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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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?
"Pulp" is a band. "Juicy bits" are simply juicy and awesome. I'm ok with this one :D
There had better be a Pulp tribute act called Juicy Bits...
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I refuse to drink juice with "juicy bits" until they specify what the "juicy bits" are. Maybe they wanted to get rid of an employee but couldn't find a reason, and he was leaning over a juice vat one day...
Believe me,in the UK, genitalia is referred to by a whole range of different words..!
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"Juicy bits" are a more "attractive" word. Can't you Americans get a bit of sense?
I always thought "pulp" as a word sounds pretty gross... but maybe not as gross as the one we use, which would be directly translated into "fruit meat"... ummmm... 😂
Fruchtfleisch sounds always disgusting. No need to translate it! XD
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its because if it said with pulp we might think it had bits of jarvis cocker in it
And here I thought bits were naughty. Juicy bits even more so! Then again, I giggle every time I walk past the frozen fish sticks in the market: "Made with minced Cod Pieces". Yes, I am 40 going on 12...
This is the second time we've had this conversation. stop talking about your tiny little penis on bored panda!!!! if you feel the need to say it's big it's probably pretty much microscopic. Go grab a pair of tweezers and go jack off in the corner. nobody wants to know.
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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)
That's also what's cool about it. There are a lot of dynamics because slow periods accentuated by major action when someone hits a homer etc. A lot of Americans (Myself included) think soccer / football is boring because so little scoring. If they made the goals larger that would help?
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 crap out of your team, will you allow us to call it a World Series?
The World Series was named by the World Series newspaper/magazine, it just stuck....a lot of the players are not from the United States but are from all over the baseball playing world, and since when is Canada ( which has the Blue Jays in Toronto ) a U.S. based team? What's more to the point is the NFL which puts "world champions" on their rings.....now the NFL is entirely within the U,S, and is the only country that plays American football.....a better analogy than baseball which is played in Canada, Australia, Japan, Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, to name a few, eh?!
Canada also plays American Football...we've got the CFL
I guess you've never heard of NFL Europe? Or the CFL? American football is also played in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, France, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador. Those are the ones I've seen on YouTube and on TV. But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of your hatred of this country and its traditions. Wikipedia also mentions Austria, Finland, Switzerland, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, and Sweden.
Just for kicks, the CFL should pronounce the Grey Cup winner as "World Champions". / btw, there have been a few teams from USA that played in the CFL. The team from Baltimore, MD USA, actually won it. Oh yeah, and the Grey Cup is more than twice as old as the Superbowl.
Because there are Canadian teams in Major League Baseball
How many professional British baseball teams are there?
Way to totally discard Canada... :) And we are the best in the world at baseball... :)
'scuse me! 'scuse me!!! The US is NOT the only country to compete. That jewel of the Commonwealth, Oh, Canada, also competes. HRUMPH
Other countries are welcome to come in and try their hand. I don't have high hopes for them.
We are. Y'all are just tag-a-longs on our journey!
As far as I remember, The Toronto Blue Jays and the Montreál Expo's also play - making it more than the USA... But I haven't lived in Canada for nearly 30 years