U.S. vs UK words/sayings

[PhotonWrangler]

If I recall correctly, the hood of a car is called a bonnet in the UK, correct? That just sounds so wonderfully proper.

 

[Norm]

If I recall correctly, the hood of a car is called a bonnet in the UK, correct? That just sounds so wonderfully proper.

And the trunk is the boot.

Norm

 

[ven]

Yes correct,i often lift the bonnet to check my oil and water,then throw my stuff in the boot

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Thanks. A bonnet sounds like something dainty that I wouldn't expect to find any dirt or grease under.

 

[ven]

Thanks. A bonnet sounds like something dainty that I wouldn't expect to find any dirt or grease under.

Little pic of a few bonnets,we call it the walt salute!!!(he is always under his bonnet faffing)


Its just a thing we do now for fun,walts in oz now,great guy,in some of my youtube vids...............when i took his truck to a pay and play(off road site) but i digress sorry

But some bonnet pics for you

 

[Steve K]

Little pic of a few bonnets,we call it the walt salute!!!(he is always under his bonnet faffing)
.....

"faffing" is one of the UK terms that throws me... I assume I can figure out the meaning from context, but I'm never quite sure. My assumption is that it means fiddling around or tinkering, with an implication of wasting time or being marginally productive.
Am I close??

 

[ven]

Very close steve as in just that .......well to me anyway :twothumbs

 

[broadgage]

The person who runs a locomotive is an engine driver, not an engineer.

Yes for a steam or diesel locomotive, and SOMETIMES for an electric locomotive, but a pedant would call the driver of an electric locomotive a "motorman"

And back in the old days, "engine driver" was applied to the person in charge of a static steam engine in say a power plant. An old text book that I have about the electrical industry refers to the day to day operation of small industrial power stations

"in small industrial plants, day to day operation is normally left in charge of the engine driver, with the works electrician being called in for any exceptional work"

 

[Hot Brass]

Git=idiot HB

 

[ven]

Plonker= stupid/idiot/moron

 

[Norm]

"faffing" is one of the UK terms that throws me... I assume I can figure out the meaning from context, but I'm never quite sure. My assumption is that it means fiddling around or tinkering, with an implication of wasting time or being marginally productive.
Am I close??

You can add blather to that one Steve.

Norm

 

[ven]

Not heard of that one norm............

 

[PedroDaGr8]

http://bitsandpieces.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/imagesenglish-American-vs-British.jpg

Image tags removed see Rule #3 Do not Hot Link images. Please host on an image site, Imageshack or similar and repost – Thanks Norm

 

[ven]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ :laughing: some of them are new to me anyway,love the rooty tooty point and shooty one :laughing:

 

[ven]

Oh and its windscreen wipers or wiper blades up here(northern) in UK

 

[mcnair55]

We should get them all using the cockney( London talk )

A couple of examples

Danny La Rue (Clue)
La Di Da (Cigar)
Hank Marvin (Starving)

 

[Norm]

You can add blather to that one Steve.

Norm

blath·er
ˈblaT͟Hər/
verb
verb: blather; 3rd person present: blathers; past tense: blathered; past participle: blathered; gerund or present participle: blathering; verb: blither; 3rd person present: blithers; past tense: blithered; past participle: blithered; gerund or present participle: blithering; verb: blether; 3rd person present: blethers; past tense: blethered; past participle: blethered; gerund or present participle: blethering

1.
talk long-windedly without making very much sense.
"she began blathering on about spirituality and life after death"
synonyms: prattle, babble, chatter, twitter, prate, go on, run on, rattle on, yap, jabber, maunder, ramble, burble, drivel, blabber, gab; More
informalyak, yatter, yammer, bloviate, talk a blue streak
"he just blathered about his old girlfriends"

noun
noun: blather; noun: blither; noun: blether

1.
long-winded talk with no real substance.
synonyms: prattle, chatter, twitter, babble, prating, gabble, jabber, rambling;

 

[jabe1]

Please don't complicate this with cockney. I'm pretty good with the basics, but the cockney is all rhyme and rythm, using many things known only to the locals; nearly impossible.

 

[Kingfisher]

The American "English muffin" is both a travesty of Englishness and muffindom.

 

[Steve K]

My guess is that it is called an English muffin because there's not a better name for it. It looks more like an American biscuit than it does an American muffin. In texture, it's more like bread.... maybe sourdough??

I suppose that it is as English as the french fry is French.