. has now.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by Britishintown

Greg, why do you call scones, biscuits?

Heck, I dunno.. where I come from scones are called scones - though you rarely see anyone eat them. We eat COOKIES.

[Derrick_TheRiskTaker]

Well I am not inclined to give the "English" entightenment rights to the English language just yet. However I find the contrast between American English and the "English" to be quite interesting.

[blackrabbit]

Moderator cut: quote removed

FWIW virtually all US companies will accept a UK degree as equal to a US one, same applies if a US degree is presented in the UK.