We all speak English but we don't all speak the same language

I think Americans say yardwork for gardening.

Last summer out here in Spain I was in the lift. I was joined by a Spanish man. In the quiet of the lift space together I felt the need to break the silence as we descended (note to self ‘keep quiet woman’). I wafted by my face with my hands and said ‘caliente’ meaning it’s hot. He seemed very embarrassed and said nothing. We got out of the lift.

It played on my mind so later I asked a friend if I’d said something wrong? She giggled and said ‘caliente’ would be if you sipped your coffee and wanted to say ‘it’s hot’. The other meaning was ‘sexy’. Oh god, I’d just told a man in the lift I was hot‼️

If it’s about the weather she told me I ought to have said ‘hace color’.

??

In South Africa, BBQ is a crisp flavour. A BBQ is a braai.

I smirked too lol

Skidmarks.
I'm ashamed to say I can't utter that word without smirking.

Under?wear ??

In the US the skids are the undesirable/ poor areas.
In some parts of the UK it refers to marks in underwear.

Oh, what a good thing I don't use it regularly now.
Although I might have done!

It means courageous, determined. Full of spunk - adventurous etc.

I do dislike it when words get taken over by modernists who change the meanings

#oldfuddyduddy

Yes. We did Callistemon and yes, the crude word is bad taste...no pun intended.

Well, I know a much cruder meaning for that word.

Artdecogran I am sure we used the term 'spunky' when I was young - meaning someone full of spirit (not the alcoholic type!).

Sme years ago I worked with an Australian girl who always referred to sticky tape as 'Durex' which was the standard brand over there. We took her aside explained the problem. In a predominantly male office, she had been wondering why she kept getting these funny looks.

When I went to live in the US with a school aged son, other British residents told me to make sure I called rubbers 'erasers'. It worked cos I still use the word.

Was watching an American cop programme and the witness was said to be full of spunk ?

American women carry wallets (purses) in their purses (handbags). It gets very confusing!

Both the US and Australia can refer to quite sizeable outside areas as "the back yard" which kind of conjures up Coronation Street over here.

What I want to know is this: if we do gardening in our gardens, do the Americans and Aussies do yarding in their yards?

My Aussie GC wear their ‘pants’ on the outside and their ‘undies‘ underneath. Also thongs on their feet as mentioned before. They eat chips from a packet and fries from the chip shop. Lollies are sweets and ice poles are (ice) lollies. Life can be very confusing when interacting with them!

I did find out what "bangs" are recently (hair related) just a simple fringe, how they came up with that one heaven knows!

Definitely don't get a lot of what goes on in the US, the number of cars we saw with a sticker "I'm a soccer mom" or "I'm a baseball/ hockey/whatever mom" was utterly baffling to me, just why would you want to drive around with such a declaration I've never worked out what "A Homecoming Queen" is either, but sounds like a load of bollocks a bit daft

Both the US and Australia can refer to quite sizeable outside areas as "the back yard" which kind of conjures up Coronation Street over here.

When in the US, never say ‘ I’m dying for a fag’ ?

I'm loving these.

Tampons here in France too Bathsheba as are Brillo pads. Our postman had a problem with his ear and said he had a tampon in it, I had visions of a string hanging out of his ear

Would you like a yoggut, DGS?
No, Granny, it's a Yoe gut

OMG love this thread.
Can`t stop laughing and reading them out to DH.
Well done gransneters especially at this time of our lives.

A friend we stayed with in NZ was a bit put out when I referred to her home as a lovely bungalow.
It's a house! Even though it is one storey.

A bungalow is a tiny cottage, apparently.