The UK and the USA may share a language (mostly) in common, but when it comes to a number of cultural customs, the Atlantic Ocean seems like the smallest thing separating them.
Whether it's their unique accent that somehow carries over into their typing, their obsession with tea, or the fact that they put baked beans on their toast, Brits certainly have a way of making those of us on the Western side of the world scratch our heads with confusion. That's not to say that Americans don't have quirks of their own, but here at Bored Panda, we think Great Britain deserves some special recognition this time around.
Check out the top British moments that left Americans completely stumped below, and be sure to vote for the ones that you're still trying to understand as well.
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My nan came onto facetime while i was talking to my sister, chatted sortly and then said "I have to go, I can't drink my tea unless its scalding hot" Its July...
I am from the US and I have thought the same thing ( why do we call it math when it should be maths) and always assumed I was just overthinking. Then I learned that Brits use maths and now I feel less foolish. Also, I love eagle f****r. Laughed out loud on that.
Us British can sneak up on you like a ninja in the night or even an iceberg in open water
Translation: Friend it's hard to explain, it's just like one day you will be with your friends having a look in a sports shop (called JD) and you might fancy the curry offer that's on at the local pub (called Wetherspoons) but your friend Calum, who is a legend and awesome will be like "Guys let's go to Nando's (a resturant chain in the UK, cheap and good tasting food, hence it feeling a bit cheeky) instead." and you'll think "Great idea. Let's go for it."
That's probably because they never had to become an independent country.
Why is that so weird to Americans? You know what I find weird? That Americans make everything sickly sweet and have an unhealthy relationship with Maple Syrup. On bacon? Really people?
And you thought us Brits were straight laced and uppity. Mr Blobby is proof, do not mess with the Brits if you don't want the nightmares Freddy Kruger gets when sick.
Due to the common market trade agreements, there was something of a campaign a while back for food terminology in Europe: They basically wanted all British chocolate renaming as chocolate candy because it wasn't pure enough by their standards (too much milk fat and sugar, not enough cocoa).
Actually all over Europe it's pretty common to have your washing machine in the kitchen. If the bathroom is too small and there is no extra room, where else would you put it? Also in some apartments the water/drain pipes for washing machines are installed in the kitchen only, so you really have no other choice.
We've been watching Vera, The Loch, Unforgotten, Happy Valley, Scott & Bailey & Shetland and have added so many great new insults and idioms to our speech! It's fun yelling k******d and calling each other cow. I think I have developed a Scottish, Yorkshire, Puerto Rican accent.
That reminds me of something I read. In germany the waterworks have to perpare for the breaks during important football games.
Makes sense, but.... I'm sure U.S.A. doesn't have the same accent in each state, just like the U.K. accents vary by countries and regions. Even in one single city of London you can differentiate between particular accents depending on the part of the city, no? Sorry, I'm an overthinker. *shrug*
Im british and have never seen, heardor tasted this. And i think it sounds terrible
so... you know those little plastic packs that hot dogs come in have a salty liquid in them, right? They're not vacuum sealed in there all dry.
faith sadly did not understand the concept of an egg cup. They are for boiled eggs, which are then eaten with a spoon.
Of course the spoon only comes in after the soldiers have done their bit... 6a01157253...027e32.jpg
Load More Replies...It's because they are hot and they roll around the plate.... this holds them upright so you can eat them properly and dip bread in the yolk
I think the confusion here comes from the US not eating a lot of soft-boiled eggs like that. It used to be common here, I have some vintage egg cups. But I don't know anyone who eats soft-boiled eggs, ick.
Load More Replies...This doesn't help dispel the myth that most Americans are imbeciles.
Egg cups used to be more common here (US), my great grandmother used them regularly.
/facepalm They don't have any concept of dippy eggs. The poor bastards.
In Europe they are, in North America they aren't because there eggs are expired sooner due to a anti-salmonella treatment or something.
Load More Replies...Guess they've never had the delicious taste of runny boiled eggs with toast soldiers dipped in them. Most of us have eaten them all our lives and never had salmonella from them. Cold, hard boiled eggs are for picnics
And then the dozy bloke below somehow thought that egg cups go in the fridge?! HAhahahaa!
I think they are a great idea, tho I never eat my eggs this way. I like them on a piece of toast so the runny bits soak up into the bread.
Egg cups are still used for soft-boiled eggs. Americans rarely cook them that way, though. Scrambled, omelets, fried, hard-boiled, and poached (my fave) are the primary choices.
