# Britishisms **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2004, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462 "2004-12-24T09:51:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/61 "2004-12-26T16:34:22Z")
> [@StephenG](#): > > To add to the glossary, I’m under the impression that the UK ‘sucker’ is a US ‘lollipop’. I’m not sure what a US ‘sucker’ would be… Lollipop and sucker are both hard candy on a stick in the US, but “sucker” is also used as a synonym for “chump” - someone who is easily duped. A gobstopper is a jawbreaker (extremely hard, round candy, no stick.) And we in the US don’t have “sweet shops” - we have candy stores. I think most Brits refer to the places where they buy things as “shops” while Americans tend to call them “stores.” ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/62 "2004-12-26T16:36:42Z")
US “I guess so” UK “I think so” or “I suppose so” US Elementary School UK Primary School US Orange drink UK Orange squash US white trash UK ned/spide/chav (regional variation) US Muppet= puppet from Jim Henson’s creature shop UK Muppet=idiot US Bake sale UK Cake sale (I think there’s also room for a lot of confusion with jumble sale/car boot sale/bring and buy sale/white elephant versus “yard sale”.) ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/63 "2004-12-26T16:36:46Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > :I have 2 questions: what in hell is a kirby grip (is it a ponytail holder or a barrette?) and what is an Alice band (is it a headband like Alice in Wonderland wore?). Alice band is a headband, but I have no idea what a kirby grip is. I do know that what we call a “barrette” is what my English friend Kathleen calls a “hair slide.” ---
**Author:** ![kiffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kiffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiffa)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/64 "2004-12-26T16:40:52Z")
I kinda like “Knickers in a twist?” ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/65 "2004-12-26T16:44:22Z")
**eleanorigby** , a kirby grip is a bobby pin. “umbrella stroller” is a “buggy” Also, American “bangs” become a British “fringe” when you’re talking about the bit of hair that covers your forehead. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/66 "2004-12-26T17:21:15Z")
> [@AWB](#): > > Only in reference to the pavement of an airport runway. The runway? I thought it meant not the runway, but the pavement on the area surrounding the terminals where the planes are loaded, and the passengers get on and off. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/67 "2004-12-26T17:24:38Z")
There is a difference between and **child-minder** and a **baby-sitter**. The former is someone who comes to your house, for a couple of hours in the evening, to look after your children while you go out. You take your child to the child-minder’s house during the day while you go to work. They are , in fact , a small-scale day nursery looking after a handful of kids. Also child-minders have to be licensed . baby-sitters , usually teenagers earning pocket money, don’t have to be. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/68 "2004-12-26T17:28:29Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > There is a difference between and **child-minder** and a **baby-sitter**. The former is someone who comes to your house, for a couple of hours in the evening, to look after your children while you go out. > > You take your child to the child-minder’s house during the day while you go to work. They are , in fact , a small-scale day nursery looking after a handful of kids. Also child-minders have to be licensed . baby-sitters , usually teenagers earning pocket money, don’t have to be. I screwed up the second sentence. It is the baby-sitter who comes to your house. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/69 "2004-12-26T17:30:09Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > **eleanorigby** , a kirby grip is a bobby pin. > “umbrella stroller” is a “buggy” > > Also, American “bangs” become a British “fringe” when you’re talking about the bit of hair that covers your forehead. Right. The what do you call the elastic band that grips long hair back away from your face in a ponytail? We call 'em ponytail holders (we are so clever)–what about UK’ers? That’s another one– US “smart” = UK “clever” I’ve noticed that my British friends say “good on you!” when we would say "good for you! (not sarcastically). ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/70 "2004-12-26T17:31:38Z")
