Notes from the U.K.

Exploring the spidery corners of a culture and the weird stuff that tourist brochures ignore.

British and American English: a link

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Ellen Hawley

Okay, all you fans of British and American language differences: Rush right over to Separated by a Common Language and read her post on untranslatable words and phrases. They range from the American podunk to the British health and safety.

You’re welcome

4 thoughts on “British and American English: a link”

Pit on December 17, 2017 at 5:19 pm said:

Thanks for the link, Ellen! :)

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- Ellen Hawley on December 17, 2017 at 6:48 pm said:
  
  It’s a pleasure.
  
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Christine Valentor on December 17, 2017 at 9:14 pm said:

Interesting! As an American, though, I have never heard “podunk” or “padiddle”. Must be regional?
For podunk we might say “bumpkin”. No padiddle, but I remember a game we called “Tins-tins” which was similar, except rather than headlights, we were to spot a Volkswagon. LOL!

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- Ellen Hawley on December 18, 2017 at 10:34 am said:
  
  I never heard of a padiddle till I moved to Minnesota, so it may be a Midwestern thing, or an Upper Midwestern one. I can’t remember where or when I first heard about podunk. It could’ve been at the same time. I don’t remember hearing it in New York.
  
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