To me going to the coast or the seaside would be very generic - you could be going for a weekend at the Grand Hotel in Brighton or a tent in some deserted cove somewhere. Going to the beach or the front/prom is something more specific, what you do once you're in Brighton or S****horpe or wherever.
I think the word 'front' is rarely used in America when referring to the seaside (or the shore). I think of weather fronts or the more common meanings of the word.
I'll have to remember to ask on here when my British husband and I have our next debate about the real meaning of a word. :-)
Posts: 189 | Location: Surrey, UK | Registered: 28 February 2005
Originally posted by teaberry: Then again, I'm not sure someone from central or northern New Jersey would say "down the shore"...
Your question really struck a responsive chord with me, Terry. Having lived in both Philadelphia and north Jersey during my early years, I've been somewhat obsessed by the differences in speech between the two areas, both in pronunciation and usage. I used to refer to the "Trenton break," where natives shift from one to the other; perhaps I borrowed this from Mencken, who once wrote about the speech in SE PA as "Pennsylvania vulgar", referring to that spoken by the "common" people.
The Philly sound that has been most apparent to me is the strange nasal "O" sound. Sometime I may tell the story about how my brothers and I, when we were kids (saved from this usage by our central Jersey father, I guess), tried to get a thoroughly Philadelphia cousin to say "go home" as the rest of the English-speaking world would. Poor kid!
"Down the shore" has been an expression that has amused me for a long time. If I can remember correctly (and Kim or Marian would be better references here), people in central Jersey may or may not use it. Perhaps it depends on how close to NY they are. What I can't now remember is what my north Jersey high school classmates said; it probably was "to the beach," unless it was very specific, as in "We're going to Asbury," meaning "Park," naturally. What did they say in the "Sopranos"?
Another localism: Folks here in the NC mountains, as well, I believe, those in the Piedmont below, talk about "going to the coast" (as I now do), when they're intending to head east or SE to one of the coastal Carolina (N or S) beaches. This does, of course, make geographical sense.
I think that the US and UK understanding of 'timely' is different?
I get emails from people in America quite often thanking me for my 'timely' response. I think they just mean quick/rapid, not relating to anything else?
My understanding of the use of 'timely' is always in relation to something else - e.g. it was 'timely' that you should suggest that resort because we were just considering booking somewhere in that area anyway; it was a 'timely' sales reduction because it was something I was going to buy tomorrow - in other words, it came at just the right time.
In US, "Just the right time" is one way it is used, although just as frequently it is used to mean "quick" or "fast."
Also, in the second way you illustrated ("just the right time"), Americans sometimes go even farther, by saying timely with stress to mean "highly coincidental."...even to point of being "questionable" in terms of timing.
Posts: 738 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: 12 September 2006
I'm not sure about "quick" or "fast". I just looked at a number of online dictionary/usage sites, and none of them give that definition. The following quote summarizes what most of them say:
"• TIMELY (adjective)
Sense 1 Meaning : Before a time limit expires
Context example : "The timely filing of his income tax return.."
Similar : 'Punctual' - (acting or arriving or performed exactly at the time appointed)
Sense 2 Meaning : Done or happening at the appropriate or proper time
Synonyms : well timed; seasonable
Context examples : a timely warning / with timely treatment the patient has a good chance of recovery / a seasonable time for discussion / the book's publication was well timed
Similar : 'opportune' - (suitable or at a time that is suitable or advantageous especially for a particular purpose)"
I think the using "timely" to mean "quick" or "fast" is simply a careless and inexact use of the term.
I understand, but whether used properly or carelessly, we're not really talking about what a dictionary may say is correct, we're talking about everyday useage.
...much like the previous discussion about the word "moot," which is constantly used to mean the opposite of the dictionary definition.
Posts: 738 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: 12 September 2006
Mention of the change in usage of "moot" led me, via the page on this subject on the wonderful World Wide Words website, and a search for "timely" on the same site, to a new pair of more-or-less equivalent words:
Originally posted by WSB: UK: are there any Goons fans here?]
One here!
Excellent link, by the way WSB, if for no better reason than it showed me the spelling of Grytpype-Thynne. I don't suppose I've ever tried to spell it, but I'm prepared now.
Beebee
Posts: 2007 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 09 September 2002
Here's an odd one. On a Certain Other Messageboard, someone (presumably male) asked how to use some body scrub, to which someone else (female) replied "You can use a poof, a washcloth, hands, whatever".
[Pause for British readers to get over it].
In the UK "poof" is (now rather dated) slang for a male homosexual. I think I can visualise what is meant in the US, but I can't quite think what the word is over here: not quite a powder puff but sort of fluffy fabric..? The thing you sit on (though it's used much less now, for the obvious reason) is usually spelt "pouffe".
After some determined meditation, I think I've cleared that interesting, and very very sudsy, vision from my mind now.
I've seen the net things referred to as shower puffs - close in spelling , but not so alarming to the natives. We have at least three lurking in the bathroom at the moment - I must admit I call them scrubbers, which opens up a whole other world of imaginative confusion.
Posts: 1400 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 20 September 2006
I wonder if they meant to say loofah, Patrick, and just got confused with their words? That would fit in with a body scrub. Or perhaps you do really have poofs for the bath in the USA?! Just watch out that you don't ask your hotel if they can supply one when you are next in Britain!
Edited:to say, I see Panda posted at the same time as me - yes, I know those puff things, so she probably just did an unfortunate mistype.
No, I think it was intentional, as the original poster said something like "Should I use one of those poofy things" and various other US posters seemed to use the word without any sign of it not being their idea of conventional.
PS for US readers, "scrubber" is UK pejorative slang for a woman who's not too fussy about her men friends, shall we say.