You realize that generalizing is mostly wrong. Many, MANY Americans enjoy soft boiled eggs. In fact, now I'm hungry and I'm going to go make some!
Load More Replies...We use them here in Sweden as well! I'm more surprised that Americans don't use em! =/
americans are so terrified of even the remote possibility of samonella that most of us dont even know what soft boiled eggs are. american boiled eggs are always firm all the way through and are primarily used as a mush for various mayonayseee salad contraptions.
"american boiled eggs are always firm all the way through" There's that pesky generalization again. WRONG.
Load More Replies...fresh eggs are kept in cartons (in the fridge) and boiled are eaten with hands out of plate.
Brits are more 'civilized and don't eat food with their hands, usually teaspoon is used
Load More Replies...American here, I've never actually used one to eat an egg, but I've bought quite a few for my mom who collects them.
Please forgive me, but I don't understand what you guys are talking about when you say the soldiers?
Dont know who s right here but "keeping" is clearly in the fridge ^^ wrong words choice... and the eggs cup are used only for "oeuf a la coque" which means that the yellow is still liquid somehow (in france we use bread to eat them, others country use spoon or poched directly on the food). You dont need egg cup for hard boiled eggs, the main way to eat them in UK.
My grandmother used to soft boil us eggs and then break them open in a mug. Mix it up with some salt and pepper. Maybe it's more of a Latin thing than a US thing. I'm not a fan of runny egg anymore though.
In Canada and the USA, the eggs you buy in a grocery store are already refrigerated. They have also been washed before being put in the cartons and shipped to the stores. Because of this, eggs need to continue to be kept refrigerated. Now, if you're talking about freshly-gathered eggs from your henhouse, then you can store them without refrigeration.
Load More Replies...Egg cups are not for egg storage, they are used when the egg is boiled and is ready to eat. we also have egg cartons for storage.
Wait... Americans don't have soft boiled eggs?? Where is the joy in their lives?? :O
I've seen people use them for soft-boiled eggs but most Americans prefer hard-boiled.
Do yanks seriously not have egg cups? How do they dip their soldiers?
Actually we like having dippy eggs. Its just that we do them fried in a pan "over easy". Bit of an art to get it right.
Doesn't the pics showing the eggs cracked open, yellow, cooked yolk give any clue? These are ready to be eaten, not stored. Where are the toast soldiers?
I'd say that they're a bit impractical because plates and containers do the same thing. The only use for this, that I can see is possibly holding the egg in place while you're eating it
I wish we also have egg cups here in the PHL so that when I try eat a hard boiled egg it doesn't roll off the table when you want to put it down for a while. These egg cups also makes your table setting look vey civilized like "look! I don't have to eat a hard boiled egg with my hands because I have cup (egg cup) to hold it with!
What the f**k!!!!!! Who has informed you of this s**t? They're for boiled eggs not to store eggs.
What is this one blithering about? The English INVENTED egg ups! LOLOL! XD
I don't get this. They do have eggcups. I've lived in Britain for five years and every household I was in had them O.o Not for "keeping" the eggs in them, obviously, and they don't do soft boiled eggs very often (which I don't get, they're the best!), but they do have it. I am totally baffled with the idea that someone puts hard boiled eggs in it, though. Why? O.o Hard boiled eggs can be easily peeled, chopped, sliced onto something, eaten as whole with hands etc.. The cup is to hold the soft boiled egg that is eaten by spoon, why would you need it for the hard boiled one?
Actually, it used to be where if you ordered eggs in the shell (soft OR hard boiled) in a restaurant or in the hospital, they would arrive in a larger egg cup than pictured, and it was made of clear thick glass. This larger egg cup looks something like an upside-down goblet. The goblet end was on the bottom, against a plate, and covered your second egg, somewhat keeping it warm while you ate your first egg, which was served in the small end. In fact, these particular egg cups could double as goblets, and twice I've seen them in antique stores being sold as goblets. At the one store, I corrected the staff on what the items really were. At the other, the staff were occupied, and I didn't have time to wait.
Load More Replies...Umm. These cups are for eating like a dish... So not everyone is eating a meat oit of a box BRUH
Not a British thing. I've always use a cute little cup for my boiled egg
this is confusing do they mean storage or eating boiled eggs because we do have egg cups used for eating boiled eggs as for storage we have egg holders for the fridge but we don't need to keep our eggs in the fridge unlike the US 61w7M1FVou...57e2ba.jpg
Soft-boiled eggs are yuck. I don't even like fried eggs with runny yolks.
