Living in the South of England I am totally confused by the last two posts!! Messages!!! Messages is to me what you write down when the phone goes for your hubby and he is out!
Wow, I was very confused by that one too. Nothing has stumped me yet on the "British word of the day" which is pretty good for an American (I watch a LOT of BBC news and shows)...but wow, never heard of going for the messages.
What in the world...what possible relation does 'messages' have to do with groceries? Enlighten me, dear Scots? and press for cupboard? Ok, I guess cupboard makes no sense either, so there. We say cabinet or pantry.
This is all so fun, it is like the endless conversations I have had with people (in the north east US) since I got here. After 4 years I can still get funny looks for phrases my friends hadn't heard before. It is easier for us possibly because we have had endless US TV shows and movies to hear the American way of saying things!
I get funny looks with some of my phrases just moving around the US. Probably best that we have only had one stent in a foreign country, or I would really be messed up! :)
I lived in Scotland for a while (I am English though!) and got a bit confused when my next door neighbour referred to the 'bottom press' - turned out he meant the cupboard under the stairs...
I remember telling an American friend that I carried a torch in my handbag (I am a structural engineer, so useful for loft spaces etc at work) - he went quiet for a bit, then said "do you mean flashlight?" What did he think I meant, he didn't say and I want to know now!
Mysk_girl, Americans know a torch as a stick of wood with an oil soaked rag wrapped around the end, which is lit on fire when illumination is needed. So you can imagine that your friend was maybe a bit in awe of you for a moment. Ha!
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How true. In Scotland we also don't go shopping for food, we go for the messages.
ReplyDeleteDawn x
We do the messages here in Ireland too... and put them in the press (cupboard) when we get home.
ReplyDeleteLiving in the South of England I am totally confused by the last two posts!! Messages!!! Messages is to me what you write down when the phone goes for your hubby and he is out!
ReplyDeletethat's a new one one me- never heard the dish soap thing before, I tend to to use a brand name and say 'Fairy' whatever the make
ReplyDeleteWow, I was very confused by that one too. Nothing has stumped me yet on the "British word of the day" which is pretty good for an American (I watch a LOT of BBC news and shows)...but wow, never heard of going for the messages.
ReplyDeleteWhat in the world...what possible relation does 'messages' have to do with groceries? Enlighten me, dear Scots? and press for cupboard? Ok, I guess cupboard makes no sense either, so there. We say cabinet or pantry.
ReplyDeleteThis is all so fun, it is like the endless conversations I have had with people (in the north east US) since I got here. After 4 years I can still get funny looks for phrases my friends hadn't heard before. It is easier for us possibly because we have had endless US TV shows and movies to hear the American way of saying things!
ReplyDeleteI get funny looks with some of my phrases just moving around the US. Probably best that we have only had one stent in a foreign country, or I would really be messed up! :)
ReplyDelete*stint*
ReplyDeleteI lived in Scotland for a while (I am English though!) and got a bit confused when my next door neighbour referred to the 'bottom press' - turned out he meant the cupboard under the stairs...
ReplyDeleteI remember telling an American friend that I carried a torch in my handbag (I am a structural engineer, so useful for loft spaces etc at work) - he went quiet for a bit, then said "do you mean flashlight?" What did he think I meant, he didn't say and I want to know now!
Mysk_girl, Americans know a torch as a stick of wood with an oil soaked rag wrapped around the end, which is lit on fire when illumination is needed. So you can imagine that your friend was maybe a bit in awe of you for a moment. Ha!
ReplyDeleteJessica, it already affected your kids. Gretchen probably still says "Zed says zzzz, Zed says zzzz..."
ReplyDeleteMysk_girl, also the thought occurs that the phrase "Carry a torch" in America means that you still have romantic feelings for a past love interest.
ReplyDeleteLove Mysk-girl's comment and your explanation - hilarious! In our family we say "Where's the Fairy" when washing up..... no matter what brand it is.
ReplyDelete