A Fit Of The Giggles

Us Brits are known for our dry sense of humor.   We're also known for our love of naughty/dirty humor - think Benny Hill, who seems to be on TV here a lot for some strange reason!  There are a few commonly used American words that never fail to make me giggle, simply because they are deemed to be 'naughty' words back home.  Whenever I hear these words in conversation, I usually turn bright red and have to work hard to stifle my urge to giggle loudly. 

Pantyhose.  Pantyhose!!!  I'm sniggering just typing the word!  In the UK, we call these tights.  Plain and simple.  I have to bite my lip when Americans say this word to stop myself from giggling uncontrollably.  It just sounds so naughty.  And funny.  And seriously, a 3 syllable word for tights?!

Fanny Pack.  Back home, a fanny is another word for a woman's private parts.   If  you don't like somebody, you might also call them a fanny.  So yes, if you use this word in my company, I may blush and make strange noises because I'm trying to conceal my mirth.  At home, we call it a bum bag, which still sounds kind of naughty! 

Randy.  Unfortunately for me, this is a pretty common first name over here.  Every single time I hear it, it has the same effect as described above.  I have actually choked on my dinner in the past on hearing someone talk about a guy called Randy.  To all you guys called Randy, I hope you never have to move to the UK, because you will probably have to change your name to avoid large amounts of ridicule.  Randy in the UK means you are feeling horny, sexy... you get the picture.  I'm sniggering again.    

Spunk.   Over here, it's normal for parents to describe their kids as being "full of spunk".  When I hear this word being used, not only do I giggle and turn red, I am also likely to snort.  Unmentionable matters may even shoot out of my nose.  You see, when I hear spunk, I think sperm.  Spunk at home is a slang word used for sperm.  Enough said...

Suspenders.  Suspenders to me, are what you buy in Victoria's Secret to hold your stockings up.  A fancy piece of lingerie.  So you will understand that when an American man talks about his suspenders, I usually have to pretend I'm having a coughing fit, both to justify my red face and to hide my giggles.  A man in suspenders!  Yep, I'm thinking Benny Hill again.  Suspenders in the States are what men use to hold up their trousers.  In Britain, these are known as braces.  Ha, that's another two words that have different meanings in the UK and US.  Trousers are known as pants over here, but pants in the UK are underwear - which are panties over here.  This could get confusing.  Braces over here are what you put on your teeth, but now I'm getting off totally off topic!   

So in the future, if you happen to be talking to me about any of the above things, I ask you to please excuse my strange behaviour.  Especially if your name is Randy.