Hey Changeling... in Australia we also use the word "Entree" but we use it the same way as the French, that is, to describe the starter course. Here's Wikipedia on the subject:
"An entrée (French, literally meaning entry or entrance) is a smaller course that precedes the main course, except in North America, where it is the main course."
This was fascinating to me, I had never been able to understand why Americans used it to describe the main course - but I saw a really interesting explanation from The Straight Dope guy which showed how it developed...
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American-isms
by White Dove 46 Replies latest jw friends
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hotchocolate
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doofdaddy
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned thongs.
In Australia we wear them on our feet!!
Men too!!
Flip flops UK, jandals NZ. What are they called in the U.S.?
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hotchocolate
Hey Doof, YEAH! But I gotta say, I can't work out why we call them g-strings.. you have to admit it doesn't make much sense..
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Princess Daisy Boo
Lol at Hot Choc - the robot thing gets everybody - goodness only knows how we came up with that one!!! I think that South African Engish tends to be more like Aussie and Brit English than American, but we really do have our own take on some things!
I love the way that language is animate and ever evolving,
I thought of a few more:
"Pavement" for "Sidewalk",
"Biscuits" for "Cookies",
"Cell Phone" for "Mobile",
"SMS" for "text",
"Lounge" for "Living Room and
"Couch" for "Sofa"
We call a barbecue a "Braai" and we call "trainers" or "sneakers" - "tekkies".
"Thongs" are called "Flip Flops" or "Slip Slops".
BTW, in SA, a fanny refers to a girls no no bits as well, and not the bum!
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kurtbethel
You Brits are correct about aluminium.
That is consistent with how other elements are named.
I propose a deal. We use aluminium and you drop that superfluous "u" that gets stuck in words like "colour".
Oh yeah, we push a cart around the store, not a trolley. We may ride the trolley, which is a small train, to get to the store where we push the cart. When we get home and want to relax we are really confused about what piece of furniture to lie on. It may be a sofa, couch, davenport, divan or ghod knows what we recline on.
A bugger or booger can be a scary creature, something plucked out of the nose, or something difficult. It is not something we do to someone's fanny. Or at least it was not something we would do until the Brits taught it to American G.I.s during one of the big wars in the last century. Imagine how their mates felt when they came back from the war and wanted to show off what they learned from the Brits. -
oompa
Rapunzel: Oompa: You write that the expression "'throw another shrimp on the barbie' is cool in Austria" Really? Gee, I always thought that they spoke German in Austria, not English. Uugh...don't you mean that this expression is "cool" in Australia? There is a big, big difference between Australia and Austria.Austria is a European nation that borders on Germany. Australia is both a country and a continent in the southern hemisphere. All of its major cities are on the coast. Its interior [the Outback] essentially consists of a huge desert.
HA......luv it....Dear my reference would not have been funny if I said Australia! It is a quote from "Dumb and Dumber" by Jim Carey where he attributes it saying to AUSTRIA!...oompa
one of the funniest and most underated movies of all time
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LouBelle
Princess daisy Boo - you're spot on - the best is the robot for traffic light
A "g" or g string for thong.
Prawns for shrimp.
Americans use Z in apologise, franchise and some others, we use an S
Biltong for Jerkey (dried meat?)
Autum for Fall
Ja for Yes
Plus us durbanites have a habit of saying "hey" at the end of a sentence
I've picked up a few british sayings .
Nakked for tired
Sorted for everythings in order
bollocks for BS
Add in'it onto sentences.