British Terminology....................USA Terminology

American expressions differ from British for names of things that are used in our day to day conversations. The following is a list of the differences.

ale: beer (the distinction of ale does exist in the U.S., but in casual usage most people would just say "beer")

all in: tired, exhausted; less formal: beat, whipped

Asian: Indian (meaning someone from India); in the U.S., "Asian" is a racial term meaning some of Chinese, Japanese, Korean or SE Asian ancestry

ass (the animal): donkey

aubergines: eggplant

backspin (when shooting pool): "backspin" is used in the U.S.; however, this is also sometimes referred to as "putting English on the ball"

bacon: Canadian bacon

baguette: French bread; I am told that "baguette" is sometimes used on the East Coast, although "French bread" is more common

banger: sausage

barrister: trial lawyer, attorney or counsel

bathe: swim (when playing or exercising in a pool, lake or ocean)

beavering away: working away, slaving away

beetroot: beets (always plural in the U.S.)

bickie: cookie

big wheel: ferris wheel; in the U.S., "Big Wheel" is a proprietary name for a child's tricycle

binned: tossed, pitched or thrown away

bird: when speaking of a pretty woman, the term would be chick or babe

biro: ballpoint

biscuit: cookie

bitter: beer

block of flats: apartment building

bloke: guy, dude, buddy; possibly fellow

bloody: damn or damned

bobble hat: tassel cap

bobby: police officer or officer; cop

bonnet: in speaking of the cover of the engine compartment of an automobile, this is the hood

boot: in speaking of the storage compartment in an automobile, this is the trunk

Boxing Day: this holiday is not celebrated in the U.S.

broderie anglaise: eyelet or eyelet lace

builder: construction worker

candy floss: cotton candy

capsicum: peppers (the sweet kind), green peppers, sweet peppers

cardigan: sweater; in the U.S. a cardigan is a button-front sweater

carpark: parking lot (an open, single-level facility); parking ramp or parking garage (an enclosed multi-level structure)

NOTE: the use of "parking ramp" or "parking garage" appears to be a regional distinction;
correspondents on both coasts have informed me that they've never heard the term "parking ramp",
while as a Midwesterner I've heard the term "parking garage" but don't know anyone who uses it

cellotape: Scotch tape; NOTE: this is a proprietary term, but is widely used to mean any transparent adhesive tape

chartered accountant: CPA (Certified Public Accountant)

cheers: goodbye; have a nice day; so long; in the U.S. "cheers" is a toast (when drinking)

chillies: chili peppers, hot peppers

chips: french fries or fries

cinema: movies (as in "I'm going to the movies")

circus: traffic circle; in New England, this is called a "rotary"

college: prep school; in the U.S., a college is an institution of higher education, generally offering four year degrees in a range of subjects

constable: police officer, officer or cop; constable is still used in the Northeastern part of the U.S., and also in Texas, but to the best of my knowledge it is comparatively rare in the rest of the country. NOTE: One correspondent informs me that "constable" is actually a rank within the police force in the U.K. If this is correct, then the U.S. equivalent would be "patrolman".

contact me on (telephone number): contact me at (telephone number)

cooker: stove

cookery: home economics or home ec

coppers: cops

cotton: thread

courgettes: zucchini or summer squash

cozzie: swimsuit or bathing suit

crisps: chips

cuppa: cup of tea

demerara: brown sugar

deputy head: vice principal; in the U.S., the vice principal is also the school official primarily responsible for disciplining students who misbehave

digestive: Graham cracker

Divan: sofa or couch; divan is used by some people, but I haven't heard it much in recent years

doing: in the U.S., you don't say "What's doing?"; you say "What's going on?" or "What's happening?" or "What's up?"

dole: welfare or unemployment; note that in the U.S. unemployment payments are funded by insurance premiums paid by employers (this is not voluntary), while welfare payments are funded by taxes; however, many people do not distinguish between "welfare" and "unemployment"

doona: comforter, bedspread or perhaps quilt

dressing gown: bathrobe

duvet: comforter, bedspread or perhaps quilt

Egg splice: spatula

Elastoplast: Band-Aid (note that this is a proprietary term, but is widely used to mean ANY small self-adhesive bandage)

Engaged: busy (when making a phone call); the buzzing noise you hear is a "busy signal"

