BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Awkward words in the US

kazza474 · June 12, 2012 1:43 am

Tantalus wrote:

Budgie smugglers

So... budgie smugglers are what you call those smooth, round hand-rail thingies on ships. Right?

NOOOOOOOOO.
Budgie Smugglers are Speedos/ swimming trunks/ racing style swimming attire for men.

A Budgie is a small bird (I'm sure everyone knows that)

From the Urban Dictionary:
1. budgie smugglers
Australian slang term for men's tight-fitting Speedo-style swimwear. The 'lump in the front' apparently resembles a budgie when it is stuffed down the front of someone's shorts. Ah, those crazy Aussies!!

Tantalus · June 12, 2012 2:18 am

Davina wrote:
Sammy...what about Gift?
Oh and Mist?
And Lust!

Very intrigued... A gift is, well, a present. Mist is like fog. Lust is, well, lust. Are there other meanings??

Tantalus · June 12, 2012 2:21 am

kazza474 wrote:
NOOOOOOOOO.
Budgie Smugglers are Speedos/ swimming trunks/ racing style swimming attire for men.

A Budgie is a small bird (I'm sure everyone knows that)

kazza, I was kidding about the rail. Guess my attempt at wit doesn't always translate across the continents and fiber-optic wires (or however this crazy internet stuff works).

And may I raise my hand and confess that I couldn't have told you a budgie was a bird to save my life. Based on the picture, I definitely would have guessed something else...

kazza474 · June 12, 2012 3:42 am

Oh I knew you would have been kidding Tanty, but for others who may have thought " Geez they smuggle birds in handrails Down Under?" I thought I'd elaborate. Besides, anytime I can post a pic of half naked males should never be overlooked!
(You should see my avatar in the staff thread ..... not allowed in here sorry)

A Budgie is a Budgerigar, a small parrot like bird. Probably the most kept 'pet bird' in these parts.

sherlockskitty · June 12, 2012 4:02 am

men in speedos...sorry, but not my cup of tea!!!

Davina · June 12, 2012 7:05 am

Tantalus wrote:
Davina wrote:
Sammy...what about Gift?
Oh and Mist?
And Lust!

Very intrigued... A gift is, well, a present. Mist is like fog. Lust is, well, lust. Are there other meanings??

Sorry, I should have made this clearer. Sammy was talking about 'false friend' words in German ( at least that's what I call them). The words I gave (above) are words in both German and English but have, very, different meanings.

sherlockskitty · June 15, 2012 5:46 am

USA--sweater
UK- jumper

WHY? Sorry but this makes no sense at all to me. A jumper to me has 2 meanings---1.) a tank-top like dress which you wear a shirt under ; and 2) Someone who jumps. First time I heard this it was within the Harry Potter movies/books. I'm such a late bloomer to certain things!!

Last edited by sherlockskitty (June 15, 2012 5:48 am)

Davina · June 15, 2012 5:56 am

We do say 'sweater' as well as 'jumper' here though. Must be confusing. Yes and a jumper is also someone who jumps.

Sentimental Pulse · June 15, 2012 11:22 am

sherlockskitty wrote:
men in speedos...sorry, but not my cup of tea!!!

Amen, guys wearing speedos is a big turnoff. No need for advertising. I also like boxers over briefs on my guy He has no choice because I have to personally drag him like a little boy to do any clothes shopping. Men.

sherlockskitty · June 15, 2012 9:11 pm

sigh. MEN!!!! I have the same problem. sigh.

ancientsgate · June 16, 2012 12:58 am

Brit sod-- [informal] a youth or man
Brit sod #2-- [vulgar] A person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible
Brit sod #3-- [vulgar, interjection] Exclamation of annoyance

US sod-- Surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots

Don't forget all the many car-related differences of terminology:

US hood, UK bonnet
US trunk, UK boot
US fender, UK wing
US antenna, UK aerial
US truck, UK lorry
US parking lot, UK car park
US defroster, UK demister
US turn signals, UK indicators
US windshield, UK windscreen
US license plate, UK number plate
US gas, UK petrol
US rotary or traffic circle, UK roundabout
US muffler, UK silencer
US shoulder, UK verge
US detour, UK diversion

The list is actually a lot more extensive than that, lol.

