Do Americans understand British English?

[knickernicker]

I can't think that there is any American phrase, word or accent that I wouldn't understand, but I wonder if an American would understand everything I say.
I remember sitting for a meal with some people from Boston and being acutely aware of needing to edit what I said to remove any British idiom. It was an odd feeling as when watching American films I forget they're a different nationality.

UK one is a long standing (longest?) Comic strip too. Was in the beano so incredibly well known in days gone by. Expanded to tv and mechandise etc.

Just read both wikipedia entries. It's extraordinary that they were both started at the same time with the then same name.

the US one was a strip in the daily papers, like Andy Capp or a The Perishers - not a character in a kids' comic

where would my mother find her tennies?
Why would you be unhappy to be upside down in your house?
Correct way to say Los Angeles?

On her feet
House is worth less than mortgage
AN-je-less, not an-je-LEES

(if only the BBC could get the pronunciation right)
What's a towhead?
Where do you find dust bunnies?
What's a Bertos?

Blonde kid
Under bed
Dunno

ha! got one. But I'll confess you guys are doing well so far. I want to see at least one other poster trying, too. Not just the class Swots.

What do American school kids do on Valentine's day?
What must American kids remember to do on St. Patrick's day (& why)?
On a shopping list, what does TP mean?

ps: a towhead is technically a very blonde small child. Over about 4-5yo they are just blonde, not towheads any more. The point about towheads is they usually change to another hair colour.

You got me with all 3 of those!

I feel I should know TP but no idea about the others - never had a school-kid in America, only a baby

Oh I know how that works, all my kids were towheads

Fair play is Dublin taxi driver speak (I thought). A fair play to you! I couldn't say it, I'd get a slagging (ribbing)

Berto's with apostrophe might have fairer, and it might just be a particularly southern california thing.

TP is bogroll.

St. Patrick's Day: Wear green or get pinched. But I'm American Holiday

See, that's cheating. And TOWTNS lived in theUSA for a spell. I want British folk who never lived there, and who "can't think that there is any American phrase, word or accent that" they wouldn't understand, to try to answer.

I've lived in Britain 20+ yrs & only recenly discovered that Brits have wheel trims rather than hubcaps.

"Can you find your way to the john?"

We used to have hubcaps though so must of us know what they are, even if we don't say it any more

Have you Americans on here read Notes from a Big Country - Bill Bryson's book of columns written when his family moved back to the US? There's a bit on DIY - because he left quite young he'd never had a house over there so the jargon was a foreign language.

Things like 'my wife's people call it polyfilla' (spackle) or 'I know them as Rawlplugs' (anchors)

Your john is our loo.

Sorry if it's been said, but I bought DS2 a copy of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies", which, included chipmunks scampering around a forest in England. Now, we had a pair that careered round our patio in Virginia, but never seen them in England!

No chipmunks in the UK

I love Bill Bryson.

Ah - it's an alternative UK! That's ok then

'The story follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice, but places the novel in an alternative universe version of Regency era England where zombies (and indeed skunks and chipmunks) roam the English countryside.'

We have squirrels which aren't quite as cute!

So what's the answer to the Valentine's Day one? Exchange Valentine's cards? Is that not done in the UK?

In the UK you only send valentine's cards to someone you fancy before you're dating them, as a secret thing. It's traditional to sign it with a ?

However hallmark have muscled in and now it's supposed to be the case that you send one to your significant other even if you've been married 20 years. But still, not to anyone else, not to your kids or parents or friends.

I love Bill Bryson, though his books are a little dated now.

I was quite mortified when one of my (sweet little old lady) students was reading it and asked me to translate certain words which she couldn't find in the dictionary

"Smegma" and "buggered" (in the original sense of the word!)