# The Great British English vs US English Playoff **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 10, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123 "2018-09-10T20:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/1 "2018-09-10T20:45:19Z")
**Brit.** action replay **US** instant replay **Result:** US win Reason: The Don Hartman Song **Brit.** agony aunt **US** advice columnist \*\*Result: \*\* US win Reason: agony aunt would have won this but the UK loses for being outdated and sexist. **Brit.** anti-clockwise **US** counter-clockwise \*\*Result: \*\* US win Reason: counter has a nicer ring to it. **Brit.** boob tube **US** tube top \*\*Result: \*\* British win Reason: do I need to explain? **Brit.** bum **US** fanny \*\*Result: \*\* British win Reason: I wouldn’t pinch a fanny but I would pinch a bum (on babies in my family of course - what do you take me for?) **Brit.** diamente **US** rhinestone \*\*Result: \*\* British win Reason: diamente elevates a rhinstone **Brit.** hot flush **US** hot flash \*\*Result: \*\* British win Reason: hot flash is something on a camera. And you cannot feel flashed. **Brit.** ladybird **US** ladybug \*\*Result: \*\* US win Reason: It’s a bug, it’s not a bird. Plus ladybird is giving too much credit to these cretins. **Brit.** nappy **US** diaper \*\*Result: \*\* British win Reason: a nappy sounds cute, a diaper already sounds soiled - there may be some subjectivity here. **Brit.** pavement **US** sidewalk \*\*Result: \*\* US win Reason: sidewalk is a much better description of what it is **Brit.** queue **US** line \*\*Result: \*\* British win Reason: queue is such a great word. And the Brits are best at that and therefore own this. **Brit.** trainers **US** sneakers \*\*Result: \*\* no result Reason: both are unsatisfying. They both describe actions you might do wearing these but neither really give you a sense of what they are. **Brit.** waistcoat **US** vest \*\*Result: \*\* British win Reason: vest? Really? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/2 "2018-09-10T21:08:39Z")
Brit: Torch US: Flashlight Result: US win. A torch has a flame, damnit. Brit: Bonnet US: Hood Result: Neither. Both are items that you wear on your head Brit: Boot US: Trunk Result: US win. A trunk is what you pack things in; a boot is what you put on your foot. Brit: Lift US: Elevator Result: Brit win. I mean, c’mon, it’s only one syllable and impossible to misspell. No contest. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/3 "2018-09-10T21:48:09Z")
Brit: Mum US: Mom Result: Brit win. We’d all like our mother to be quiet sometime. Brit: Chips US: French Fries Result: US win. Chips are not fries. Brit: Pram US: Stroller Result: US win. WTF is a pram? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/4 "2018-09-10T21:54:08Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Brit: Pram > US: Stroller > > Result: US win. WTF is a pram? It’s short for perambulator, which I think we can all agree wins. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/5 "2018-09-10T21:58:36Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > **Brit.** > bum > **US** > fanny > > \*\*Result: \*\* British win > Reason: I wouldn’t pinch a fanny but I would pinch a bum (on babies in my family of course - what do you take me for?) You _do_ know what “fanny” means in Britain, don’t you? I’d just back off the whole area, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/6 "2018-09-10T23:15:29Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > **Brit.** > diamente > **US** > rhinestone > > \*\*Result: \*\* British win > Reason: diamente elevates a rhinstone And how many #1 chart-topping songs are there about _Diamente Cowboys?_ ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/7 "2018-09-10T23:19:10Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Brit: Chips > US: French Fries > > Result: US win. Chips are not fries. > > Brit: Pram > US: Stroller > > Result: US win. WTF is a pram? If we’re just going to have the US win because it’s the word you recognize, this is going to get boring fast. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/8 "2018-09-10T23:29:28Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > If we’re just going to have the US win because it’s the word you recognize, this is going to get boring fast. It will be more boring with posts that don’t contribute.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/9 "2018-09-10T23:41:28Z")
Brit: 99th floor US: 100th floor Result: Brit win, by induction Brit: 98th floor US: 99th floor Result: Brit win, by induction Brit: 97th floor US: 98th floor Result: Brit win, by induction . . . . . . . Brit: 1st floor US: 2nd floor Result: Brit win, by induction Brit: ground floor US: 1st floor Result: Brit win, because it’s unambiguous when you’re talking to a mixed audience ---
**Author:** ![chaika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chaika/32/405_2.png) [@chaika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaika)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/10 "2018-09-10T23:58:01Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Brit: Pram > US: Stroller > > Result: US win. WTF is a pram? Actually, the UK equivalent for stroller is pushchair (though the word buggy seems to have overtaken pushchair in recent years). A pram is what Americans would call a baby carriage. So I would say the following: Brit: pushchair US: stroller Result: US by a hair. Reason: Pushchair is wonderfully literal, but stroller is a cooler word. ---
**Author:** ![chaika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chaika/32/405_2.png) [@chaika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaika)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/11 "2018-09-11T00:01:22Z")
Another one: Brit: macaroni cheese US: macaroni and cheese Result: US win. Reason: Macaroni cheese just sounds odd. It would make as much sense to say fish chips, rather than fish and chips. ---
