53 Times Americans Were Surprised By British Things
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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Actually quite useful: "biweekly" is confusing as some may consider that as twice a week or every 2 weeks. "Fortnightly" can only mean once every 2 weeks.
I live in the US and have never heard biweekly used to mean twice a week. It is said "twice a week" if that is what is meant. And most places pay biweekly, so no one is confused by that as everyone takes their pay checks very seriously. :)
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Ah yes the illustrious fortnight. To be used when you feel like saying two weeks is too informal and forteen nights is just a mouthful.
Just to clear that up, biweekly means every two weeks. Something that happens every half month is "semi-monthly," or if it happens every half year, "semi-annually." Since it's odd to do something every half week, given that there's an odd number of days in a week, "semi-weekly" sounds more odd than "twice a week," which could just as easily mean two days in a row every seven days.
Fortnight actually means 14 nights. 15 days. Not the same as 2 weeks. We need fortnight and i use it all the time.
You say "week"? What's wrong with "7 days"? Year? What's wrong with 365 days? Etc. you probably don't even know what tuppence hapenny means! : )
I’m an American and I use fortnight? I’ve heard it used since I was a very young kid....
Fortnight is a very old term...anyone who was required to read the Gettysburg addressed learned them pretty quickly.
Haha! A fortnight is two weeks silly.. must check on the origins of this word.
Have an American friend who thought fortnight meant the same as month. First he confused everybody at the meeting by announcing the next (monthly!) meeting to be in a fortnight, then was the only no-show at said meeting, and finally was very confused himself when we explained to him what fortnight actually means.
Also... why Americans don't say "fortnight": 1) There are no names for any divisions within fortnight. 2) There's not a regular number of fortnights per month. 3) What common thing happens once per fortnight? I mean, some people get paid once per fortnight, but they don't even necessarily get paid on the same week within a fortnight? It's not like you're going to go out drinking with your buddies because you all got paid on a certain day of the fortnight. So, since you're not going to say, "this fortnight," "biweekly" works as easily as "fortnightly" and is much easier to say.
Fortnight like... fourteen nights from now? It makes sense, though I didn't know that word (and I live closer to UK than to USA).
Bi-weekly is just confusing, when it can mean twice a week or every two weeks. Fortnightly is a much better word. Go with it America!
Hah, been Stateside for over 9 months and never considered that Fortnight isn't even a word here >.<
That's at least 18 fortnights, yet the issue hasn't come up once?
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Approximately a fortnight left until the Emoji Movie hits theaters, July 28th.
Someone's plugging the movie. (I actually wanna see it tbh)
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Fortnight was used in centuries past, but after we kicked the British out and burned their forts the word was no longer needed. :)
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 fucker. 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 knobhead 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.
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
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!
Look at the Nationalities of MLB players now, then ask yourself if they should change it. #WorldSeries
you mean ZA WAAAARUDO.....-BOOM random jojo referrence
Yep they were the original sponsor.....I don't have a problem with that because the players are from all over the baseball playing world.....I do take issue with the NFL putting "world champions" on their superbowl rings.....
No, the New York World was NOT the original sponsor. Don't they have Snopes in the U.K.? ;-)
I am an American born and raised and I used to wonder the same thing. Why is it called "The World Series" if it doesn't involve teams from other countries. Then I found out why and understood. But that doesn't mean that I nor anyone else I know (and I know a shit ton of folks) believe that the USA is the entire world. I do find it fascinating tho that folks from Britain or any other country think that we think that of ourselves.
They have to call it the World Series because it's so damn boring they have to make it sound exciting. My lacrosse coach during practice "if you want to stand around, go play baseball"
LOL I guess I can understand your comment if you have never played the game to begin with. I am the same with soccer and golf. Never played either and I think they are super boring! But I have played baseball and softball a good part of my life. I will say that playing outfield can be boring so I played where the action was and that was either pitcher of first base. Don't knock it till you try it (yes I should take my own advice too hahaha)