> [@astro](#): > > US - yummy > UK - scrummy That’s really something. I presume that scrummy comes from scrumptious; as a joke my wife and I will sometimes say that something that tastes good tastes “scrumpy”. No one’s mentioned the grammatical differences yet, of which the main ones are these: Use of plural conjugations with collective nouns: \*Manchester Utd are…[/]; _The government are…_ (UK) vs. _Manchester Utd is_ and _The government is…_ (US) And the use of the present subjunctive in American, in expressions of wish or command: _The school insisted that he went to chapel daily_ (UK)\* _The school insisted that he go to chapel daily_. \*this sentence could also be American English, but would have a significantly different meaning. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/71 "2004-12-26T18:07:07Z")
UK: Pot plant = a plant in a pot US: Pot plant = cannabis UK Mars Bar = US Milky Way UK Milky Way = US Three Musketeers ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/72 "2004-12-26T20:24:21Z")
> [@ColonelDax](#): > > UK: Pot plant = a plant in a pot > US: Pot plant = cannabis > > UK Mars Bar = US Milky Way > UK Milky Way = US Three Musketeers Thank you! I couldn’t remember the differences, I just remember being perplexed whilst in the UK (heh). If we start on grammar, we’ll be here forever! Is it true that on your birthday, you buy the drinks/goodies? In USA, it’s the other way around. Still no answer on ponytail holders. Zebra crossing=pedestrian walkway. in the gods=nosebleed seats (in a theater) Ward=unit (hospitals) locum=covering doc (USA). Although, this is not quite translatable–to my understanding, a locum is a doc who comes for an extended period of time (say 3 weeks) to replace a doc on holiday or whatever. We do have docs who “cover” for other docs–they just don’t do it for 3 whole weeks! Am I way off track here? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/73 "2004-12-26T20:35:19Z")
I think the pony-tail holder is called a **scrunchie**. Here are some pictures. [http://www.lady2b.com/group/6.html](http://www.lady2b.com/group/6.html) BTW I am married to a hairdresser, that’s why I know! The zebra crossing is so called because it is made up of black and white stripes painted on the roadway ---
**Author:** ![Kiminy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Kiminy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiminy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/74 "2004-12-26T21:42:01Z")
> [@ColonelDax](#): > > UK Mars Bar = US Milky Way > UK Milky Way = US Three Musketeers UK Smarties =~ US M&Ms Don’t know if there’s a UK equivalent to the candy we call Smarties in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Kiminy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Kiminy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiminy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/75 "2004-12-26T21:49:40Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > I think the pony-tail holder is called a **scrunchie**. Here are some pictures. > > [http://www.lady2b.com/group/6.html](http://www.lady2b.com/group/6.html) We call those Scrunchies, too. A pony-tail holder is basically a plain rubber band that wrapped in thead, but without the fabric that Scrunchies have. They sometimes have little balls or other decorations on them. [http://safe.spsp.net/rjgeneral/catpages/product5814.html](http://safe.spsp.net/rjgeneral/catpages/product5814.html) ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/76 "2004-12-26T22:01:22Z")
Perhaps it doesn’t exist?! I think that our Smarties are their Neccos (which is a brand, but ?) ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/77 "2004-12-26T22:12:23Z")
> [@Kiminy](#): > > UK Smarties =~ US M&Ms That’s right-ish. Smarties are pretty much M&Ms without the ‘m’ printed on them. But we do have M&Ms as well. > [@eleanorigby](#): > > I think that our Smarties are their Neccos (which is a brand, but ?) If you mean Necco wafers, we don’t have those here. Speaking of sweets/candy, one difference between the UK and US is sweet flavours of the purple variety. In the US, loads of candy is grape flavor which isn’t used here to the best of my knowledge. Our purple sweets are blackcurrant flavour. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/78 "2004-12-26T22:14:50Z")
Oh, and pony tail holders: Bobbles, they’re called. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/79 "2004-12-26T22:18:35Z")
> [@Kal](#): > > Smarties are pretty much M&Ms without the ‘m’ printed on them. Except that Smarties are slightly bigger, and they contain chocolate, rather than brown sweet grit that smells of burnt rubber. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462/80 "2004-12-26T22:23:07Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Except that Smarties are slightly bigger, and they contain chocolate, rather than brown sweet grit that smells of burnt rubber. The ‘pretty much’ dealt with that. But a correction: Smarties are filled with angel poo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms/281462.md?page=5)