help an american get the uk lingo :)

[feedindy]

When I vacationed in England I ordered bacon and it looked like ham. I almost cried.
So what's bacon called in England then (the strips kind)?

 

[salander]

When I vacationed in England I ordered bacon and it looked like ham. I almost cried.
So what's bacon called in England then (the strips kind)?

bacon rashers are the strip bits otherwise you can have smoked or unsmoked bacon...... I love going to dennys when i'm holidaying in Florida and getting full brekkie (breakfast) with the link sausages and bacon rashers....with the hash browns and a1 sauce.....mmmmmm

 

[Maid Marian]

When I vacationed in England I ordered bacon and it looked like ham. I almost cried.
So what's bacon called in England then (the strips kind)?

Bacon is bacon! I'm not sure what you got given, but bacon = strips of pork that you fry and eat with eggs/sausages etc!

No body lives in trailers (caravans to us) we just go on holiday (vacation!) in them sometimes!!

I think quite a few people do live in caravans in england, except that they're not related to 'chavs' at all.

 

[J23]

When I vacationed in England I ordered bacon and it looked like ham. I almost cried.
So what's bacon called in England then (the strips kind)?

Streaky bacon.

 

[salander]

When I vacationed in England I ordered bacon and it looked like ham. I almost cried.
So what's bacon called in England then (the strips kind)?

Streaky bacon.

Oh god it is isn't it!!!! Streaky bacon (mmmmm my fave) is the strips and bacon rashers are the normal bits of bacon.....i stand corrected

 

[MrsWez]

ER American = A&E UK
Vacation American = Holiday UK
Pharmacy American = Chemist UK
Devastated American = Gutted UK
Ladybug American = Ladybird UK
Tylenol American = Paracetamol UK
Excited/Happy American = Chuffed UK
Attractive American = Fit UK
Whine American = Whinge UK
Argument American = Row UK

I don't understand what a is chav. I've seen it heard before but I have no idea what it means.

A chav is maybe your equivalent to trailer trash without the living in the trailer!!! No body lives in trailers (caravans to us) we just go on holiday (vacation!) in them sometimes!! You would call someone chavvy usually if they were young, had a big mouth on them , spoke in a certain way and wore particular clothes!!

Interesting. Thanks for the insight. We have something similar called a Guido. For an example, just watch the Jersey Shore.

 

[MrsWez]

Another thing we do here in the States that's a little strange is we refer to products by their brand name. Like if we need bleach, we'll say we need Clorox or if we need glass cleaner, we'll say we need Windex. Not everyone does this but most people do. Or so I've noticed as I do it too.

 

[Maid Marian]

Another thing we do here in the States that's a little strange is we refer to products by their brand name. Like if we need bleach, we'll say we need Clorox or if we need glass cleaner, we'll say we need Windex. Not everyone does this but most people do. Or so I've noticed as I do it too.

I think we do that here too, it's just become a habit now - we call sticky tape "sellotape" which is the brand name, but it's become interchangeable with the real name for it now. Or "hoover" for vacuum cleaner (although admittedly I call it vacuum!).

 

[jellytot3]

I don't understand what a is chav. I've seen it heard before but I have no idea what it means.

A chav is maybe your equivalent to trailer trash without the living in the trailer!!! No body lives in trailers (caravans to us) we just go on holiday (vacation!) in them sometimes!! You would call someone chavvy usually if they were young, had a big mouth on them , spoke in a certain way and wore particular clothes!!

Gypsys/travellers live in caravans in the UK... x

 

[mafiamom]

LOVE this! thanks so much for the info

"brilliant"

 

[YorkieMom]

I just posted a reply in another forum, which would probably be pretty useful here to. Not sure if any of these descriptions have been mentioned yet or not.

Also, some terminology is confusing me, maybe it's a language thing. Can anyone help me out defining what these are and hopefully attaching some images as well?

-travel system
-vests, nursing vests
-cellular blanket
-sleeping bags
-pram

I will do my best to translate for you, as I had to pick these terms up since becoming pregnant. In Canada we tend to use the American words.

Travel system - This is basically a stroller set that can be used from birth to about 2 or however long the kid takes to outgrow it. It's like the strollers that you can also put the baby seat on top of so you only have to buy one thing. I'd think most of the ones people buy in the States would be considered travel systems. I think my Bugaboo is also. Considered a travel system.

Vests, nursing vests - a vest in the UK is called a tank top in the US

Cellular blanket - Basically like a woven baby blanket. Google it, and look at the images section.

Sleeping bags - I'd never heard of a baby sleeping bag until I got pregnant here. I have no idea if they have them in the US, but they're basically like a thin, but warm little sleeping bag with holes for baby's head and arms to come out of. They're supposed to reduce SIDS and keep your baby warm without having to worry about the covers going off them, or covering their head.

Pram - basically another word for stroller, but more specialized for baby. It's like a new born stroller. Like the part of the bugaboo that has the bassinet attachemtn on it.

I've noticed in the UK, a lot of words are very specific whereas in North America we've simplified them and use 1 word to describe a few things.

Eg: In North America we'd just say stroller, where here they say Buggy, Pram, Push Chair, Travel System and Stroller - they're all different things most of the time.

In North America we just say crib, but here they're moses baskets, basinets, cotbeds and cribs - again all different things.

And a really random thing that has absoloutly nothing to do with babies is "Chewing Gum". In North America it's just gum. I don't know why they have to call it chewing gum here - we're all gonna chew it, there's no need to say it! Something else I still can't bring myself to say is "I'm going to the toilet". It sounds so descriptive and vulgar to me. I always say "I have to go to the bathroom" - my co-workers think this is really strange. Americans would say "I have to go to the restroom"

Hope that helps clear up any of the confusion!

