By Mike May
The late, great, two-time British prime minister Winston Churchill once stated that the United States of America and Great Britain are “two great countries divided by a common language.” During my recent trip to Scotland, I can confirm that Churchill’s decade’s old linguistic observation remains true. While in Scotland, my communication skills and vocabulary knowledge were put to the test — as yours will be, too — when you have a chance to visit any of the four countries (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) that comprise Great Britain. While life in the United States and Great Britain can be described as very similar, it can also be described as very different – especially as it relates to terminology and references to daily life. The purpose of this story is to share those differences so you won’t be left wondering how to communicate when you visit any part of Great Britain.
In my opinion, it all starts with transportation. In Great Britain, the cars and trucks travel on the left side of the road and the driver sits on the right side of the car. So, it’s definitely a good idea to look both ways – twice – before crossing any road, street or thoroughfare.
When it comes to words and terminology used on a regular basis, it’s amazing how many aspects of daily life are described differently. For instance, in the food sector, French fries are chips; potato chips are crisps; cookies and crackers are biscuits; whole wheat bread is brown bread; ketchup is tomato sauce; napkins are serviettes; and silverware is cutlery. In transportation circles, you don’t rent a car, you hire one; big trucks are lorries; a car’s trunk is the boot; a car’s hood is the bonnet; gasoline is petrol; and petrol is sold by the litre and not the gallon. In the area of television, an actual television set is often called a telly; a television show is referred to as a programme; and an on-air news anchor/personality is called a presenter. In the area of clothing, water-proof boots are often referred to as wellingtons; pants or slacks are trousers; a sweater is a jumper; tennis shoes are trainers; a warm-up outfit is called either a track suit or trackie; and a pair of underwear would be called a pair of pants. And, in the area of education, while Americans refer to all educational institutions as some form of school, the British refer to elementary school as primary school and high schools are often called grammar schools. In Britain, there is a difference between a college and a university. When Britons continue their education beyond grammar school, they often refer to the experience as “going off to university.”
In sports, soccer is football; track & field is athletics; golf carts are called buggies; and a playing field for an outdoor sport is called a pitch.
Finally, when you make plans to travel, don’t forget your cell phone – it’s a mobile phone in Britain — so you can capture your British experiences with your in-phone camera, which, by the way, is also called a camera in the U.K.