George Bernard Shaw once said that the Americans and British were two countries separated by language. Until I lived in London for six months on a work placement I never quite appreciated what he meant. I mean the normal changes in vocabulary weren’t so much of a problem. In the UK the elevator is called a lift and the sidewalk is called the pavement. No big deal, right?
Or so you’d think. My first embarrassing moment came when I needed to buy some new pants. Now if you’re from the UK you already know what’s going to happen next. When I asked my new colleagues where I could buy some pants they looked at me kind of funny. I had no idea what the problem was till at lunch break they took me to a store that sold boxer shorts.
When I was younger I went on a driving holiday around America. Or should I say a road trip. In Britain there are so many US sitcoms and talk shows on TV that most people know their fair share of American English. But the differences in the two languages did still cause me some trouble once or twice especially the night my car got a flat tire. Wisconsin in the winter, it was really cold outside, it was snowing and my car had a flat tire.
I walked to the nearest small town and found a garage. The tow truck took me back to the car and the mechanic got out and asked me where I kept the spare wheel. I told him of course, the wheel was in the boot. He had no idea what I was talking about. With a confused expression he said to me ‘the wheels in your boot’’
Iowtrish: My goodness, I’ve taught British English for years, but never come across that saying. Is it North American?
My answer: You are right. You’ve hit the nail on the head because it is North-American phrase.
-Ow! I just got a charley-horse in my leg.
-Don’t hike too far or you’ll get a charley horse.
-She got a charley horse in her leg and had to stop dancing.
cell-phone (cellular phone/ cell)(NAmE)
mobile phone/mobile (BrE)= the telephone that doesn’t have wires by radio, that you carry with you and use anywhere.
-I’m afraid I need to return this mobile phone
-Her cell phone isn’t working
-I talked to her on my cell phone.
-The use of cellular phones is not permitted on most aircraft.
Many thanks Bez, I copied it from the Oxford but it goes without saying that it can be a very strict explanation . I think that we say in all parts of the globe: TV. We say very rarely television in Hungary also.
It is interesting the pronunciation of the schedule.
BrE: (ʃedjuːl)
USE: (skedʒʊl)
Collocations:
according to schedule = ponctually on time
ahead of schedule = before the planning time
as scheduled = on scedule
class schedule = time-table for a class
heavy schedule = one program after the other, there isn’t time between them
on schedule = as sceduled/ as arranged
the project is a little behind schedule =this project wasn’t arranged on time
a train schedule = timetable
tight schedule = have lot of things to do in a short time
the channel’s schedules = a list of radio or TV programmes