Yeah, Americans have this weird view of the British. In their TV shows EVERY British person either speaks in a really posh voice or is a cockney. WE DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!
when I first moved to the UK and switched on the TV I learned that this is a show about people who have some complaint that's "too embarrassing to show your doctor". But yeah, let's ALL have a look at that on national TV, why not.
It's correctly pronounced 'aitch', without the aspirant. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/aitch
That is my favorite TV show. I have NO CLUE what 90% of the things they are baking actually are -- never heard of them, never seen them. But the intensity with which they bake them is riveting!
And all this from a country that has a baseball tournament called the World Series that only teams from the US compete in. Obviously they see themselves as the entire world :)
recently found out its called the world series after an old newspaper call the world which was the original sponsor - still, they really should change it!
Load More Replies...A lot of rude people and a lot of rude replies. This was just supposed to be fun. Kind of disappointing.
I know, here we are in the year 2017, and respect and peace is such a far reach.
Load More Replies...Sod it! I am UK born and Bred... But I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND why the Yanks find it hard to grasp... But The Yanks ain't much better... How many Cereals WE CREATED HERE IN THE UK... Get to the states and get RENAMED for NO REASON!!! For instance - UK - Kellogs Frosties US - Kellogs Frosted Flakes? WHY???? There are so many more I can come up with... How about how We play Rounders, but the US made it Baseball? Why is Football in the US so much Like Rugby but teh game where you actually use your feet to kick the ball - and not your hands to pick it up and run with it is called SOCCER? There are so many silly idiosyncrasies... I just hoe we can all have a laugh at how DUMB we can ALL BE and appreciate our differences!
Soccer is actually a British term, originally. In the late 19th and early 20th century, there was an effort to try to establish a single set of rules for football, but there were so many variations, that they had to be divided into two groups. One was Association Football, called 'Soc football, for short: that word became "Soccer". Both words were used interchangeably, for years, but when footie became popular in America, there was already a popular sport, based looselyon the OTHER form of football, as popularised at the rugby School. So in the U.S., rugby became the dominant form, and in Britain, Soc football became the dominant form, and in each country, the popular form was called football, while the lesser form took on the alternate name. As to rounders/baseball, they're not the same game: they, and cricket, developed as separate branches of a game often known as "base".
Load More Replies...The word 'fortnight' is from Old English meaning fourteen nights. I found some of the responses highly amusing!
they put a bowl in the sink to save water, during the heatwave of 76 we had a severe water shortage and still use them today because we pay by the litre for tap water
Started off like innocent fun then went dark. I'm neither British nor American but felt uncomfortable reading some jokes.
I'm both and understand it fully. Brit Dad /American Mom. Yeah I get it. Most Americans don't kn ow that the Union Jack is not the English flag...
Load More Replies...Why are Americans so shocked that there's a different world outside the US? Britain isn't even that different and it's already enough to be patronised, seriously? It should be pretty obvious that things are different in different places. As much as I like Americans in general, it never ceases to amaze me just how tiny their comfort zone is and how mesmerised they are by smallest deviation from what they're used to.
We aren't shocked at all really. We know there is a different and fascinating world out there beyond our borders. Let me ask you this... haven't you ever visited a friend's house and notice that there are some things they do different? You would see it all over the place here in the states. Everyone is different. So with that said, we are fascinated by the not so subtle differences in other countries. Mainly the language because that is the easiest way to connect with someone elsewhere. Marysia (pretty name btw), it's not about our comfort zone, it's about how we learn to appreciate other people and their differences.
Load More Replies...reminds me how i was awed by brits when i watched trainspotting.as an asian i'm still amazed by brit people.like,they're confusing but it's ok 'cuz they're cool and funny and you like it.
What's up with those downvotes?!? Did people really downvote posts because they are about something sexual??? (Aaaaaand let me guess the nationality of the people that downvoted that.... -_- )
Fannypack would not work over there. F***y means something....entirely different.
yup you guys keep your f***y in the wrong place :)
Load More Replies...All supposed to be in fun but taken far too seriously across the pond . I mean we also have an alternative meaning for the word "TRUMP"across this side of the pond we are far too polite to explain our version. Bear in mind that we had use of the words first and but for the bunch of tight arsed voyagers whingers who happened to stray too far from England the words might still have meaning for you. For example the word should obviously be acclimatise but where the hell did acclimate come from.
Hold on... what do you keep your hotdogs in?.... Also seriously what is with the sink bowl? I am british and I bloody hate those waste of time things.
