Gobsmacked = shocked, stunned
Pissed = drunk (US = angry); Pissed
off = angry; Taking the piss = taking the mickey or kidding
Scouser = someone from the Liverpool area
Geordie = someone from the north-east of England
Brummy = someone from Birmingham
The Watford Gap = the divide between the north and the south
of England.
Geezer/bloke = man
Primary school = elementary school
Suspenders = those things that hold up stockings (US = braces)
Trousers = pants
Trainers = sneakers
Court shoes = pumps, stilettos
Pumps = sneakers
Knickers = panties
Tights = pantyhose
Cream Tea = No, it is not cream in your tea! It is an afternoon
treat consisting of scones covered with thick cream and jam.
There is some debate as to whether the cream goes on first
or the jam - personally, I’m a cream first girl!
Tea = always served hot!
Tea = also an expression for an evening meal; High Tea = the
afternoon equivalent of brunch
Dinner = can mean lunch meal or evening meal, depending on the
region
Sunday Roast = traditional lunch served on a Sunday, with a roasted
joint of meat or chicken.
Apple crumble = dessert made of apples with a crumbly topping
Bap / breadcake = bun (like a burger bun)
Biscuit = cookie
Chips = fries
Crisps = chips
Bangers and mash = sausages and mashed potatoes
Mushy peas = what they sound like! A northern ‘delicacy’.
Beans on toast = baked beans served on a slice
of toast (yummy!)
Spotted Dick = sponge pudding with raisins, usually served with
custard
Bitter = ale, heavy beer
Lager = beer
Football = soccer
Rugby = no, it isn’t an English version of American football,
even though the ball is a similar shape, as are the goalposts.
By the way, we’re World Champions!
Cricket = too hard to explain! But it’s about the same
pace as baseball. And is probably the only sport in the world
where one game can last for five days and there is no result!
Pavement = sidewalk
Motorway = freeway
Dual carriageway = split highway
Roundabout = traffic circle
Zebra crossing = special striped crossing where pedestrians have
right of way.
Taxi = cab (but in London, they’re called black cabs!)
Bog / loo = toilet
Bathroom = room with bath/shower etc in it
Boozer = pub
Cockney Rhyming Slang - not everyone speaks with a Cockney accent!
In fact, for a small island there is an enormous variety of regional
accents. But many people have adopted words and phrases into
their vocabulary. For a complete list - check out this website! www.aldertons.com
Here are some examples:
Skin and Blister = sister
Trouble and Strife = wife
China plate = mate
Apples and pears = stairs
Dog and bone = phone
Adam and Eve = believe
Other phrases you might hear:
On my Todd = on my own
Going home = going bad, wearing out
Lost his bottle = lost his nerve
He’s barking = he’s mad (crazy)
He made a right pig’s ear out of it = he really messed
it up
I’m off for a Ruby = I’m off for a curry (Ruby
Murray = curry)
Pipped at the post = just beat me to it
The bee’s knees = the best
Dog’s breakfast = a mess
Back to the top
For two countries who speak the same language, America and England
have some surprising differences. I’ve listed below some
of the ones I’ve been asked about.