When America gets it right.

[popcornwizard]

Most of their spelling and grammar differences are just wrong, but occasionally something it works, and works even better than our version! Dear reader I give you the 'cell' or 'cellphone'. It is much easier and more pleasant than the 'mobile phone' that we linguistically haul around. Is it the only one?

I think I prefer the German "Handy"

Mobile is better in my opinion. I quite like ‘fall’ but prefer autumn. I can’t think of any I like better than our words actually.

America is a whole different country. They don't use British English, they use American English which has evolved from a variety of languages.

Very, very arrogant to suggest their spelling and grammar is "wrong". It's right for them.

I understand the term pants for trousers, as we have underpants which would go under pants. Although being British I like trousers

Don't really understand the term eyeglasses though, as opposed to what, chin glasses?

I have no problem with them using different words but it does annoy my when we bow down to them.

I was watching a British show the other week where an English character said to another English character to contact her on “her cell”. In what world would an English person ever say that? It was clearly done so they could sell to the American market. Are Americans really so ignorant they couldn’t understand an English person saying mobile phone?

My favourite American term is definitely “panty hose.” It’s just delightfully daft.

America is a whole different country. They don't use British English, they use American English

Is it? Well who knew? Thanks for the education .

It's clearly a light hearted thread, it's not arrogant, don't be so silly.

thepoorest if you are from Lancashire you say pants for trousers too. Got me into some confusion at uni when I said my pants were dirty!

Yes, pantyhose! They have two!! Pantyhose is brilliant.

thepoorestoftherichteabiscuits I had never realised that. So pants are in fact the right term :)

Yes to pants here in Lancashire.

Pantyhose is fantastic

Most of their spelling and grammar differences are just wrong,

No, most of their spelling and grammar are original, they pre-date later changes made in British-English.

You do realise that this “light -hearted” thread makes you sound like a bit of an arse OP?

I'm a big fan of some of their DIY products.

Behold.

WallBiters and WallDrillers

Hard to find in this country, but game changers when you want to hook pictures onto plasterboard.

As huge numbers of their houses have what they call 'dry wall', their DIY technology is ahead of ours by a country mile.

Pants is a contraction for pantaloons

Trousers were garments originally worn solely by sailors (when men wore britches), but are an better approximate fit for the garments we wear than pantaloons are.

Americans use the term cell phones. Owing to the popularity of US market film and TV, many other countries are familiar with the term. The term mobile is particular to the UK. The word mobile in the US is more likely to be associated with mobile-homes / trailers. If the show had an eye to international viewing as opposed to just domestic, the word swap is logical and causes no domestic confusion.

Returning to OP, I think cotton candy is a better physical description of the product than candy floss (as it looks like raw cotton, not thin strands)

Don't really understand the term eyeglasses though, as opposed to what, chin glasses?

likewise neck-ties, where else would you wear one?

likewise neck-ties, where else would you wear one?

Depends whether you're holding someone hostage.

I like their term “fountain drink” to refer to a fizzy drink which comes from a dispenser rather than a bottle. We have no equivalent, I usually end up asking for a glass for the machine or a drink from the machine which feels clunky to say.

The soda fountain. We have three

I call that post mix, Bluths, as it's just like the stuff pubs and bars have.

I find 'a scissor' strange as we always says scissors. I like the fact that superfluous letters are missed out of words - much easier. I prefer mobile though as it's a much better description whereas cell just tells you the phone has a battery.

'Y'all' is a southern thing, not commonly used all over the US.

Cell refers to cellular network, not battery cell

Not miserable OP just rather fed up of parochial MNers sneering about Americans.

Particularly when they have their facts wrong.

You could have started this thread in a nice way, you chose to be unnecessarily rude.

Sidewalk. I much prefer it to pavement. It makes more sense yet I still call a pavement a pavement

@Ifailed I see your neck-ties and raise you horse back riding - which other part of the horse would you ride on?