Don't worry about the hot dogs nobody buys those....Just like we don't buy American cars :D
Load More Replies...one thing i will NEVER understand is that americans basically have a dessert for breakfast. pop tarts, cinnamon buns, sugar loaded cereal. then you have to pay for healthcare. honestly its kinda confusing and messed up
The funniest one I came across is the word F***y. In America it is the bum but in uk it is the women’s private part.
If Trump had his way, we would become the 51st state. Perish the thought.
American fireworks is to celebrate a plot against the government, too...only theirs succeeded.
I CAME HERE BECAUSE OF THE SINK BIN PREVIEW AND IT'S NOT EVEN PART OF THE ARTICLE. DAMN CLICKBAIT. boring-pan...5480d4.png
"Whether it's their unique accent that somehow carries over into their typing" What, you actually think there's only ONE accent in the whole UK?!
Our daughter spent a quarter at Cambridge University. I went for a visit in the last part of May and almost froze to death. May in the South of the US has already gone through spring and we are in the 90's. The day I got there it was sleeting. The University had turned off the heat because that is just what one does. The 1st of June, we were in Edinburgh Scotland. The local kids were laying out on the grass and it was SNOWING! I thought we should have checked because they might be dead. My daughter made me be quiet but I was concerned. The first thing I really noticed was the tea cart. Everyone, except me, jumped up and followed the cart. If you came through the train with a coffee cart in the States, no one would jump up. It just wouldn't happen. I enjoyed my trip but the young people were a little hard to understand. They used slang that I didn't understand and said "f**k" in various forms too many times. I will probably go back but I will never try to drive again.
Turks drink more tea then English, why people act like they drink tea like whole day.
Turks drink more tea then English, and I dunno why world act like English drink tea whole day.
The thing with the X is from when people couldn't read and it was a way of signing your name it then came to be a short cut for things like love and kisses etc.
Wait... wine by the glass in convenience stores? I thought it tea, only tea, all the time!?
Canadian here with a somewhat British background I guess. Love tea, beans on toast, wash my dishes in a dishpan in the sink and on and on... What makes us different makes us interesting... be who you are lol.
Trump - in America its a president, in England it's a fart....... but no real difference there!
is a toast sandwhich like a legit thing? I mean I've heard of beans on toast at least. but not a toast sandwhich.... Also British people get concerned that we call all types of cookies cookies. (snickerdoodle chocolate chip oatmeal its all cookies and they don't understand lol)
Oh and beans on toast is all my youngest son would eat when he was going through a fad. Personally, I prefer beans and cheese on toast or on a jacket potato (baked potato). Oh, and x just means love or a kiss or something that is just nice. Like really? I even used to do that when I live in Canada!
Oh and 'F***y Packs'... 'F***y' refers to the vaginal opening... A bit gross, so please, it's not that weird. Plus in North America, they refer to rubbers as condoms, whereas in the UK, rubbers, rub out pencil mistakes. LOL
As far as the toastie is concerned, it is not a 'toast sandwich'... It is filling placed between two pieces of bread, buttered on the outsides of the sandwich and then placed in a sandwich maker, a bit like a waffle iron. My favourite is basic ham and cheese... Rip apart and dip in ketchup - But then again, I learned this when I went to school in Norway for a year when I was 19. Yummmmm - one of my favourite memories!
I moved back to the UK nearly 30 years ago and was shocked about the washing machine in the kitchen. However, there is one big difference between North America and the UK... That being space... If you think about it, the UK would fit into the province of Alberta nearly 3 times (sorry - I grew up in Alberta - so my reference point) The UK has just over 65 million inhabitants. In Alberta, there are just over 4 million inhabitants. So, therefore, most homes in the UK are packed into a much smaller area and have far less floor space. This means that it is generally less likely that people have room for a laundry room. And by the way, most UK homes don't have basements, so that rules out that space. This is also probably one of the reasons that in the UK, they use plastic tubs in the sink... Space... Most older UK homes don't have a double sink. Then I suppose the rest is tradition. If your mum used one, then you probably will as well.
In the UK, there are different types of crossings with different rules. You have a standard crossing, like at traffic lights. Then you have the pelican crossing which you have to press a button and lights stop the traffic. Finally you have the zebra crossing which has a lit pole and a crossing resembling the lines of a zebra - hence the name - and a person only has to walk up to the crossing and cars must stop immediately. This zebra style crossing is common - not always with the lit pole- accross much of Europe.
What's wrong with "zebra crossing"? In Germany we have the same term "Zebrastreifen" (= zebra stripes).
