[b]I Said / His Lordship Said... Anglo-American Expressions[/b]

[LonesomePolecat]

didn't see this one

 

BRIT- suspender belt

USA- garter belt

[cmvgor]

This one popped up in the middle of today's crossword, and I don't think its been represented

here before.

 

BRIT -- Dear

AMER -- Expensive, costly

[cmvgor]

I don't have time to scroll the whole thread, but I don't think this one has been used here.

 

BRIT -- Mean

AMER -- Stingy, tightwad

[cmvgor]

Brit -- Chemist

Amer -- Druggist

 

Brit -- Could you direct me to the nearest apothecary?

Amer -- Where's the nearest drugstore?

[cmvgor]

BRIT -- Last card in the pack, looks like.*

AMER -- Close to the end.

 

...*Verbatum from Cary Grant in *None But The Lonely Heart*, expressing his fear that his mother is close to death.

[Jenetico]

I have to add this one. When Susan Boyle the singing sensation from the British Talent show, lost it recently, she used some "unmentionable" words.

 

The British Newsman said "Her language was a bit fruity".

 

So Brit: Fruity

 

Amer: Cussing

[cmvgor]

So--

BRIT -- fruity

AMER -- salty, blue

 

Message was edited by: cmvgor

[cmvgor]

> {quote:title=cmvgor wrote:}{quote}

> BRIT -- Demobed, on Civey Street

> AMER -- Out of the Service; a civilian now.

 

Another BRIT term with the same meaning: Cashiered. Peter Ustinov to Michael Crawford in

*The Sundowners* : "Cashiered means they gave you another promotion, and you were out

of the Navy all together." (paraphrased, not quoted)

[cmvgor]

BRIT -- I'll click my fingers.*

AMER -- I'll snap my fingers.

 

...* Verbatum from a recent Network drama in which a Brit shrink used that method to bring a

patent out of hypnosis. (third try)

[cmvgor]

BRIT -- A Queue

AMER -- A Line

 

(People waiting for service at a ticket window, sales counter, etc.) (second try)

[cmvgor]

BRIT -- Hire purchase

AMER -- Finance, installment plan, easy-payment, etc.

[cmvgor]

BRIT -- I daresay we'll drop a rat down his trousers right off.*

AMER -- We'll get rid of him pretty quick, no problem.

 

...*Verbatum from the BBC sitcom "Waiting For God", rerun on PBS

[cmvgor]

MILITARY CONTEXT:

 

BRIT -- National Service (status)

AMER -- Draftee

 

(i.e, a person serving a government-mandated term of military service, as distinguished from a person who voluntered or who is a career member of the military.)

[cmvgor]

MILITARY CONTEXT

 

BRIT -- To go on the General List

AMER -- To go career military

 

...Said when a draftee, reservist or one-term volunteer elects to change status and become a career member of the military. In the TV movie biopic of Lady Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew

used that term when he decided to become a career Royal Navy officer.

[cmvgor]

BRIT -- Knacker Yard

AMER -- Glue Factory, Dogfood Factory

 

...The British series "All Creatures Great And Small" carried a couple of stories where Vet James

Herriot was trying to save an animal, while a hopeful "Knacker Man" waited and watched.

 

...An episode of the BBC sitcom "Are You Being Served?" included dealings with an elderly employee unwilling to retire. He was told at one point, "(The boss) wants to take you to the Knacker Yard!"

 

...American CF: The mustang wranglers in The Misfits made reference to a dogfood factory as their eventual customer.

[cmvgor]

MILITARY CONTEXT

 

BRIT -- "Should you go sick? *

AMER -- "Do you want to go on sick call?"

 

...*Verbatum from Michael Crawford in *How I Won The War*

[Kid Dabb]

[click here for related article|http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090824/ap_on_fe_st/eu_odd_britain_rhyming_slang]

[cmvgor]

Yo, Dabb;

Good information. Also, the BPS affiliate, on a fund-raising drive, is offering Brit slang dictionaries as a low-ball contribution reward for the fans of the BBC sitcoms that they broadcast. I personally

am limiting myself to expressions actually read or seen in the media. I'll even settle for this one:

 

BRIT -- "Fancy a crisp?" *

AMER -- "Would you lie a potato chip?"

 

...* Verbatum from the GEICO Gekko.

[cmvgor]

How did we miss this one for so long?

 

BRIT: MP = Member Of Parliment (To say 'My MP' is like saying 'My 'Congressman' or

'My Senator'.

 

AMER: MP = Military policeman. As with any cop, can be a figure of oppression, or of fun.

[cmvgor]

BRIT: "Looks like I'd better pull me socks up."*

 

AMER: I'd better get my act together, get my ducks in a row," etc.

 

...Verbatum from Andy Capp in the funnypapers.

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS, MATES!

[cmvgor]

BRIT: Sloane or "Sloane Ranger"

AMER: Yuppie

 

...Young, urban, upscale. (Turned up in a crossword, and checked out on the Net.)

[cmvgor]

BRIT -- To slog one's guts out.

AMER -- To work one's a*s off.

[cmvgor]

deleated. duplicate.

 

Edited by: cmvgor on Dec 28, 2009 10:39 PM

[cmvgor]

BRIT: To Let

AMER: For Rent

[cmvgor]

BRIT: He had his collar felt by the Bobbies.

AMER: The cops busted him.