**Author:** ![chaika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chaika/32/405_2.png) [@chaika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaika)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/12 "2018-09-11T00:06:20Z")
Sorry, I can’t seem to stop. Brit: fortnight US: two weeks Result: British win Reason: having a single word for any measure of time is useful, and fortnight has a lovely crisp sound to it. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/13 "2018-09-11T01:02:15Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Brit: Torch > US: Flashlight > > Result: US win. A torch has a flame, damnit. Appeal to the umpire. 🙂 “Torch” in this instance is an abbreviation of “Electric Torch”, and a penalty should perhaps be applied to the US term unless your Flashlight is actually being used for signaling with flashes. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/14 "2018-09-11T02:28:25Z")
Brit: Daft US: Nuts Brits by a hair. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/15 "2018-09-11T03:25:51Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > Appeal to the umpire. 🙂 > “Torch” in this instance is an abbreviation of “Electric Torch”, and a penalty should perhaps be applied to the US term unless your Flashlight is actually being used for signaling with flashes. Yeah, “Torch” wins. Classic wooden torches are essentially extinct, and battery powered lights are the functional successors. “Flashlight” makes no sense, and is not evocative. I’ll also give the nod to Petrol over Gasoline. ---
**Author:** ![Map\_Ylow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/map_ylow/32/85_2.png) [@Map\_Ylow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Map_Ylow)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/16 "2018-09-11T03:35:42Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > **Brit.** > boob tube > **US** > tube top > > \*\*Result: \*\* British win > Reason: do I need to explain? Er wot? Have just polled several British friends and not a one of them has ever heard “boob tube” used as anything but another term for a television set (nor have any of my US friends ever heard of a television set being called a “tube top”)…but I will give you this one if you can cite where in fact a tube top is called a boob tube. (It is quite evocative of the same mental image offhand, though.) > [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > **Brit.** > hot flush > **US** > hot flash > > \*\*Result: \*\* British win > Reason: hot flash is something on a camera. And you cannot feel flashed. Au contraire. It’s called this because it is a flash of heat. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/17 "2018-09-11T03:46:04Z")
> [@Map\_Ylow](#): > > Er wot? Have just polled several British friends and not a one of them has ever heard “boob tube” used as anything but another term for a television set (nor have any of my US friends ever heard of a television set being called a “tube top”)…but I will give you this one if you can cite where in fact a tube top is called a boob tube. Try googling “boob tube” (from a US location) and then look at “images”. (I’m not sure I understand why, since it does _not_ mean that in the US.) Perhaps it’s a generational thing, but for me (grew up in London, born in the 60s) boob tube meant what Americans call a tube top, and did not mean TV. ---
**Author:** ![Map\_Ylow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/map_ylow/32/85_2.png) [@Map\_Ylow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Map_Ylow)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/18 "2018-09-11T05:50:18Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Try googling “boob tube” (from a US location) and then look at “images”. (I’m not sure I understand why, since it does _not_ mean that in the US.) > > Perhaps it’s a generational thing, but for me (grew up in London, born in the 60s) boob tube meant what Americans call a tube top, and did not mean TV. I sit corrected. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/19 "2018-09-11T06:13:12Z")
> [@chaika](#): > > Another one: > > Brit: macaroni cheese > US: macaroni and cheese > > Result: US win. > Reason: Macaroni cheese just sounds odd. It would make as much sense to say fish chips, rather than fish and chips. Brit here, coming out in defence of our usage (perhaps it’s just what I’m accustomed to): “macaroni cheese” makes perfect sense – a compressed version of “macaroni made more exciting by being cooked with cheese”. “Macaroni and cheese” strikes me as unnecessarily wordy and clumsy; with a bit of a suggestion of a load of cooked plain macaroni, with a hunk of cheese beside it on the plate. And the often-used American equivalent “mac-and-cheese” is to me, an abomination. My first encounter with that one, had me wondering “what in heaven’s name is this? The latest horror from McDonalds?” To contribute an entry, sort-of: I greatly like the US “Go figure”. I can’t think of a succinct British equivalent – “go and figure it out, if you can” lacks all brevity and punch. To risk confusing things, with a totally different language: I like the near-counterpart which French has – “Faut pas chercher a comprendre”: giving the sense in an admirably snappy way, of “there’s no point in even trying to understand this absurdity.” ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123/20 "2018-09-11T06:34:28Z")
Brit: dual carriageway US: freeway This has to go to the Americans, just because “freeway” is so much more concise (though, TBCF, if you hear “duel carriageway”, it does describe traffic on the interstates rather well) Brit: flat, walkup, bedsit US: apartment Goes to the British, just for being more descriptive Brit: biscuit US: cookie Americans win this one if only because a biscuit in British can also be an American cracker (a word that may also be used in the US as a sort of ethnic slur) – there is that whole British “pudding” mess that is best avoided entirely [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-british-english-vs-us-english-playoff/821123.md?page=2)