We do not all talk street in England I understand it but I dont talk like that. Plastic wine glasses are popular as they are disposable after use
#7... as a welsh man I can say we try really hard to forget about england but the buggers over the bridge still insist on sticking their noses into our business
The power thing is true and its all to do with the fact that major British sporting events don't stop every 10 minutes for a TV commercial break like the US ones do. So when half time comes about in any major football or rugby event, everybody goes into the kitchen and turns the kettle on to make a cup of tea (or Coffee in my case). We have a couple of special power stations in North Wales whose role is to deal with the power demand spikes when they happen.
To the people who think the World Series was named after a newspaper, that is FALSE. It's an old wives tale. To the people who bristle about us calling the World Series "world" by all means put together a team and challenge the World Series baseball champion team. The after they beat the living c**p out of your team, will you allow us to call it a World Series?
What, you think our Cuban and Puerto Rican team couldn't beat your team made up of Cubans and Puerto Ricans?
Load More Replies...#30 is mind blowing not as mind blowing as what a CHip butty is and why the eff we didn't think of it first (frenchfry sandwich )
#30 blows my mind also a chip butty is a french fry sandwich on buttered bread with ketchup mustard and or brown sauce on it ....i have no idea how they came up with that before us
Who the heck stamped American Style on a jar of pickled meat? There is nowhere in this nation where you will find hot dogs in brine jars. They are in plastic ziplocked hotdog pouches and usually double sided (4 dogs per side).
As an American living in the Republic of Ireland, I found this whole thing hilarious. My question is, why can't Brits "th" instead of replacing it with a v or and f.? As in Mover instead of mother birthfday instead of birthday?
I have never pronounced any of those words like that, and neither do the majority of British people. You know, I think you may have been watching too much Eastenders.
Load More Replies...Americans should google 'toilet flushing at half time in the superbowl'
Americans should google 'toilet flush problems at half=time in teh superbowl'
Do Americans have or understand regional names for people. I'm talking about calling someone something dependant on where they come from. Do you know what a scouser is? Or a Deedah? Or a Geordie? Or a Jock.. Do you guys have anything similar?
Northerner, southerner, Texan, Californian, and Alaskan. The rest is from ______(say region or state here).
Load More Replies...Do Americans have or understand regional names for people? I'm talking about calling someone something dependant on where they come from. Do you know what a scouser is? Or a Deedah? Or a Geordie? Or a Jock? Do you have anything similar?
As opposed to all Americans being Yanks, a Yankee is someone from the East Coast north of the Mason-Dixon line. Also known as carpet baggers when they move south of said line.
Load More Replies...Too funny. I got to visit Britain in 1993. The conversations are hilarious. They had shrimp sandwiches in the vending machine at our hotel for just one pound. They were delicious. Jizz.
I went to Europe and England was my favorite spot! Loved the scenery, the history and the people.
I love you America, you're so fantastically daft and never met one of you that I didn't like. Xxx
so what are the "xxx" for anyways? Are you blowing kisses? =P
Load More Replies...I love to actually see differences from americans. One day I'll get to finally visit Britain, hopefully.
SO: What about putting the plastic tub in the sink to do dishes? You got us here using that as enticement & then didn't address it! What gives?
So you can still throw stuff down the plug hole. Tea dregs etc. Milk your kids forgot to finish. Water in tub stays cleaner longer. Logic.
Load More Replies...I come from country where wine is made for for many centuries. Nobody, but nobody would buy wine packed in plastic glasses.
You don't wash your dishes in the bathtub so whyyyyy would you not put a bucket in the sink that's washed your baby's stinky off? ! Geeezzz. ..
It's not a bucket. It's a tub just for dishes. I wash mine with bleach twice a week and I rinse it every time it's used.
Load More Replies...I guess we can play like this with all the different french speaking countries : Belgium, Swisserland, Quebec etc... Or the portugues speaked in Portugal or in Brazil... Americans just forgot that the first english migrants were probably speaking like this 250+++ years ago. All the languages changes are mostly due to a mix with other people coming from other countries. Languages are not frozen and continue to evolve for the better and sometimes the worst.
...unless they are religious languages such as Classic Arabic and Biblical Hebrew. Otherwise yes. Linguistics is fascinating.
Load More Replies...American born and bred but I have an affinity for all things Brit and the BBC is a must. I find the language and custom idiosyncrasies to be delightful! Every country has their pet names for things others will never understand and things we do and say here in the US boggle minds across the world! Why not just celebrate the differences and have a good laugh? People these days are so critical and snarky! Love the Brits!!! <3
Now that I think about it. Both of my parents are American, but my grandfather came from Britain in the mid-1900s, and my mother has British ancestry, but America was first a British colony. So that means, I'm mostly British. Wow, what the Internet can make you realize. I don't know why I didn't figure this out sooner.
