I am sorry to say that 'alight' wouldn't help you much here (UK). Those of us above a certain age might have read it on busses when we were young. Now I bet even a bus driver wouldn't know what you meant.
A fry-up isn't necessarily breakfast. It is a selection of foods all of which are fried. Of course that would most often be eaten at breakfast, but if someone invited you for a fry-up you shouldn't assume it is breakfast.
Sheena
Posts: 2196 | Location: West Vancouver, B.C. Canada | Registered: 28 February 2004
A fry-up isn't necessarily breakfast. It is a selection of foods all of which are fried. Of course that would most often be eaten at breakfast, but if someone invited you for a fry-up you shouldn't assume it is breakfast.
Well my husband would beg to differ being from London a fry up is always breakfast to him...and to most british I know.
Posts: 1298 | Location: Seattle - next is Isla Mujeres,MX in December, then its Paris in March, then hopefully England! | Registered: 02 May 2005
A fry up is nearly always breakfast, but breakfast is not necessarily a fry up. Had I put down UK Breakfast, US Waffles I would have been making the same mistake.
Posts: 810 | Location: Hampshire, UK | Registered: 28 March 2005
Originally posted by TimW: A fry up is nearly always breakfast, but breakfast is not necessarily a fry up. Had I put down UK Breakfast, US Waffles I would have been making the same mistake.
Ok - jeezz... Fry up - UK Fried breakfast - US
Posts: 1298 | Location: Seattle - next is Isla Mujeres,MX in December, then its Paris in March, then hopefully England! | Registered: 02 May 2005
Originally posted by KHB: Here's one that I'm not sure about... in my UK gardening books they've referenced a "skip" - is that what we call a "tractor" in the US?
-Krista
That's a dumpster I believe...
Posts: 1298 | Location: Seattle - next is Isla Mujeres,MX in December, then its Paris in March, then hopefully England! | Registered: 02 May 2005
in my UK gardening books they've referenced a "skip" - is that what we call a "tractor" in the US?
-Krista
A large metal countainer delivered by truck. You attempt to fill it with rubbish faster than your neighbours (Who are only allowed to use it while nobody is looking). After usually a week, the truck comes to take it away.
{ fixing quote }
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pauline,
Posts: 810 | Location: Hampshire, UK | Registered: 28 March 2005
Originally posted by TimW: A large metal countainer delivered by truck. You attempt to fill it with rubbish faster than your neighbours (Who are only allowed to use it while nobody is looking). After usually a week, the truck comes to take it away.
Well, that behaviour is the same in the US!!
Currently, our new neighbors like to dump their (unorganized) recycling into my (organized) bins. Similar concept.
Originally posted by Andrew: Really? In my quick trip to London last month, I noted bus stops saying "Alighting passengers only".
I agree. That is where one might learn the phrase. But try asking a bus driver 'may I board this bus and alight at Marble Arch (or whatever) ' Better still. Don't.
"Roast" and "joint" are understood to mean the same thing in culinary terms in the UK; but each has its own slang meaning too, and I'll say no more than that.
Diana, the Real Estate/Estate one is not exactly an equivalent.
An estate can be a group of houses in private or public ownership, usually built at the same time and will be referred to as a 'housing estate' and someone might say 'I live on the such and such Estate'
Another meaning of an estate is a very large house on a very large piece of ground (could be hundreds or thousands of acres), maybe with other houses within the boundaries for the employees, farmhands, gamekeeper etc. e.g. something like the Blenheim Palace Estate.
My understanding of US Real Estate is property which can be houses, land, offices or apartments so a Real Estate Agent is someone who sells this. We have Estate Agents as their equivalent but we do not talk of 'Estate' on its own in this way. We would speak of 'property' or 'houses' etc.
