Americanisms that will never, ever cross over into the UK

What context did you think it was in?

jello is it me you're looking for

in fact we call him Jelly Biafra as a matter of principle

Oh wait, I think I get the weekend thing -- it's the article that's throwing it off. E.g., Jaymc's sample up there would more commonly be phrased as "what do you usually do on weekends," wouldn't it?

Anyway, I didn't say "never" -- just saying it's not really the dominant phrasing. You'll usually find it when there's a date involved: "on the weekend of July 16th." But mostly you will hear "over" (since it's a span of time) or just, you know, "this."

US = "What do you usually do on the weekend?" or "What do you usually do on weekends"
UK = "What do you usually do at the weekend?" or "What do you usually do at weekends"

What context did you think it was in?

"I'm going to a party on the weekend." No. "I'm going to a party on Saturday." Yes.

Milquetoast. See this often enough in American journalism. Never see it in Britain. Actually I don't even know what it means exactly.

i used this only last week (and i is a BritXor)!

i don't stick to one thing re weekend talk, i rotate 'this/at the/on the/over the' in turn and without pattern deviation like so much Victorian clockwork.

<i>Milquetoast. See this often enough in American journalism. Never see it in Britain. Actually I don't even know what it means exactly.

i used this only last week (and i is a BritXor)!</i>

I stand corrected!

Milquetoast is DEFINITELY not a standard Americanism altho I see that it orginated from a comic strip in a New York newspaper! Maybe it is like fall-the-season and has had better success migrating across the pond.

Herbet!!

As in "you bleeding herbet"! He's a right herbet he is - although I imagine that in quite a strong cockney so the "h" is removed and we get "erbet" - I imagine that to be a 40sish saying. "You little Herbet", that sort of thing, akin to "you blinking p0nce" I guess but a bit more affectionate than I WILL KICK YOUR HEAD IN NOW YOU W00FTER.

"Fanny" for "arse"

> Druthers. Don't think I've ever heard a British person say druthers.

me! mike's mrs used it once and i got her to explain it to me. then, like two days afterwards, stephen king used it on the tv. have been using it, albeit mostly in my head, ever since.

Britishers use fanny all the time!

"ass" for "arse"

not as "arse"

xpost

http://www.raw-tcsd.com/rolling%20fr509684.jpg

When Britishers use fanny they mean vag!!

Exactly

There is a store in the Boston area called "Frugal Fanny's" which cracks my husband up when he hears the commercials.

oh my bad. sorry pic is so big!!!

also: Britishers will never say my bad, I predict

Along those lines you'd never here anyone in the UK say "Fannypack."

They say bumbag!

What the flip is a "baby shower"?

Traditionally a baby shower is when women get together and give a pregnant chick lots of advice and gifts for the baby.

An excuse for all pregnant ladies to get presents (and secretly feel jealous that all their non pg mates are chucking back the red wine whilst you are on orange juice) (so I hear).

"Buddy" instead of "mate"!

grodey? ... not GROTTY....

FROYO?? in the same vein as SoCo I guess....

Can you use "bum" to refer to a homeless person too?

x-post See also: bridal shower in which the engaged lady gets lots of presents and the attendees often play silly games. In this part of the US it's typical for wedding guests to give presents off the registry at the bridal shower and cash at the wedding.

I believe they say tramp instead of bum when refering to homeless people.

yup, we can, although 'tramp' is ideal

dammit xpost

"Buddy" instead of "mate"!

That's pretty common here.

For some reason I call my cats "buddy". Probably because our first cat was American and came over with his pet passport.

Can you use "bum" to refer to a homeless person too?

Not commonly.

pet passport?!

Do you call yourself limeys?

where america has a 'rostrum', we have a 'podium' or a 'lectern'

"Gas" for petrol

Yeah until about 4 years ago you could only bring animals into the UK if they went into quarantine for 6 months, but then they brought in a pet passport scheme, where they get vaccinated and tested for rabies and stuff and then they're allowed in.

xpost to ENBB

In my part of America we do not have a rostrum. We have a podium.

Never heard someone here say buddy unless they are being Shaggy from Scooby Doo and going "hey old buddy old pal"! Which I don't often do, but might start!

I believe they say tramp instead of bum when refering to homeless people.

And we don't use tramp to refer to a slutty woman either.

What's an "intern"? A volunteer or something?

Yeah, I've always only hear and used podium too.

xpost to MM.

tipping amirite

the yelling out of car windows can be different too

Intern = work experience?

xpost Intern is more often than not a student who is getting work experience in their field of interest but is not getting paid to do so. Sometimes you can get college credit for internships.