While the British and Americans argue about the proper meaning of words in number crunching.. I was
reminded of some local pronunciation differences.

I live where there are many nut orchards.

Almonds are very common. "Aymonds" the farmers will say, "Ahmonds" is more common pronunciation in town.

Finally, a farmer explained the difference.

"They are Ahlmonds on the tree, and Aymonds on the ground. Cause when at harvest time, we shake the L
out of 'em"

Would a proper English gentleman want his daughter to get knocked up before breakfast?

Of course, otherwise she might miss breakfast.

(Note to the Brits: In American slang "Knocked up" means pregnant. To get knocked up is to become pregnant.)

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BOINC WIKI

and in the USA, having Napkins on the table is polite.

And how about "pecans"? Pronounced "PEE-kans" up here, "pa-KAWNS" down where they grow. In some small restaurants in the southern US they apparently really didn't know what I meant when I ordered PEE-can pie.

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And how about "pecans"? Pronounced "PEE-kans" up here, "pa-KAWNS" down where they grow. In some small restaurants in the southern US they apparently really didn't know what I meant when I ordered PEE-can pie.

As with Almonds, I would have to defer to the guy who grows 80+ acres of the things. While I might disagree.. They have a powerful argument that they know what they planted.

As with Almonds, I would have to defer to the guy who grows 80+ acres of the things. While I might disagree.. They have a powerful argument that they know what they planted.

I'll use his pronunciation of pecans when he uses my pronunciation of about and house.

And this is how wars get started. Just kidding eh.

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Years ago I worked with a guy from England and he ask me for a rubber. It took me a while to find out he wanted a pencil easer. In America a rubber is slang for a condom.

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Years ago I worked with a guy from England and he ask me for a rubber. It took me a while to find out he wanted a pencil easer. In America a rubber is slang for a condom.

Hahaha! Poor guy, bet that was embarrassing.

Years ago I worked with a guy from England and he ask me for a rubber. It took me a while to find out he wanted a pencil easer. In America a rubber is slang for a condom.

Hahaha! Poor guy, bet that was embarrassing.

It was a different time. I never got the full birds and the bees talk. They thought I would learn everything I needed from somewhere, I don't know where. At that time I wasn't sure I knew what a condom was so I didn't correct him. It is very funny in hindsight.

Also I worked with two engineers at the time. One was American and with him the problem was never the hardware, it always had to be my software. On the other hand, the English guy was a perfect gentleman and when we worked together on a problem, the results were always greater than the sum of our efforts.

The truth takes some of the humor out of it.

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In the UK, a proposed government program is typically referred to as a "scheme".

In the US, the word "scheme" has a sinister connotation, so proposed government programs here are more gently referred to as "plans".

Unfortunately, neither tend to deliver as promised. :)

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Join the PACK!

In the UK, a proposed government program is typically referred to as a "scheme".

In the US, the word "scheme" has a sinister connotation, so proposed government programs here are more gently referred to as "plans".

Unfortunately, neither tend to deliver as promised. :)

I like that. Scheme would be a better description for what we end up getting.

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Years ago I worked with a guy from England and he ask me for a rubber. It took me a while to find out he wanted a pencil easer. In America a rubber is slang for a condom.

Hahaha! Poor guy, bet that was embarrassing.

It was a different time. I never got the full birds and the bees talk. They thought I would learn everything I needed from somewhere, I don't know where. At that time I wasn't sure I knew what a condom was so I didn't correct him. It is very funny in hindsight.

Also I worked with two engineers at the time. One was American and with him the problem was never the hardware, it always had to be my software. On the other hand, the English guy was a perfect gentleman and when we worked together on a problem, the results were always greater than the sum of our efforts.

The truth takes some of the humor out of it.

I'm sure he eventually figured out why people gave him strange looks when he asked to borrow a rubber. lol

As with Almonds, I would have to defer to the guy who grows 80+ acres of the things. While I might disagree.. They have a powerful argument that they know what they planted.

I'll use his pronunciation of pecans when he uses my pronunciation of about and house.

And this is how wars get started. Just kidding eh.

Ah you are going to have to find someone else to fight with on about(aboot/a-bawt) Been(bin/bean) .. on the alphabet I am pretty ingrained with A through
Zee (not Zed) in spite of having been born to canadian parents.

Of course the British get a very strange expression if we talk about Bisquits and gravy. (helpful hint.. American bisquits are NOT cookies)

mmm...gravy...mmmm

Biscuits and gravy, plus deep fried pork fat, may prove to be America's greatest contribution to civilization.

You can keep the grits though. Disgusting stuff.

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Years ago I worked with a guy from England and he ask me for a rubber. It took me a while to find out he wanted a pencil easer. In America a rubber is slang for a condom.

I made that mistake when I came to Canada when I was about 12. I went into the store and asked if they had a rubbers. I couldn't understand why the lady behind the counter gave me such a strange look.

Back in September, the day after we arrived I went into a bakery. They had a lovely selection of cinnamon cakes on display, over whelmed I said loudly "Hmmm, nice buns!"

The guy behind the counter who was bent over with his back to me stood up rather sharply and looked very embarrassed.

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Reality Internet Personality

Canadian expressions we Yanks find quaint.

He is in Hospital
he is on course (he is in training)
Full marks (making an A or a 100)
Some Agency-Canada such as Fitness Canada, Statistics Canada
Pronouncing resources as rezorzes
Zed for the letter Z

As with Almonds, I would have to defer to the guy who grows 80+ acres of the things. While I might disagree.. They have a powerful argument that they know what they planted.

I'll use his pronunciation of pecans when he uses my pronunciation of about and house.

And this is how wars get started. Just kidding eh.

Ah you are going to have to find someone else to fight with on about(aboot/a-bawt) Been(bin/bean) .. on the alphabet I am pretty ingrained with A through
Zee (not Zed) in spite of having been born to canadian parents.

Of course the British get a very strange expression if we talk about Bisquits and gravy. (helpful hint.. American bisquits are NOT cookies)

Then there is the phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, ...)

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BOINC WIKI

Yes,

In England there are Savory Biscuits (cookies) and a proper Pudd (a desert).

And of course a "Proper Pint" is still 20 0z to me even if the whole world has converted to the "Communist" liter system (KG, M, S)

The same problem occurs in other languages. I was in Panama once and needed some PVC pipe to make a repair on my boat. Proper Spanish is "Pipa de P V C" I asked a taxi driver to take me where I could buy Pipa de P V C. Drove me to this guy with a hand drawn wagon full of coconuts. In Panama Pipa the P V C means a plastic straw in a fresh coconut.
There are also 2 words for chicken, Pollo and Gallina. Normally dress or cooked chicken is called Pollo. A live bird is called a Gallina. But in Panama it's reversed. I was in a little restaurant in the country side and asked for taco's made of Pollo. The waitress laughed and pointed to a live chicken running around. I did say this was in the country side? She asked if I wanted a tortilla with my chicken.

Don't even bother trying to learn your way around New Zealand English.

Even if we have been voted the world's sexiest accent... ;)

EDIT: I assume all English speaking countries have the same table etiquette? Once you pick up a fork or knife, it shouldn't touch the table again until the meal is finished (even after!). If you need to get up, place the utensils on opposite sides of the dish.
Not IN the meal or the end of the knife/fork on the table.
Just as when you finish, slide the knife between one of the gaps in the fork.

It amazes me how many people are ignorant of these simple rules.

I don't really believe every utensil has a proper hand. I grew up with the fork in my left the knife in my right. Only because I'm left handed.

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- Luke.