Monday, September 1, 2014

One Word, Two Meanings

Every day, I come across many words with different meanings in the UK and the US.  Here is this week's short list for you :)

CONCESSION.  In the UK, if you get a concession, it means you get a discount.  But here in the States, you visit the concession stand at a game, concert, the movies or a public event to get your hot dog and coke.  Two vastly different meanings for one word! 

TRAINERS.  This is what we call running shoes.  The American term is sneakers.  When I hear the word sneakers, I automatically think of some creepy guy sneaking around in the bushes.  The only trainers in America are personal trainers or big kid diapers (trainer pants).  We actually call diapers 'nappies' in the UK.   

TROLLEY.  I still use this word in the British way which can cause confusion.  To me, a trolley is what you use at the grocery store to put your groceries in.  In the States, that's called a cart.  To me, a cart is a big contraption pulled along by a horse or a tractor!  Anyway, a trolley over here is a tram, hence the confusion at the supermarket when I ask for a trolley.

1ST FLOOR.  Not exactly one word, but the use of this confuses me to no end.  There is no such thing as Ground Floor over here, the floors of any building begin at 1st Floor.  1st Floor in the UK is the floor above the floor at Ground Level.  I get horribly confused in elevators in America!      

POST.  When I talk about going to check the post, or going to post something, I sometimes get blank stares.  Post is mail in the UK.  Over here however, post is only called mail, so I get why people might thinking I'm talking gibberish.

BOG.  "Help, I've fallen into the bog"!  If you heard this at home, you'd more than likely be laughing hysterically that somebody had actually fallen into the toilet.  In the States however, you'd be lending a helping hand to some poor soul who had fallen into a marsh or a swamp. 

So that's it for this week folks, what words with double meanings can you think of? 


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