Face cloth: washcloth; I'm told that in Amish country in Pennsylvania "face cloth" is sometimes used

Fag: cigarette, or butt;

Fagged: tired, exhausted; less formal: beat, whipped

Fairy Floss: cotton candy

Father Christmas: Santa Claus or St. Nicholas/St. Nick (less common)

Fish slice: spatula

Flannel: washcloth

Flat: when referring to a residence within a larger building, the term is apartment

Flicks: movies

Football (Australia): Australian Rules Football

Football (U.K.): soccer

Footy (Australia): Australian Rules Football or rugby; I'm told this term is used for any game played with this ball, but there are no U.S. equivalents (that I know of) for most of these games.

Footy (U.K.): football

Form: when speaking of a student's progress in school, the U.S. term is "grade", as in "first grade", "second grade", etc. Children in the U.S. typically enter school at age five, although some attend what is called "pre-school" for one, two or even three years before that. The first year is usually called "kindergarten". The second year is called "first grade", and each year they move to the next higher grade, until at age 18 they complete 12th grade and are finished with the compulsory part of their education. Kindergarten through grade six is usually called "grade school", "elementary school" or "grammar school"; grades seven through nine are "junior high" and grades ten through twelve are "high school". In some areas, grades six through eight are "middle school" and grades nine through twelve are "high school".

form room: home room

form room tutor: home room teacher

French bread: Italian bread(?) Is this correct? We do have French bread in the U.S.; the distinction between that and Italian bread has always been a bit of a mystery to me.

frosties (cereal): frosted flakes

fuzz: cops, or police; "fuzz" is also an American term, but it doesn't seem to get used much anymore. It was popular in the 60s and 70s as a derisive term.

gameplay: game plan, tactic

gammon: ham

gee-gee: horsie

gee-up: giddyup or giddyap

Girl Guides: Girl Scouts for older children (age 9 and up); Brownies for younger ones (age 6-8).

grill: broil; in the U.S., if you grill food that means cooking it outdoors over a charcoal fire.

hand towel: some dispute on this one. One source tells me that "hand towel" means "napkin", i.e., the small paper or linen towel used to wipe your hands at the dinner table. Another source says it means "washcloth", which is the small towel used to dry your hands after using the toilet facilities.

headmaster or headmistress: principal

headteacher: principal

holiday: in the U.S., you don't "go on holiday"; you "take a vacation" or "go on vacation". A holiday is a day of special celebration or observance, usually one where people are excused from work and other mundane duties and responsibilities, such as Christmas or New Year's Day.

Home and Family: home economics or home ec

hoover (as a verb): vacuum

hospital: in the U.S., you aren't "in hospital"; you are "in the hospital" or "in a hospital"

ice block: popsicle

ice lolly: popsicle

icing sugar: confectioner's sugar or powdered sugar

interval: intermission

Inuit (Canadian term): Eskimo (note: most Americans will not be aware that "Inuit" refers to a specific tribe)

jock: a person (usually male) who is active in sports; an athletic supporter (male article of clothing) Scottish person.

jumper: sweater

knickers: panties

knock up: wake up; in U.S. slang, if you knock someone up that means you got her pregnant

lad: guy, son or possibly fellow; boy or kid for children or teenagers

lager: beer (the distinction of "lager" does exist in the U.S., but in casual usage most people would just say "beer")

lager lout: drunk

lift: elevator

lolly (food): candy ba

lolly (money): loot

loo: bathroom, restroom or john

lorry: truck; a large truck that carries cargo from city to city is a "semi", "18-wheeler" or "tractor trailer"; a small truck that has an open back is a "pickup"

lounge (Australia): sofa or couch; perhaps divan, although I haven't heard that one used much recently

lounge room: living room; this is a place for entertaining guests, as distinct from the family room, which is reserved for informal family activites. Many houses have only a living room, which serves both purposes.

marge: margarine

marrows: squash

maths: math

matron: school nurse; very seldom is this person actually a registered nurse, and school rules typically restrict the school nurse from doing much beyond calling the parents or allowing the child to lie down for awhile. Even giving aspirin can be problematic.