And all this from a country that has a baseball tournament called the World Series that only teams from the US compete in. Obviously they see themselves as the entire world :)
recently found out its called the world series after an old newspaper call the world which was the original sponsor - still, they really should change it!
Load More Replies...A lot of rude people and a lot of rude replies. This was just supposed to be fun. Kind of disappointing.
I know, here we are in the year 2017, and respect and peace is such a far reach.
Load More Replies...Sod it! I am UK born and Bred... But I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND why the Yanks find it hard to grasp... But The Yanks ain't much better... How many Cereals WE CREATED HERE IN THE UK... Get to the states and get RENAMED for NO REASON!!! For instance - UK - Kellogs Frosties US - Kellogs Frosted Flakes? WHY???? There are so many more I can come up with... How about how We play Rounders, but the US made it Baseball? Why is Football in the US so much Like Rugby but teh game where you actually use your feet to kick the ball - and not your hands to pick it up and run with it is called SOCCER? There are so many silly idiosyncrasies... I just hoe we can all have a laugh at how DUMB we can ALL BE and appreciate our differences!
Soccer is actually a British term, originally. In the late 19th and early 20th century, there was an effort to try to establish a single set of rules for football, but there were so many variations, that they had to be divided into two groups. One was Association Football, called 'Soc football, for short: that word became "Soccer". Both words were used interchangeably, for years, but when footie became popular in America, there was already a popular sport, based looselyon the OTHER form of football, as popularised at the rugby School. So in the U.S., rugby became the dominant form, and in Britain, Soc football became the dominant form, and in each country, the popular form was called football, while the lesser form took on the alternate name. As to rounders/baseball, they're not the same game: they, and cricket, developed as separate branches of a game often known as "base".
Load More Replies...The word 'fortnight' is from Old English meaning fourteen nights. I found some of the responses highly amusing!
they put a bowl in the sink to save water, during the heatwave of 76 we had a severe water shortage and still use them today because we pay by the litre for tap water
Started off like innocent fun then went dark. I'm neither British nor American but felt uncomfortable reading some jokes.
I'm both and understand it fully. Brit Dad /American Mom. Yeah I get it. Most Americans don't kn ow that the Union Jack is not the English flag...
Load More Replies...Why are Americans so shocked that there's a different world outside the US? Britain isn't even that different and it's already enough to be patronised, seriously? It should be pretty obvious that things are different in different places. As much as I like Americans in general, it never ceases to amaze me just how tiny their comfort zone is and how mesmerised they are by smallest deviation from what they're used to.
We aren't shocked at all really. We know there is a different and fascinating world out there beyond our borders. Let me ask you this... haven't you ever visited a friend's house and notice that there are some things they do different? You would see it all over the place here in the states. Everyone is different. So with that said, we are fascinated by the not so subtle differences in other countries. Mainly the language because that is the easiest way to connect with someone elsewhere. Marysia (pretty name btw), it's not about our comfort zone, it's about how we learn to appreciate other people and their differences.
Load More Replies...reminds me how i was awed by brits when i watched trainspotting.as an asian i'm still amazed by brit people.like,they're confusing but it's ok 'cuz they're cool and funny and you like it.
What's up with those downvotes?!? Did people really downvote posts because they are about something sexual??? (Aaaaaand let me guess the nationality of the people that downvoted that.... -_- )
Fannypack would not work over there. F***y means something....entirely different.
yup you guys keep your f***y in the wrong place :)
Load More Replies...All supposed to be in fun but taken far too seriously across the pond . I mean we also have an alternative meaning for the word "TRUMP"across this side of the pond we are far too polite to explain our version. Bear in mind that we had use of the words first and but for the bunch of tight arsed voyagers whingers who happened to stray too far from England the words might still have meaning for you. For example the word should obviously be acclimatise but where the hell did acclimate come from.
Hold on... what do you keep your hotdogs in?.... Also seriously what is with the sink bowl? I am british and I bloody hate those waste of time things.
Don't worry about the hot dogs nobody buys those....Just like we don't buy American cars :D
Load More Replies...one thing i will NEVER understand is that americans basically have a dessert for breakfast. pop tarts, cinnamon buns, sugar loaded cereal. then you have to pay for healthcare. honestly its kinda confusing and messed up
The funniest one I came across is the word F***y. In America it is the bum but in uk it is the women’s private part.