 

[YorkieMom]

A few others that really confused me were:

In the UK I started hearing people say "We're having ____ for tea". I always found this extremely strange, but it turns out loads of people call their evening meal (dinner / supper) tea. It's usually a lighter version of dinner. I always thought it was really weird, because I just assumed they meant they were having tea (the drink) with a small snack or somethng which to me would be a cookie or something else small and snackish.

They also call dessert "pudding" which again, is really strange to me. In North America Pudding is a type of dessert. There isn't really an equivilant here, although I guess the closet thing would be chocolate mousse, but in North America pudding comes in almost any flavour imaginable and is made with milk. The only other pudding I knew of before I moved here was Christmas pudding, but not many people in North America eat or even know what that is I've found. Here it seems like people workship Christmas pudding around the holidays.

And I do hear people say "Lashings" here a lot.

 

[Maid Marian]

And I do hear people say "Lashings" here a lot.

It must be a regional thing to Surrey, I've never heard anyone say it, except in reference to Enid Blyton

 

[YorkieMom]

And I do hear people say "Lashings" here a lot.

It must be a regional thing to Surrey, I've never heard anyone say it, except in reference to Enid Blyton

I actually don't know anyone in Surrey that says it. I read a blog by a women in London and she's always saying lashings. I've also heard it a few times on tv. Once on a commercial for an Airline company, but can't remember which one.

 

[Maid Marian]

And I do hear people say "Lashings" here a lot.

It must be a regional thing to Surrey, I've never heard anyone say it, except in reference to Enid Blyton

I actually don't know anyone in Surrey that says it. I read a blog by a women in London and she's always saying lashings. I've also heard it a few times on tv. Once on a commercial for an Airline company, but can't remember which one.

Wow, I've managed to miss it! Strange!

 

[jocelynmarie]

When I vacationed in England I ordered bacon and it looked like ham. I almost cried.
So what's bacon called in England then (the strips kind)?

I've been to England several times, and I'm a picky American eater... I don't find much in England that I actually like.

Last time I was there we went out for drinks and ended up drinking way too much... I order a BLT for lunch the next which sounded SOOOOOOOOO good in my hungover state... and it ended up being plain bread (not toasted), butter, ham (which they called bacon) and the lettuce and tomato. I was so sad

The one thing I had, that I'd never heard of before was yorkshire pudding... YUM!!!

Otherwise, I found American chain restaurants mostly to eat at. I know, I know... how American can I be? lol

 

[anjadoem]

I want to know what GRITS are???
I think they are an American breakfast thing - but grit to me is small stones! Can't imagine eating that with my bacon and eggs !!!

 

[YorkieMom]

I want to know what GRITS are???
I think they are an American breakfast thing - but grit to me is small stones! Can't imagine eating that with my bacon and eggs !!!

Grits and kind of like porridge. It's more of a Southern US thing. You can either have them savoury or sweet. They come in individual packets and larger bulk canisters. My hubby is obsessed with them! We went to Texas last year where he tried them for the first time and he loved them so much we practically brought an entire suitcase home! They have Pre-flavoured grits such as cheese flavour, butter flavour, etc. My hubby prefers the plain ones Nd mixes scrambled eggs and cheese with them. We're going back to Texas in 2 weeks and he can't wait to buy more, even though he still has a few boxes from our trip last year!

You can get them in the American food section of Selfridges, but theyre really over priced.

 

[Jess812]

I want to know what GRITS are???
I think they are an American breakfast thing - but grit to me is small stones! Can't imagine eating that with my bacon and eggs !!!

Grits and kind of like porridge. It's more of a Southern US thing. You can either have them savoury or sweet. They come in individual packets and larger bulk canisters. My hubby is obsessed with them! We went to Texas last year where he tried them for the first time and he loved them so much we practically brought an entire suitcase home! They have Pre-flavoured grits such as cheese flavour, butter flavour, etc. My hubby prefers the plain ones Nd mixes scrambled eggs and cheese with them. We're going back to Texas in 2 weeks and he can't wait to buy more, even though he still has a few boxes from our trip last year!

You can get them in the American food section of Selfridges, but theyre really over priced.

thats strange! we would never have porridge with bacon, egg etc!

Porridge to us is a milky mix with lots of oatmeal mix you eat hot. hmmmm. You can add extra sugar, chocolate spread, strawberry jam or something like this to make it nice and sweet. OR you can have nuts or fruit with the porridge instead of having it sweet.

When I vacationed in England I ordered bacon and it looked like ham. I almost cried.
So what's bacon called in England then (the strips kind)?

I've been to England several times, and I'm a picky American eater... I don't find much in England that I actually like.

Last time I was there we went out for drinks and ended up drinking way too much... I order a BLT for lunch the next which sounded SOOOOOOOOO good in my hungover state... and it ended up being plain bread (not toasted), butter, ham (which they called bacon) and the lettuce and tomato. I was so sad

The one thing I had, that I'd never heard of before was yorkshire pudding... YUM!!!

Otherwise, I found American chain restaurants mostly to eat at. I know, I know... how American can I be? lol

Yes a BLT is a sandwich, Bacon. Lettuce and Tomato.
It seems our bacon is the main meat, Your bacon is the fatty strips with meat on too. In the UK that is called the 'streaky bacon' which is more of the strips of fat & bacon.

Yorkshire puddings!! Yummy Usually we have them with our Sunday dinners. (mash, chicken(or different meat if you wish), vegetables, roast potatoes and yorkshire puddings with gravy) which is lovely!!
Some people also eat these with jam or treacle on which is lovely too

 

[salander]

And I do hear people say "Lashings" here a lot.

You mean like lashings and lashings of gravy (pardon the example but i am a nothern bird!)
Or lashings and lashing of custard...... Ie loads and loads of custard?!