motorway: highway

motorway out: exit

mum: mother, mom, momma or ma; young children (under the age of 10, approximately) might say mommy

mummy: mommy

nanny/nan: grandma, grandmother or granny; in some families (I don't think this is regional) a surname may be added, as "Grandma Scully" or "Grandmother Mulder"

napkin: Kotex (brand name), sanitary napkin or tampon; pad

nappy: diaper

newsreader: anchor,news anchor or newscaster; if the sex of the individual is known, it may be anchorman or anchorwoman; speaking generically one might say anchorperson; in the U.S. "newsreader" refers to the software that lets you read Usenet newsgroups

nursery: kindergarten

nursing sister: head nurse

pants: underwear or underpants

Paracetamol: Tylenol (generic name is acetaminophen, but not many people use the term; Scully might, though)

petrol: gasoline or gas

pinafore dress: jumper

pinny: apron

pint: draw or beer

plain chocolate: semi-sweet chocolate

plaster: Band-Aid (note that this is a proprietary term, but is widely used to mean ANY small self-adhesive bandage)

Plaster board: Dry wall

playtime: recess

plonker: idiot, twit or jerk

poof: fag, faggot, homo, queer; NOTE: ALL of these terms are considered derogatory, unless used by a gay person.

popper: snap

post: mail; also, you do not "post a letter"; you "mail a letter"

post code: ZIP code. These have nine digits, in the format XXXXX-YYYY. Most people know only the first five digits of their ZIP code, and the Post Office will accept mail with only the first five digits -- they even accept mail with no ZIP code at all. Current first class postage is 33 cents (a little more than the cost of playing one video game, for comparison purposes)

potato crisps: potato chips

prat: idiot, twit or jerk

pub: bar or tavern

public holiday: holiday

public school: private school. In the U.S. "public school" means the network of schools operated by the government and open to all children resident to the U.S. without charge. These schools are usually run by local Boards of Education, which are elected by the voters in each community. The large majority of all children in the U.S. attend public schools; most of the private schools (but certainly not all) are operated by the Roman Catholic Church (these schools do accept students of all religious faiths, however). Private schools charge tuition, anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars per semester.

pudding/sweet: dessert; in the U.S., "pudding" is a sweet, custard-like dessert

queue: line

rashers: bacon

Red Indian: I don't know if this one is still current overseas, but in the U.S. it would be considered to be derogatory. The polite term would be Native American, or possibly American Indian.

revision: study or cram

ring: in the U.S., when using a telephone, you don't "ring someone"; you "call someone" or "give them a call"

roundabout (on a playground): merry-go-round or carousel

roundabout (when driving): traffic circle; in New England, this is called a "rotary"

rubber: eraser or rubber band (two different items); in U.S. slang, "rubber" means "condom"

runner beans: string beans or green beans

sanitary towels (STs): Kotex (a brand name), sanitary napkin or tampon

school coach: school bus

school report: report card; NOTE: report cards are going the way of the dinosaur in the U.S., and are being replaced by parent teacher conferences, usually held two to four times per school year.

scone: biscuit; I'm adding this one with some trepidation, as there was considerable dispute about it in ATXC. I've had something I was told was a "scone", and it was a sweet, cake-like snack. Not as sweet as an actual piece of cake. A "biscuit" in the U.S. is a cake-like snack which is not at all sweet. So take this one with a grain of salt.

scrum: this rugby term's closest equivalent is "huddle," as in "go into a huddle." In casual terms, this means a brief and informal strategy or brainstorming session

seaside: shore, seashore or beach

serviette: table napkin (most people just say "napkin"; in the U.S. a "napkin" is never a diaper)

shout: treat to, as in "treat to lunch"; someone who wishes to pay for lunch might say, "I'll treat" or "my treat"

Shreddies (proprietary term?): Spoon-Sized Shredded Wheat (this IS a proprietary term)

sixth form college: no U.S. equivalent. Students simply stay in high school through grade 12.