All I can keep thinking of now is 4 Poofs and a Piano. When I first moved to England, I had no idea what Jonathan Ross was talking about. It didn't take long to figure that word out.
I'm not sure what those poofy things in the shower or bath are called in the U.S. I think they may just be known as poofs.
June
Posts: 189 | Location: Surrey, UK | Registered: 28 February 2005
I've only ever read it in books and articles, not heard it used - so think it's English English or English slang. I have a general idea of its meaning, but would love details. Thanks!
Posts: 16049 | Location: The Beautiful San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: 06 August 2001
Colleen - I don't hear this word very often now but when I had teenagers it was a word I used to hear (and use) a lot! It is slang. A variation is 'in a strop'.
Stroppy is an adjective (or is it an adverb??), I have always understood, (I have never looked it up but probably will now..)to describe someone who is purposefully being difficult, making it awkward for people to deal with them. They are in a 'mood' that can border on anger but mostly they just upset those around them by not doing what everyone them wants them to do. People aren't stroppy for very long - it is a passing mood - you might say "She is really stroppy today!" or "He was in such a strop yesterday that I didn't dare speak to him".
I just watched a movie last week (Enchanted April) that took place partly in England. There was one quick scene in the beginning of the film where people were rummaging around tables piled with clothes and such, with a big sign in the room saying "Jumble Market."
So, is a jumble market a rummage sale? I don't think I've ever heard that term before.
No indeed. We don't rummage, we carefully and tastefully appraise: well, that's the theory. If you haven't seen a bevy of pensioners going into a (polite but determined) feeding frenzy over a pile of polyester, you haven't lived.
One expression that always attracts my attention is 'winding someone up.' I'd never heard that used until I moved to the UK. Does anyone know the derivation of that phrase? It's so much nicer than to rile someone up or make someone angry. :-)
Posts: 189 | Location: Surrey, UK | Registered: 28 February 2005
Zuriga - I don't know the derivation of the phrase but I would guess it is as in a clockwork mechanism. I mostly hear it in the context of teasing rather than a deliberate attempt to make somebody really angry. You hear people (mostly in television soaps - I am thinking particularly of 'Eastenders') saying "Is this a wind up?". North American equivalent would be nearer to, "Are you kidding me?", I think?
I don't hear this word very often now but when I had teenagers it was a word I used to hear (and use) a lot! It is slang. A variation is 'in a strop'.
It's a word I do hear very often in this house- usually used, delightedly, by older teenage daughter about younger sister as in "Ooh, she's in such a strop". This is after older has managed to wind the younger up with some well placed tease - she falls for it every time.
Colleen's and Zuriga's queries all in one usage and all true!
And Jumble Market sounds very odd - Jumble Sale, I would say (sharpen your elbows......)
Posts: 1400 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 20 September 2006
Means getting in a bit of a strop, or taking umbrage, usually about a particular occurence (whereas teenagers can just be in a strop because they are hormonally programmed to be in one.....)
Posts: 1400 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 20 September 2006
I'm suddenly realizing that I've been in the UK long enough now that I'm forgetting what's common in the U.S.
I think Americans might say someone is 'in a hump,' rather than it being something that's being got. Then again, maybe we Yanks don't use that expression at all, but I seem to remember we do.
June
Posts: 189 | Location: Surrey, UK | Registered: 28 February 2005
Originally posted by zuriga: I think Americans might say someone is 'in a hump,' rather than it being something that's being got. Then again, maybe we Yanks don't use that expression at all, but I seem to remember we do.
I haven't heard that phrase, but I'm in California. Maybe it hasn't made its way west yet.
If someone said, "I was really humping it," I'd take it to mean they were working hard. Sometimes also related as "I busted my hump to ... (get it done)."
Posts: 16049 | Location: The Beautiful San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: 06 August 2001
Whilst wandering around the Antiques Roadshow website, I found this game which seemed perfect for this discussion. There are quite a few words that I don't remember coming up yet on here but it is good revision for us all, anyway!
Originally posted by PatrickLondon: No indeed. We don't rummage, we carefully and tastefully appraise: well, that's the theory. If you haven't seen a bevy of pensioners going into a (polite but determined) feeding frenzy over a pile of polyester, you haven't lived.
Hahahahah Patrick, we don't rummage...
Posts: 1718 | Location: Seattle, WA for now... | Registered: 02 May 2005
Originally posted by zuriga: I'm suddenly realizing that I've been in the UK long enough now that I'm forgetting what's common in the U.S.
I think Americans might say someone is 'in a hump,' rather than it being something that's being got. Then again, maybe we Yanks don't use that expression at all, but I seem to remember we do.
June
That is a totally english expression! I never heard that until I lived in England. We would just say here "she's in a mood" or somthing like that.
Posts: 1718 | Location: Seattle, WA for now... | Registered: 02 May 2005
Tina in Tennessee Posted 21 May 2009 08:18 AM: Okay folks, last year when I was working in South Yorkshire for a few months I picked up several phrases that I now use back in the states.
On the first day of my arrival to work with my new client, I was asked "would you like a brew?" I sat for a few moments thinking, well, if they're all going to drink beer at 8am in the morning, I guess I'll join them (when in Rome...) Eek Of course they meant "would you like a coffee?" Doh. Brew - Coffee Remember Cameron
and
Panda: Posted 21 May 2009 09:24 AM: Um, no - it would really primarily refer to tea (although I could see it being used for an alternative hot beverage). We brew tea and make coffee.
One for the US/UK dictionary sticky, perhaps.
Thanks, Tina and Panda!
Posts: 3899 | Location: Berkeley, CA | Registered: 22 March 2005
). How about flipping your lid, or going off one's rocker - used in UK?
