I’ll start:
telly = television
crisps = potato chips
lift = elevator
That title should read “Stereotypical Britishisms”
Isn’t it Briticism anyway, or is that in itself an Briticism/Britishism?
(There’s nothing like adding to the confusion ina thread even before it starts!)
:):)
bonnet = hood of car
torch = flashlight
zed = the letter “z”
a woman with a British accent = sexy! (IMHO)
cheerio,
TN*hippie
tea with some flavorless cookie/cracker/buscuit thing.
horrible dentistry
cross-dressing
cars and motorcycles with poor electrical systems that leak oil
bollocks and shite, bollocks and shite, bollocks and shite!
There you have it, then!
“biffy” for “bathroom”
“flat” used for “apartment”
And TN*hippie all other languages I know (like German, French and other latin-based languages) that have “Z” pronounce it “zed” including other English speaking countries like Canada and Australia.
“Zee” is an Americanism.
I was in the queue down the offy waiting for some Thora to write out a cheque when this geezer comes in all narky like, demanding twenty Bensons. I tells him to leave it out but he aint having none of it, says he wants his fags and fuck the rest of us. I weren’t bothered but this suit type starts in on him and it all got a bit lairy, so I legged it.
[sub]Biffy? I’ve never heard anyone say “biffy”.[/sub]
“spend a penny” = pee
“read a chapter” = well, you know
Saying “ectually”.
Could be regional and/or outdated. Most of my relatives and many of their friends from home use/used it. Used to be as common in their household as chips and egg. Since my father died I rarely hear it.
Several words were changed when the first Harry Potter book was published in America. For example:
The word ‘philosopher’ in the title was changed to ‘Sorcerer’
‘cooker’ became ‘stove’
‘Sellotape’ became ‘Scotch tape’
‘cinema’ became ‘movies’
‘dustbin’ became ‘trash can’
‘letter box’ became ‘mail slot’
‘trainers’ became ‘sneakers’
‘dressing gown’ became ‘bathrobe’
‘sweets’ became ‘candy’
This is a stereotypical Britishism? In my experience a biffy is a pit toilet at summer camp in Eastern Washington. It was supposed to stand for bathrooms in forrests for you. I’ve never encountered the word in any other context.
You’re probably right. I didn’t know that this was a real word though, so I didn’t consider its spelling.
You say toma-to, and I say tomato…
Re. “biffy” - I’ve got a vague recollection of seeing it in a very old-fashioned book. But I can contribute that the bathroom might often be called the “bog”. Oh, and to “wash up” , to us, tends to mean to wash the dishes, not one’s person. and asking usonking us in Britain “what’s up?” can be confusing because it carries an implication of “what’s wrong?”, rather than simply "how are you / how are things?! (or whatever the heck it does mean.)
And then there is “fanny” , of course!
boot = trunk of car
boot = shoe
knickers = underpants
vest = undershirt
tyre = tire
loo = bathroom
made redundant = laid off
wind screen = wind shield
headlamp = headlight
headlamp dipper = headlight dimmer
chips = French fries
tele = TV
zebra = crosswalk
(My dad had a Land Rover, and I watch a lot of British comedies on PBS.)
Aaaaarghhh - I keep imagining I can edit here.
OOPS
Fannie = a womans ‘other’ bum
Her post, translated (badly) into Nottinghamese:
Iwuz in the queue down the beeroff waiting fuh some bird to write owt a cheque when this yooth cumzin all narkeh like, demanding twenneh Bensons. I tellzim to leave it out burreh ant avvin nonnaritt, sezzeh wantziz fags and fuck the rest orruz. I wont bothered but this suit type starts innonim and they adda barneh, so I boggered off.
Francesca, the Bridget Jones of the SDMB.