Skirting board: Baseboard

sledge: sled; in the U.S., a "sledge" implies a more heavy-duty work vehicle, while a "sled" is usually a child's toy

snag: sausage

snowed up: snowed in

solicitor: lawyer or attorney; in the U.S. a "solicitor" is someone trying to sell you something; "solicitation" often refers to an offer of prostitution

spanner: wrench; you might hear "spanner" in the U.S., but it is comparatively rare

spot on: smack on or dead on

stand for office: run for office

stand on line: stand in line

sticking plaster: bandaid; NOTE: "Band-Aid" is a propriety term, but is widely used to mean any semi-elastic self-adhesive bandage

sticky tape: Scotch tape; NOTE: this is a proprietary term, but is widely used to mean any transparent adhesive tape

stout: beer (the distinction of "stout" does exist in the U.S., but in casual usage most people would just say "beer")

sultanas: raisins

sweater: sweatshirt

sweetie/sweets: candy bar

swimming costume: swimsuit or bathing suit

switchback: rollercoaster; however, one correspondent says she has never heard the term used this way

swot: grind (a person who studies too much); cram (study rapidly for a test)

tap: faucet

tea: yes, we do have tea in the U.S.; however, as a general thing people are more likely to drink coffee as a caffeinated hot drink. I don't recall whether there is anything from the TV series to tell us if Mulder or Scully ever drink tea, but they have been known to drink coffee. People of their social class are far more likely to drink herbal (non-caffeinated) tea if they do drink tea.

telly: television or TV

tertiary education: college, university or sometimes post-secondary education

thousand million: billion

tin/tinned: can/canned

toilet: bathroom, restroom or john; men's room or ladies' room

tomato sauce: catsup or ketchup; in the U.S., tomato sauce is what you put on pizza or spaghetti

toque: tassel cap

town centre: downtown or business district

trainspotter: nerd

trousers: "trousers" is correct in the U.S., but you can also use "pants" or "slacks"

twice: two times; NOTE: "twice" is also used in the U.S., but one correspondent informs me that "two times" is not used in the U.K., and therefore U.K. writers might not be aware of this alternative

university or uni: in the U.S., you don't "attend university"; you "go to college"

vest: undershirt

waistcoat: vest

wash: bathe

washer: washcloth

water closet (or W.C.): bathroom, restroom or john; men's room or ladies' room

way out: exit

windcheater: windbreaker

windscreen: windshield

wonk: whiz or guru; the only usage for "wonk" that I've encountered in the U.S. is "policy wonk", which means someone who immerses him or herself in the minutiae of public policy

Worcester sauce: Worcestershire sauce

Yank: American. Okay, there has been considerable dispute over the U.S. meaning of the word "Yankee". Here's the best description I've seen so far: For most of the country, a "Yankee" is a person who lives north of the [Pennsylvania/Maryland border]. To those people who live north of [that border], a "Yankee" is someone from one of the New England states [which are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut]. In the New England states, a "Yankee" is someone from New Hampshire.

Yorkshire pudding: popover (this definition caused some dispute in atxc, so take it with a pinch of salt)

zebra crossing: crosswalk

3.0 Alphabetical list of American terms for which I do not know the non-U.S. equivalents.

American: Most U.S. residents use this to mean U.S. citizen. This usage is annoying to some Canadians, as well as to other residents of North and South America, but within the U.S. it is extremely widespread. By extension, "America" is used generally to mean "the United States".

area code: A three digit number used by the telephone system in routing long distance calls. Until recently, all area codes had either 0 or 1 as the middle digit; recently this rule was changed, and now increasing numbers of area codes have middle digits higher than 1. An area code of 800, 877 or 888 designates a number where the person RECEIVING the call pays the long distance charges ("toll free"). An area code of 900 designates a number where the person PLACING the call must pay a fee to the person receiving the call in addition to the long distance charges (for example, some phone sex lines) (these are also referred to as "1-900 numbers"). NOTE: all long distance calls must be preceded by a "1"

Bar Association: More commonly referred to as The Bar. The organization which licenses lawyers to practice. Each state has its own Bar Assocation, typically referred to as "the [Name of State] Bar Association". The Bar Associations are supervised by the court system in their respective states, and by extension are supervised by the Supreme Court (see Section 4.0). If a lawyer has been disbarred, then he has had his license revoked, usually for some form of misconduct in his practice. This rarely happens.

carpetbagger: especially in the South, a person who has recently moved to the area and is not truly considered part of the community; there is an implication that a carpetbagger has deliberately relocated in order to disrupt the traditional way of life of the community

county: an official subsection of a state, with some local government functions; does not refer to social class or behavior

