We realised the other day it's been a while since we commented on any of the differences we've found living here in the States ... some more obvious than others ... and some of which we don't even notice any more as having been here for 21 months they've just become the 'norm' now!!
So here are just a few little gems ...
- On the road ... you 'Yield' instead of 'Give Way', a 'No through road' or 'Cul-de-sac' will have a sign reading 'No Outlet' and you can get a $250 fine for parking in a disabled parking spot, apparently even in your own church carpark (!!) ... the most obvious difference is being able to turn right on a red light (which is difficult to explain to a 2 year old when you've already told her that red means stop and green means go!!!)
- At the bank ... you pay in money with a 'deposit ticket' instead of a 'paying in slip' and check's are still widely used to pay for things (and no we didn't spell it wrong ... American's use 'check's' not 'cheque's'!) When you first open a bank account you are given a box of checks and deposit tickets and once you've used them they don't automatically get re-ordered ... you have to pay for more ... but you can get some really weird and wonderful designs on them!!!
- When we talk about getting 'Post' most of our friends out here picture a wooden stake in the ground rather than a letter in the 'mail'. Here you always write the senders details on the top left corner of the envelope and the 'mailman' will collect outgoing 'mail' from your 'mailbox' so you don't have to actually go anywhere to send something as long as you have a supply of stamps at home!
Here are a few other random language differences ... the American comes first ...
Candy - Sweets
Diaper - Nappy
Grocery sack - Shopping bag
Broil - Grill or Sizzle
Wrench - Spanner
One Fourth - A Quarter
Noodles - uncooked pasta of any shape
Ladybug - Ladybird
Embroidery Floss - Embroidery Thread
Bandage (or Band Aid) - Plaster
Shovel & Pail - Bucket & Spade
Pocket Book - Handbag
Bank - Money Box
As you can see sometimes they're more obvious than others ... and often we've found we can 'translate' to American but they have more trouble working it out the other way ... probably because of all the movies we watch!!!
Of course not all the silliness is because of cultural differences ... we can also be quite silly too ... just check out the newest addition to Mark's tool box in the hangar (shown below) ... you can only hope he has learnt more than that during his apprenticeship so far!! ;o)
That is so funny, Jenn! I enjoyed reading your view on different things. Haha! I still think a "nappy" is the strangest word. We are so glad we've gotten to know you all while you have been here.
ReplyDeleteI like the one about the postman picking up outgoing mail! How helpful! Here we sometimes think we're lucky if he'll deliver it! (Parcels, unlike in the UK, often have to be picked up from the post office with a long queue and your identity documents and a ticket - and sometimes they can't find them!) I've had more post go missing in Spain than any other country I think!
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