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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.

#1

American Vs British

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Lauren Southwood
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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...

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#3

American Vs British

a-thousand-words Report

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didi
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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#5

American Vs British

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E Menendez
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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#7

American Vs British

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Nicola Morley
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Us British can sneak up on you like a ninja in the night or even an iceberg in open water

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#8

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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loveandbones
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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."

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#10

American Vs British

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Xmayze
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone told me a lot of Americans don't even own a kettle, I'm slightly scared to ask if that's true....?

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#12

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Claire Kidd
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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?

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#13

American Vs British

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Steve
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Pulp" is a band. "Juicy bits" are simply juicy and awesome. I'm ok with this one :D

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#14

American Vs British

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TC
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I suppose people in the USA get a compulsory tip because the don't earn enough from their employers and have to life on their clients charity...?

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#16

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Fire Bird
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you youtube Anglophenia she explains why there are two taps. They didnt want the hot water being contaminated by the cold water as they had seperate tanks. This was back in the day, they just do it now as nostalgia thing.

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#18

American Vs British

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Nicola Morley
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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#20

American Vs British

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didi
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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).

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#23

American Vs British

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Brigitte
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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#24

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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ispeak catanese
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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#26

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Ninshi TheImp
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That reminds me of something I read. In germany the waterworks have to perpare for the breaks during important football games.

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#29

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Daria B
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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*

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#30

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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#33

American Vs British

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Steve
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because it saves on plug-ware. I save pounds every year on not having to replace plugs for my sink.

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#34

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Cynthia McDonald
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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#35

American Vs British

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Hans
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

faith sadly did not understand the concept of an egg cup. They are for boiled eggs, which are then eaten with a spoon.

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#36

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Claire Kidd
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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!

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#38

American Vs British

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Steve
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Celebrating the day King James I survived what was essentially a terrorist plot to blow up the House of Lords. Interestingly we celebrate by blowing stuff up whilst freezing our collective backsides off and waving sparklers about.

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#39

American Vs British

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Ines Äffchen
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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#41

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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John Doe
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

exactly, that's just what you say!! or may be "past midnight" as well

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#43

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Neil Adams
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's correctly pronounced 'aitch', without the aspirant. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/aitch

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#44

American Vs British

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Cynthia McDonald
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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!

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#46

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Mark Penrice
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hockey. The word you are looking for is hockey (on horses). If you're playing Polo and it looks like baseball, something has either gone terribly wrong, or groundbreakingly right. Funnily enough the first time i ever saw anyone playing it was on some dusty ranch in an episode of Knight Rider, so don't act like it's something you don't have.

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Smithsonian
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why do South Africans even know what Polo is BUT AMERICANS DONT!?

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Cherie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most Americans do, however, most Americans (unless they were very sheltered) know what water polo is also.

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gedwards1
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's polo. We have a game very much like baseball called Rounders, it is played by schoolgirls.

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Cheryl Birkhimer
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's polo, & I don't mean Ralph, though he uses it as his logo on some lines. The rich Argentinians play it too. At half time the spectators can go out on the field, hopefully avoiding any possible horse poo, & put the divits (sp?) back where the hooves of the horses have torn up the field. Or you can just sip bubbly.

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Blind Oracle
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder if anyone ever tried that. The horses might mind, tho

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Amanda Charaba
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have polo in the states, its generally a rich persons game though. Polo reminds me of Croquet on horses though lol

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Kandi Kirk
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you have ever seen a baseball game you would not mistake the two. Ones a bat you swing in the air, ones a long hammer thingy you swing on the ground.

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Victoria Simmons
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For god's sake, don't you know anything? It's field hockey on horses.

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Murilo Passos
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

rounders is like baseball except the bat is smaller and you gotta carry the bat around the course after hitting the ball

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Murilo Passos
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they do play rounders its quiet like baseball except the bat is smaller plus after you hit the ball you dont drop the bat you run around the course with it

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Karen Cromarty
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No it's more likely that baseball was created as an Americanisation of a similar game developed in England called either baseball or rounders. ... Both cricket and rounders have been played in England for at least five centuries. It is entirely possible that they both originated from the same game prior to that.

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