Comments on: Saudis in the USA – How Many Miles?

By: irisheyesksa

irisheyesksa — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:16:01 +0000

Rubbers all over the place in Irish schools too. When I moved to the US, I was aware of the American meaning of the word and so, was constantly reminding myself not to use it.
This didn’t entirely protect me from misunderstandings. The first time I went to the hairdressers and asked her to trim my ‘fringe’ caused some confusion. I had actually read about ‘bangs’ when I read the Little House on the Prairie books as a child, but for some reason I didn’t equate them with ‘fringe’. In my mind, ‘bangs’ were the little curls over the ears that were popular with women at the time. Two nations divided by a common language indeed.

By: expat21

expat21 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:31:31 +0000

I loved this funny story!

Expat 21

By: Chiara

Chiara — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:58:16 +0000

LOL You should have come to Canada–we used rubbers all the time in school, although it seems in my 9 -year- old nephew’s world they use erasers. He even gave me one for Christmas to enable my Sudoku addiction!

By: Sprinkle

Sprinkle — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:52:26 +0000

UK English: Rubber = eraser
US English: Rubber = condom

By: Sprinkle

Sprinkle — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:51:48 +0000

My husband is British, I’m American and boy do we have doozies over language misunderstandings.

Here’s a little story – I grew up overseas in British schools, switched over to an American International School for high school in preparation for going to the US for college. First day, first class of 9th grade, I put my hand up and in keeping with my post-colonial British brainwashing stood up next to my chair to ask “Does anyone have a rubber?”

My reputation was set for 4 years.

By: American Bedu

American Bedu — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:39:41 +0000

Just take the example of sweet and suite. The words are pronounced the same with vastly different meanings. English can be very confusing!

By: Aafke

Aafke — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:14:56 +0000

The Canterville Ghost: “We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.”

By: Chiara

Chiara — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:25:28 +0000

Some would argue that American and English are 2 different languages. Now Canajian,eh that’s a whole different story, eh?

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:48:45 +0000

You don’t even have to stray into foreign languages to get tangled!

The differences between American and British English are enough to leave you beating your head against the wall, if not end up in jail.

Words that can get you into embarrassing situations if not legal problems, among many:

Pants
Knock up
Enjoin
To table a resolution

By: Chiara

Chiara — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:55:58 +0000

From last evening’s conversation with the young Iranian coffee shop attendant:

Him: I am here 8 months ago.

Me: You are at college, right?

Him: No, I at the Lynch.

Me: The LINC, the government school for English for immigrants? [free btw]

Him: Yes, but I hate the Lynch–they no good.

Me: They aren’?.

Him: No, I spend 10 day in Halifax with my family I speak with people there more Engish than at the Lynch.

Me: If your family is in Halifax, why are you here then?[he hates the city--too many foreigners].

Him: My wife here. She is family too. She my uncle…no my daughter…

Me: Your cousin?

Him: Yes.

Me: The one you are supposed to marry in your tradition?

Him: Yes. Is family. Is good (big smile).

My thoughts: Soooo cute