Sentimental Pulse · June 16, 2012 1:11 am

sherlockskitty wrote:
sigh. MEN!!!! I have the same problem. sigh.

You go girl I'm with you.

kazza474 · June 16, 2012 2:40 am

JELLY
In Australia that is a gelatinous dessert with varying flavours. (Note the correct spelling of flavours)
It is NOT something one spreads on toast or bread.

JAM
This is a fruit conserve used to spread on toast & bread etc.

ancientsgate · June 16, 2012 3:57 am

kazza474 wrote:
JELLY
In Australia that is a gelatinous dessert with varying flavours. (Note the correct spelling of flavours)
It is NOT something one spreads on toast or bread.

JAM
This is a fruit conserve used to spread on toast & bread etc.

In the US, jam has either seeds or bits of whole fruit in it. Like raspberry, strawberry, apricot, black raspberry and grape jams, and many others. To us, jelly is without "lumps and bumps"-- grape, apple and seedless version of the various berries.

What you call jelly, we call Jell-O, like the brand name Jell-O. Or gelatin, more formally. It comes in various fruity flavors (note the correct spelling of flavors) *smile*

veecee · June 16, 2012 3:14 pm

"Duvet" began to replace "comforter" in the US when some marketer wanted to make them sound more upscale.

Please note that when I mentioned in another thread that I liked the fit of Sherlock's pants, I meant trousers! (In fact, I translated in that post.)

In the US, "p*ssed" (I don't swear in print), means angry and "p*ss off" means to make angry. For example, "I'm p*ssed off at my boss for making me work late" or just "I'm pissed." I believe "p*ssed" is drunk in Britain, no? And, of course, we know what Sherlock meant when he told John what people usually say to him. For that expression, we would say (vulgarly) "F*ck off!" or (less vulgarly) maybe "Bug off!" Although the latter doesn't really carry the same punch.

Brits, is there a word for smell that is something like "pom"?

Oh, and I've heard Speedos called "grape smugglers," but "budgie smugglers" is even better.

Last edited by veecee (June 16, 2012 3:23 pm)

hepzibah · June 16, 2012 5:11 pm

Veecee, I think the word for smell that you are looking for in pong, as in "those socks really pong".

Does anyone not Australian know what a bogan is? Don't google it, have a guess.
And can you use the word "cactus" with its Aussie meaning in a sentence?

Your prize is honourary citizenship!

Last edited by hepzibah (June 16, 2012 5:12 pm)

veecee · June 16, 2012 5:18 pm

hepzibah wrote:
Veecee, I think the word for smell that you are looking for in pong, as in "those socks really pong".

Does anyone not Australian know what a bogan is? Don't google it, have a guess.
And can you use the word "cactus" with its Aussie meaning in a sentence?

Your prize is honourary citizenship!

Thank you. One of our PBS stations used to run endlesss reruns of "Are You Being Served?" In one episode, people say "What's that p...?" and I could never make out the word.

Dramagod · June 16, 2012 5:24 pm

Well to start, I think the word "awkward" is awkward. Lots of weird words in the English language but we have more and even awkwarder, trust me.

jenosborn · June 18, 2012 1:36 am

I'm really enjoying these! others came to mind today…

cell phone / mobile phone
call me / ring me
exit / way out
yield / give way
potato chips / crisps
round trip ticket / return ticket
take out / take away
on vacation / on holiday
on Baker Street / in Baker Street

kazza474 · June 18, 2012 1:44 am

Dramagod wrote:
Well to start, I think the word "awkward" is awkward. Lots of weird words in the English language but we have more and even awkwarder, trust me.

Ohhh, it's a brilliant word to use to stop yourself saying 'too much' .

I learnt this from my Twitter friend Elizabeth. Here she is with a good tweet:

Elizabeth Windsor - Queen_UK
Just watched a vintage episode of Mr Bean before realising it was Ed Miliband giving evidence at the #leveson enquiry. Awkward.