If Trump had his way, we would become the 51st state. Perish the thought.
American fireworks is to celebrate a plot against the government, too...only theirs succeeded.
I CAME HERE BECAUSE OF THE SINK BIN PREVIEW AND IT'S NOT EVEN PART OF THE ARTICLE. DAMN CLICKBAIT. boring-pan...5480d4.png
"Whether it's their unique accent that somehow carries over into their typing" What, you actually think there's only ONE accent in the whole UK?!
Our daughter spent a quarter at Cambridge University. I went for a visit in the last part of May and almost froze to death. May in the South of the US has already gone through spring and we are in the 90's. The day I got there it was sleeting. The University had turned off the heat because that is just what one does. The 1st of June, we were in Edinburgh Scotland. The local kids were laying out on the grass and it was SNOWING! I thought we should have checked because they might be dead. My daughter made me be quiet but I was concerned. The first thing I really noticed was the tea cart. Everyone, except me, jumped up and followed the cart. If you came through the train with a coffee cart in the States, no one would jump up. It just wouldn't happen. I enjoyed my trip but the young people were a little hard to understand. They used slang that I didn't understand and said "f**k" in various forms too many times. I will probably go back but I will never try to drive again.
Turks drink more tea then English, why people act like they drink tea like whole day.
Turks drink more tea then English, and I dunno why world act like English drink tea whole day.
The thing with the X is from when people couldn't read and it was a way of signing your name it then came to be a short cut for things like love and kisses etc.
Wait... wine by the glass in convenience stores? I thought it tea, only tea, all the time!?
Canadian here with a somewhat British background I guess. Love tea, beans on toast, wash my dishes in a dishpan in the sink and on and on... What makes us different makes us interesting... be who you are lol.
Trump - in America its a president, in England it's a fart....... but no real difference there!
is a toast sandwhich like a legit thing? I mean I've heard of beans on toast at least. but not a toast sandwhich.... Also British people get concerned that we call all types of cookies cookies. (snickerdoodle chocolate chip oatmeal its all cookies and they don't understand lol)
Oh and beans on toast is all my youngest son would eat when he was going through a fad. Personally, I prefer beans and cheese on toast or on a jacket potato (baked potato). Oh, and x just means love or a kiss or something that is just nice. Like really? I even used to do that when I live in Canada!
Oh and 'F***y Packs'... 'F***y' refers to the vaginal opening... A bit gross, so please, it's not that weird. Plus in North America, they refer to rubbers as condoms, whereas in the UK, rubbers, rub out pencil mistakes. LOL
As far as the toastie is concerned, it is not a 'toast sandwich'... It is filling placed between two pieces of bread, buttered on the outsides of the sandwich and then placed in a sandwich maker, a bit like a waffle iron. My favourite is basic ham and cheese... Rip apart and dip in ketchup - But then again, I learned this when I went to school in Norway for a year when I was 19. Yummmmm - one of my favourite memories!
I moved back to the UK nearly 30 years ago and was shocked about the washing machine in the kitchen. However, there is one big difference between North America and the UK... That being space... If you think about it, the UK would fit into the province of Alberta nearly 3 times (sorry - I grew up in Alberta - so my reference point) The UK has just over 65 million inhabitants. In Alberta, there are just over 4 million inhabitants. So, therefore, most homes in the UK are packed into a much smaller area and have far less floor space. This means that it is generally less likely that people have room for a laundry room. And by the way, most UK homes don't have basements, so that rules out that space. This is also probably one of the reasons that in the UK, they use plastic tubs in the sink... Space... Most older UK homes don't have a double sink. Then I suppose the rest is tradition. If your mum used one, then you probably will as well.
In the UK, there are different types of crossings with different rules. You have a standard crossing, like at traffic lights. Then you have the pelican crossing which you have to press a button and lights stop the traffic. Finally you have the zebra crossing which has a lit pole and a crossing resembling the lines of a zebra - hence the name - and a person only has to walk up to the crossing and cars must stop immediately. This zebra style crossing is common - not always with the lit pole- accross much of Europe.
What's wrong with "zebra crossing"? In Germany we have the same term "Zebrastreifen" (= zebra stripes).
We do not all talk street in England I understand it but I dont talk like that. Plastic wine glasses are popular as they are disposable after use
#7... as a welsh man I can say we try really hard to forget about england but the buggers over the bridge still insist on sticking their noses into our business
The power thing is true and its all to do with the fact that major British sporting events don't stop every 10 minutes for a TV commercial break like the US ones do. So when half time comes about in any major football or rugby event, everybody goes into the kitchen and turns the kettle on to make a cup of tea (or Coffee in my case). We have a couple of special power stations in North Wales whose role is to deal with the power demand spikes when they happen.
