We, in the UK, use vacation in another sense as in the leaving of a property.
When I looked this up in an online dictionary (I think it was an American site), I find that I am using archaeic language. vacation archaic (sic):The act or an instance of vacating.
I also find that my spelling of archaeic is archaic!
What would you say in the US to 'translate' this phrase? 'Arrival after 3 p.m. Vacation by 10 a.m.'
A lolly can be a lollipop (hard sweet on a stick), hence the phrase "ice lolly" - the context will make it fairly obvious which one is meant.
"Lollipop" is also used in the UK to mean the kind of warning sign carried to tell traffic to stop when children are crossing the road to school; so a "school crossing attendant" is often known as a "lollipop lady" (it's usually someone suitably motherly).
Originally posted by PatrickLondon: A lolly can be a lollipop (hard sweet on a stick), hence the phrase "ice lolly" - the context will make it fairly obvious which one is meant.
Well on that note, can you explain why the British specify " pocket handkerchief". What is it being distinguished from? I can't think of any handkerchief that isn't carried in the pocket.
Beebee
Posts: 1939 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 09 September 2002
Once upon a time there was a little girl called Lucie, who lived at a farm called Littletown. She was a good little girl - only she was always losing her pocket hankerchiefs.
I'm not sure the British all refer to pocket hankerchiefs, just the ones brought up on Beatrix Potter.
When my children were small, we spent hours climbing around Catbells looking for the footmarks of a very small person, a tiny door straight into the hill or for a lost pocket-handkin.
Regards Julie
Posts: 136 | Location: chester uk | Registered: 21 May 2005
I agree with Julie. In common usage, no-one would say "pocket handkerchief", except very occasionally in a metaphorical sense (and the only one I can think of is to describe a very small garden - or yard, but let's not start that all over again).
I suspect the distinction originally was simply one of size, essentially between men's large squares and ladies' embroidered and lace-trimmed ones. Some people kept - and keep - handkerchiefs in their sleeves, but I don't think there was ever a consistent practice that larger ones went in a sleeve and smaller ones in a pocket.
I watched the final season episode of Jane Hall tonite on BBC1 (with my new Astra 2D satellite!!) and so many of the phrases on this thread were used! I could make sense out of most everthing! What fun. But Jane is married to two men now, don't know what will happen with that!!
Here's one another thread suggests (though it's of limited relevance to travel, I hope):
US: Spackle UK: Filler (or polyfilla, the most familiar brand name, and often jocularly used for make-up on certain well-known celebrities of a certain age, I'm naming no names)
Here's a real oddity (because it's a French phrase unknown in France, which the French consider hilarious and if you speak French, it's obvious why): cul-de-sac. There aren't many road signs left that use the phrase, it's usually signed "No Through Road" (or in common parlance a dead-end). But the phrase is often used for a particular kind of residential development (sometimes called a close), where the houses are designed around a bit of road with a turning circle at the dead end; popular as a means of keeping a bit of peace and quiet from through traffic.
Originally posted by PatrickLondon: I agree with Julie. In common usage, no-one would say "pocket handkerchief", except very occasionally in a metaphorical sense (and the only one I can think of is to describe a very small garden - or yard, but let's not start that all over again).
I suspect the distinction originally was simply one of size, essentially between men's large squares and ladies' embroidered and lace-trimmed ones. Some people kept - and keep - handkerchiefs in their sleeves, but I don't think there was ever a consistent practice that larger ones went in a sleeve and smaller ones in a pocket.
Unless it was part of Ursula Martinez' act in Gard Karlsen's thread on ... well, you know.
UK: to get sick= to vomit US: to get sick= to catch a cold, virus, etc.
I just saw this thread today, back a few pages Andrew asked...
quote:
I'm not sure if this corresponds precisely, and maybe someone can explain it better, but basically:
UK: public school US: private school
I think that private schools in the UK are called "grammar schools" where in the US grammar school is just another name for elementary school, public or private.
Question: (I didn't see it listed yet)
UK: I can't be bothered/can't be arsed US: ??? I don't want to.... I'm too lazy to... ??
This thread is great, I had no idea there were so many differences!!
I think that private schools in the UK are called "grammar schools" where in the US grammar school is just another name for elementary school, public or private.
The UK public school was so called because anyone could attend (provided they could pay). This was in the era before public or government education. This was in contrast to private schooling. Government funded compulsory primary schooling came later. Then came the grammar schools for the more academically capable. When secondary schooling became compulsory the grammar schools were supplemented by secondary modern schools. Grammar Schools and Secondary Modern were merged into the comprehensive schooling system. Some grammar schools have retained grammar in their name, and some have probably resisted the merge or transition to comprehensive. The fee-paying schools - including the public schools - are not run by the government (The Local Education Authorities of each County Council). My sister went to Harrow College for Girls. It was fee-paying and technically public, but was not in the traditional group of Public Schools like Eton and Harrow. The term "Public School" is now a bit of an anachronism.
{ fixing quote }
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pauline,
John "There are two types of problems: those that solve themselves, and those which you can do nothing about" Isabel Allende's grandmother
Posts: 1459 | Location: Mullumbimby, NSW, Australia | Registered: 26 March 2003
