Being Misunderstood in the USA

[william_wallace 8]

One of the most popular one's must be don't ask for a " ** "

[Autumnchik 6]

Didn't know what my husband was talking about at first when he said he had to go to the 'tag' office - 'tags' are what we call 'license plates' back home.

That is more of a regional thing to call license plates "tags", not a standard American term. I grew up in the Northeast and never heard of license plates being called tags until I moved to Georgia. I was pretty confused too!!!

[Marilyn. 340]

here in California tags are what they call the sticker things they stick on the plates...

[DeadPoolX 9]

Didn't know what my husband was talking about at first when he said he had to go to the 'tag' office - 'tags' are what we call 'license plates' back home.

As well - don't ask where the bathroom is here - people look at you strange; you need to ask for the restroom:-).

Yeah. lol. When I was at the DMV office I tried to register my vehicle. They told me I needed to go to the tag office. I had to ask them what a tag office was. They told me it was in the tax collector's office. I left there going.....

Apparently down here they call the laundry room the washroom. I got some pretty strange looks, at first, whenever I asked for one at a restaurant. Probably the same look I give my husband when I ask him where something is and he tells me it's in the washroom.

Some things are very regional. It's the laundry room down here.

In South Carolina, you can shag barefoot on the beach with a beer in one hand and not get arrested.

I was wondering about that too. I've grown up in Texas and always referred to it as the "laundry" or "utility" room. Granted, both of my parents grew up in New York and moved down here after they got married, so maybe some of the terminology I use is from the northern states as well (for instance, I say "sneakers" instead of "tennis shoes").

One of the most popular one's must be don't ask for a " ** "

That might depend where you are and what you're looking for, I suppose...

Didn't know what my husband was talking about at first when he said he had to go to the 'tag' office - 'tags' are what we call 'license plates' back home.

That is more of a regional thing to call license plates "tags", not a standard American term. I grew up in the Northeast and never heard of license plates being called tags until I moved to Georgia. I was pretty confused too!!!

Same here. I've always called those "license plates." Maybe I should ask my brother about this, since he lives in Atlanta now. I wonder if he calls them "tags" now or still uses "license plates."

[Ban Hammer 13,445]

One of the most popular one's must be don't ask for a " ** "

especially in san fran.

[Kiv 32]

it took me some time to understand "we drive in a park-way" and we "park in a drive=way"

[Ban Hammer 13,445]

it took me some time to understand "we drive in a park-way" and we "park in a drive=way"

i've never understood why we have hot water heaters. if the water is hot, why do we need to heat it?

[Krikit 1,165]

Didn't know what my husband was talking about at first when he said he had to go to the 'tag' office - 'tags' are what we call 'license plates' back home.

As well - don't ask where the bathroom is here - people look at you strange; you need to ask for the restroom:-).

Yeah. lol. When I was at the DMV office I tried to register my vehicle. They told me I needed to go to the tag office. I had to ask them what a tag office was. They told me it was in the tax collector's office. I left there going.....

Apparently down here they call the laundry room the washroom. I got some pretty strange looks, at first, whenever I asked for one at a restaurant. Probably the same look I give my husband when I ask him where something is and he tells me it's in the washroom.

Some things are very regional. It's the laundry room down here.

In South Carolina, you can shag barefoot on the beach with a beer in one hand and not get arrested.

What the heck does that mean?

[caybee 21]

Didn't know what my husband was talking about at first when he said he had to go to the 'tag' office - 'tags' are what we call 'license plates' back home.

As well - don't ask where the bathroom is here - people look at you strange; you need to ask for the restroom:-).

Yeah. lol. When I was at the DMV office I tried to register my vehicle. They told me I needed to go to the tag office. I had to ask them what a tag office was. They told me it was in the tax collector's office. I left there going.....

Apparently down here they call the laundry room the washroom. I got some pretty strange looks, at first, whenever I asked for one at a restaurant. Probably the same look I give my husband when I ask him where something is and he tells me it's in the washroom.

Some things are very regional. It's the laundry room down here.

In South Carolina, you can shag barefoot on the beach with a beer in one hand and not get arrested.

What the heck does that mean?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I remember this episode in that ice cream shop where my dad insisted he could order his ice cream all on his own. The blue colored ice cream is what he wanted. Two big scoops of it. So here told that 16 year old behind the counter:

I have two big blue balls.

Edited April 27, 2008 by Mr. Big Dog

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

I know what a digestive is but they are hard to find here, and dont get me start

ed on 'chicken and a biscuit'

World Market is full of digestives

[Reba 2]

in this particular corner of North Carolina, it is rude to say the word "toilet", no idea why, I suppose its considered vulgar. Its called a "commode" if you have to refer to the appliance at all. And the room it is in is called a "bathroom" whether or not there is actually a bath tub in it. Even the public toilets in malls and offices are called "bathroom" by most folks. And yeah, I got more than a few odd looks when I'd ask someone for the washroom when I first got here. I could never figure out why, until we were out house shopping one day and the real estate agent called the laundry room the washroom.

Whenever I say the word "cupboard" at work, people giggle at me and tell me "that's old fashioned, its called a cabinet!"

There's lots more, I just can't think of them all at the mo. I've been here so long now that I've pretty much figured out the local dialect so its not as bad anymore. But a few things come up now and again if we're sitting watching something on BBC, or some Canadian show.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

I remember this episode in that ice cream shop where my dad insisted he could order his ice cream all on his own. The blue colored ice cream is what he wanted. Two big scoops of it. So here told that 16 year old behind the counter:

I have two big blue balls.

I would've loved to have seen the assistant's reaction!

[wifetobe 2]

I remember this episode in that ice cream shop where my dad insisted he could order his ice cream all on his own. The blue colored ice cream is what he wanted. Two big scoops of it. So here told that 16 year old behind the counter:

I have two big blue balls.

I would've loved to have seen the assistant's reaction!

Diaper = nappy

Trunk = boot

Chips = Crisps

Underpants = knickers

My personal favourite is:

One thing that will always bug me when I was driving in the US was when I stopped someone for directions, they said: 'Go down a few blocks until you reach bla bla, a couple of more blocks on your left' and they would use hand signs... Whereas in the UK we would say something like: 'Go straight down, straight over the lights and take your first left'

why count by how many blocks there are? Is a 'block' like a 'street' or 'road'? Of course I found it when I translated those directions in british

[msu17 0]

The ones my husband and I have problems with are the definition of pants (underwear vs trousers). We also argue when I call him a jerk. To me it doesn't mean much, but to him its a big insult. I hate the word toilet. I just think it sounds so rude.