When you've visited other countries where English is spoken what kind of regional specific language have you come across? Are there any unusual phrases or slang? Are there any words pronounced strangely or colloquial terms given to things?
I am from the US and I heard a lot of interesting phrases in Zimbabwe. Some of these are probably British, although others are probably specific to Zimbabwe.
They say "sorry" to casually express sympathy, even if it is something they had nothing to do with: Two people approaching each other in a hallway, one trips or drops something, the other says "sorry".
Pants: I was in Zimbabwe with some fellow students who were young women and one of them wanted to get a sturdy pair of pants, so she starting asking some working guys where they buy their pants, because she really wanted to wear pants like the men had on... In Zimbabwe she should have been asking about trousers; "pants" are what you wear UNDER your trousers!
Instead of "day-after-tomorrow" they would say "tomorrow and one".
Zimbabweans also say "is it?" whether they mean is it, was it, were they, was he... For instance, you might here someone say "I was just driving home from work and I saw a 7-car pile up on the highway!" and the listener would reply "Is it?!"
Reply to this OK Forsters was an Australian invention but we hate it. They make most of it in England and India now. In fact if you were walk the streets of any place in Australia, you would be hard pressed to find Forsters.
We call them pants aswell.. Because you put pants OVER your underpants. Makes sense doesn't it?
Reply to this I knew a guy from America that was always amused when I spoke about getting pissed. Here in England if you are pissed this means that you are drunk. In America they use it to describe when they are angry. It could also be used this way in England, but it is not so common.
Reply to this Jelly is Jello is australia - a wobbly geletin dessert that we eat with icecream, custard or cream.
We called chocoate, strawberry, caramel etc flavoured just sauce - chocolate sauce, caramel sauce and we also have that on icecream
Jam is fruit preserve put on bread
mmmmm Jelly and icecream... wouldnt mind some now!!
Reply to this When I went to England back in 98 with my mum, we were waiting in line (queue) to get into the London Dungeons when my mum needed to go pee so she asked one of the ladies who works there if there was a washroom near by. The lady replied: Why? Are you dirty? ... Oh, you mean the loo!!! LOL. Ahhh, fun times. We use washroom or toilet in Canada. It also took us near to a half hour to cross a busy street because the traffic wouldn't let up and we eventually asked someone how to cross the street they said to go down the tunnel just 10 paces away. Oh we felt dumb all right.
Oh, and I can't believe the british have Loo awards. I saw a 4 star one over near Lands End when I went back for a visit earlier this year.
Reply to this I knew an Australian exchange student a while back who casually asked in class for a "rubber". He meant to ask for an eraser, but in Canada "rubber" is slang for condom!
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