To the people who think the World Series was named after a newspaper, that is FALSE. It's an old wives tale. To the people who bristle about us calling the World Series "world" by all means put together a team and challenge the World Series baseball champion team. The after they beat the living c**p out of your team, will you allow us to call it a World Series?
What, you think our Cuban and Puerto Rican team couldn't beat your team made up of Cubans and Puerto Ricans?
Load More Replies...#30 is mind blowing not as mind blowing as what a CHip butty is and why the eff we didn't think of it first (frenchfry sandwich )
#30 blows my mind also a chip butty is a french fry sandwich on buttered bread with ketchup mustard and or brown sauce on it ....i have no idea how they came up with that before us
Who the heck stamped American Style on a jar of pickled meat? There is nowhere in this nation where you will find hot dogs in brine jars. They are in plastic ziplocked hotdog pouches and usually double sided (4 dogs per side).
As an American living in the Republic of Ireland, I found this whole thing hilarious. My question is, why can't Brits "th" instead of replacing it with a v or and f.? As in Mover instead of mother birthfday instead of birthday?
I have never pronounced any of those words like that, and neither do the majority of British people. You know, I think you may have been watching too much Eastenders.
Load More Replies...Americans should google 'toilet flushing at half time in the superbowl'
Americans should google 'toilet flush problems at half=time in teh superbowl'
Do Americans have or understand regional names for people. I'm talking about calling someone something dependant on where they come from. Do you know what a scouser is? Or a Deedah? Or a Geordie? Or a Jock.. Do you guys have anything similar?
Northerner, southerner, Texan, Californian, and Alaskan. The rest is from ______(say region or state here).
Load More Replies...Do Americans have or understand regional names for people? I'm talking about calling someone something dependant on where they come from. Do you know what a scouser is? Or a Deedah? Or a Geordie? Or a Jock? Do you have anything similar?
As opposed to all Americans being Yanks, a Yankee is someone from the East Coast north of the Mason-Dixon line. Also known as carpet baggers when they move south of said line.
Load More Replies...Too funny. I got to visit Britain in 1993. The conversations are hilarious. They had shrimp sandwiches in the vending machine at our hotel for just one pound. They were delicious. Jizz.
I went to Europe and England was my favorite spot! Loved the scenery, the history and the people.
I love you America, you're so fantastically daft and never met one of you that I didn't like. Xxx
so what are the "xxx" for anyways? Are you blowing kisses? =P
Load More Replies...I love to actually see differences from americans. One day I'll get to finally visit Britain, hopefully.
SO: What about putting the plastic tub in the sink to do dishes? You got us here using that as enticement & then didn't address it! What gives?
So you can still throw stuff down the plug hole. Tea dregs etc. Milk your kids forgot to finish. Water in tub stays cleaner longer. Logic.
Load More Replies...I come from country where wine is made for for many centuries. Nobody, but nobody would buy wine packed in plastic glasses.
You don't wash your dishes in the bathtub so whyyyyy would you not put a bucket in the sink that's washed your baby's stinky off? ! Geeezzz. ..
It's not a bucket. It's a tub just for dishes. I wash mine with bleach twice a week and I rinse it every time it's used.
Load More Replies...I guess we can play like this with all the different french speaking countries : Belgium, Swisserland, Quebec etc... Or the portugues speaked in Portugal or in Brazil... Americans just forgot that the first english migrants were probably speaking like this 250+++ years ago. All the languages changes are mostly due to a mix with other people coming from other countries. Languages are not frozen and continue to evolve for the better and sometimes the worst.
...unless they are religious languages such as Classic Arabic and Biblical Hebrew. Otherwise yes. Linguistics is fascinating.
Load More Replies...American born and bred but I have an affinity for all things Brit and the BBC is a must. I find the language and custom idiosyncrasies to be delightful! Every country has their pet names for things others will never understand and things we do and say here in the US boggle minds across the world! Why not just celebrate the differences and have a good laugh? People these days are so critical and snarky! Love the Brits!!! <3
Now that I think about it. Both of my parents are American, but my grandfather came from Britain in the mid-1900s, and my mother has British ancestry, but America was first a British colony. So that means, I'm mostly British. Wow, what the Internet can make you realize. I don't know why I didn't figure this out sooner.