Fourth of July: Less commonly known as "Independence Day", this is the day when we celebrate our independence as a nation, the actual date being July 4, 1776. There are a number of reasons why this date is not really accurate, but that is outside the scope of this FAQ, and most people are either unaware of the historical discrepencies or just don't care. Banks, government offices and many commercial establishments will be closed on July 4. If the date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then these closings occur on the nearest weekday. NOTE: One correspondent informs me that I should tell non-Americans that we do not exchange greeting cards on the Fourth of July. :)

holidays: Here is a list of holidays recognized by the U.S. government. Most government offices (except for essential services, such as law enforcement, hospitals and the like) are closed on these days. Federal employees (like M&S) who have to work on a holiday receive double their usual pay for that day. Individual states and local governments may recognize other holidays, as well, but that would not affect Mulder and Scully, unless they needed access to state or local government facilities. Here's the list:

New Year's Day: January 1; if this is a Saturday or Sunday, government offices will be closed on the preceding Friday or the following Monday, respectively
Martin Luther King's Birthday: Third Monday in January
Presidents' Day (honors U.S. presidents, esp. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln): Third Monday in February
Memorial Day (honors those who died in the armed forces): Last Monday in May. Traditionally marks the beginning of summer, and is celebrated with picnics. Some people will visit the graves of deceased service men and women.
Independence Day: July 4; if this is a Saturday or Sunday, government offices will be closed on the preceding Friday or the following Monday, respectively. Traditionally celebrated with picnics and fireworks.
Labor Day (honors American workers): First Monday in September. Traditionally marks the end of summer, and is celebrated with picnics.
Columbus Day (honors Columbus' arrival in North America): Second Monday in October
Veterans' Day (honors military veterans): November 11; if this is a Saturday or Sunday, government offices will be closed on the preceding Friday or the following Monday, respectively. Some people mark this day by visiting hospitalized veterans.
Thanksgiving Day (honors the first harvest by Massachusetts Bay colonists): Last Thursday in November. Traditionally celebrated by a large meal with your family, commonly featuring roast turkey, very similar to Christmas dinner, but without the gifts. Also traditionally a day for watching football games, don't ask me why.
Christmas Day: December 25; if this is a Saturday or Sunday, government offices will be closed on the preceding Friday or the following Monday, respectively.

Also, it is a common but not universal practice for the president of the U.S. to order the afternoon of December 24 be recognized as a holiday, as well. Government employees are typically informed of this a few days in advance, so if you want M&S to be able to start their holiday a little early on short notice, this is how you can do it.

Interstate or Interstate highway: A nationwide network of limited access, high speed, divided highways. Speed limits are restricted to 55 miles per hour in urban areas, but may be as higher in rural areas (in Montana, I am told, there is no speed limit at all on rural Interstates). Interstates are numbered, with two digit numbers referring to highways which cross the country from East to West or North to South, and three digit numbers referring to highways which provide access to cities. Interstates are commonly referred to by their number: I-80 is Interstate 80, for example.

lower 48: The 48 contiguous states of the union; includes all states except for Alaska and Hawaii.

Miranda warning: This is a formal statement which the police must read to every person they arrest, advising the suspect of their legal rights. If this statement is not read to the suspect, it is possible that any future attempt to prosecute the individual will be compromised.

teddy: this is an item of lingerie, hip length, usually lacy and frilly and probably semi-transparent

unreconstructed: a person who is "unreconstructed" refuses to give up a way of life or a way of thinking that others feel is outmoded or obsolete; derives from our Civil War, when the period of military occupation of the Southern states was called "Reconstruction"

4.0 Spelling. In addition to differences in usage and vocabulary, there are some spelling differences. Based on the email I've gotten, these spelling issues are not as big a deal as the usage and vocabulary differences, but I decided to include a list of the ones I've noticed and had brought to my attention, for whatever it may be worth.

aluminium: aluminum

atishoo: atchoo

centre: center

colour: color

counsellor: counselor

fantasise: fantasize

favour: favor

kerb: curb

kilometre: kilometer

metre (unit of length): meter

no-one: no one

practise: practice

pyjamas: pajamas

realise: realize

recognise: recognize

sceptic: skeptic

theatre: some Americans would use this spelling to denote live performances (plays and so forth); others would not. But when you go to the movies in the U.S., you ALWAYS go to the theater.

traveller: traveler

tyre: tire

z: in the U.S., the 26th letter of the alphabet is pronounced "zee"