1、以下这个表很全，左边是英国，右边是美国的说法。BRITISH TO AMERICAN Accumulator (automotive) = battery, car battery Alsatian (dog) = German shepherd Articulated lorry = tractor-trailer (truck), a “semi“ Ass = donkey; U.S. ass = G.B. “arse,“ i.e. ones backside (in addition to normal “donkey“) Athletics (an . meet) = track an
2、d field Backlog = log-jam, pile-up (of business orders, for example). U.S. backlog = comfortable reserve of orders difference between the two is in opposite interpretation or connotation of same basic situation. Bank holiday = holiday Bap = bun, hamburger bun, hamburger roll Mrs. Beeton = Fanny Farm
3、er (standard cooking, household reference book) Bespoke = custom-tailored, tailor-made Big Dipper = roller coaster (at a “Fun-Fair“ = “Amusement Park“ Bilberry = blueberry “Bird“ = “chick“ Biro = Papermate (ball-point pen trade name which equals “generic“ name) Biscuit = cookie (U.S. “biscuit“ is a
4、baked bread, “bap,“ “scone“ Blancmange = vanilla pudding Block, block of flats = apartment building (U.S. term “block“ city block unknown as such in British English, though usually understandable. “Bomb“ (theater terminology) = a “hit,“ a great success. U.S. “bomb“ = G.B. failure, critical disaster,
5、 i.e. the two are exact opposites in sentences like “The play was a bomb!“ Boiler suit = overalls Bonnet (automotive) = hood (of a car.) Boot (automotive) = trunk (of a car.) Bottom drawer = hope chest Bowler (hat) = derby (special connotations U.S. suspenders = G.B. garters, stocking fasteners Bram
6、bleberry = blackberry Bottom of the street = end of the street Box (TV) = Tube (both slang, colloquial terms) Bull = “mickey mouse“ (unnecessary military drill); U.S. bull = G.B. cock Bum = ass, rectum; U.S. bum = G.B. tramp, derelict Bun in the oven = pregnant, eating for two Call box = (tele)phone
7、 booth Camp bed = cot; U.S. cot = G.B. baby bed Car park = parking lot Caretaker (for a building) = janitor (not same as “vahtimestari“) Carriage (railway) = railroad car, subway car Carrier bag = shopping bag Caucus = permanent group in a political party; U.S. caucus = G.B. ad hoc planning meeting
8、of a group in a political party Central reservation = median strip (between halves of a divided highway) Charge sheet = police record Chemist (drugstore) = druggist Chips = french fries; U.S. chips often = dried buffalo, cow dung (other cases, i.e. poker chips, wood chips, the same) Chucker-out = bo
9、uncer (doorman or “enforcer“ in a bar/restaurant “In the City“ = “on Wall Street“ (in main financial district) City editor = financial editor; U.S. city editor = G.B. “community news editor“ Cloakroom = toilet; U.S. cloakroom = clothes closet, garment storage area Coach = intercity bus Combinations
10、= union suit (colloquial for long underwear) Comforter = scarf; U.S. comforter = heavy quilt, blanket Compre = Master of ceremonies, M.C. (of TV game show, etc.) Constable = (police) officer “To cop“ = “to get“ something unpleasant, i.e. “to cop a 15-pound fine.“ U.S. “to cop“ = to plead guilty to a
11、 lesser charge in order to avoid prosecution U.S. corn = G.B. “maize“ only. Costermonger = pushcart seller (Sent to) Coventry = ostracized Crisps = potato chips Cupboard = closet; U.S. closet = G.B. w.c., or toilet Davenport = antique folding writing desk; U.S. davenport = large sofa, often which fo
12、lds out into a bed at night. Deposit account = savings account Dinner jacket = tuxedo (“black tie“ formal dress) Dormitory = bedroom; U.S. dormitory = G.B. residence hall Dresser = kitchen sideboard; U.S. dresser = bedroom drawers, vanity “Duck“ = “goose egg“ (a zero on the scoreboard of a sports ma
13、tch) Dumb = mute; U.S. dumb usually means “stupid“ rather than “mute,“ which is a secondary meaning in U.S. usage. Dustbin = garbage can, ashcan (exterior waste-disposal unit) Dynamo (automotive) = generator (within automobile engine) Earth wire = ground wire (in electricity, electronics) Elastic ba
14、nd = rubber band To Enjoin = to compel, to legally force; U.S. enjoin = to legally forbid i.e. same term in same general contextual usage has precisely the opposite meaning Ex-serviceman = veteran; U.S. veteran = G.B. old ex-serviceman; (U.S. term has no special age connotation, only that the person
15、 have had prior military experience sometime) Fag = (a) cigarette; (b) public-school underclass “servant“; U.S. fag = low-slang term for male homosexual. Fanny = vagina (vulgar usage); U.S. fanny = light euphemism for “backside,“ either male or female. First floor = second floor, etc. (Britain walks
16、 in ground floor, goes up 1 set of stairs to first floor; U.S. ground floor and first floor are the same. Fish slice = pancake turner, spatula (kitchen tool); U.S. spatula = G.B. tongue depressor (medical instrument) Fitted carpet = wall-to-wall carpeting Flan = pie, fruit pie Flannel = washcloth; U
17、.S. flannel = heavy warm cotton fabric; “flannels“ would be long underwear made from such heavy warm fabric. Flat = apartment; U.S. flat = tenement flat = poor-standard slum apartment. Flick knife = switch-blade knife, a switchblade Flyover = overpass (as in a bridge over a road); U.S. flyover = air
18、plane passing over a certain place, as in military parade “flyovers“; verb is “to overfly.“ Form (school) = grade i.e. first form = first grade in school Garden = yard; U.S. garden = vegetable garden, fljower garden, i.e. area of special cultivation. U.S. yard = G.B. paved area (lorry yards) Goods (
19、car, train) = freight; U.S. goods = supplies, commercial stock Grind = sexual intercourse; U.S. grind = slang for “hard (routine) work.“ Haberdasher = notions seller; U.S. haberdasher = mens clothing seller To Hack = to (deliberately) kick; U.S. to hack = to chop, cut viciously. High street = Main s
20、treet To Hire = to rent (in most cases); U.S. to hire = to employ Hire-purchase = (the “never-never“) = installment plan Hoarding = billboard (large advertising sign alongside road) Hold up = traffic jam; U.S. holdup = robbery at gunpoint. Homely = home-loving, domestic, pleasant; U.S. homely = plai
21、n- looking (female), therefore often “left“ at home. To Hoover = to vacuum (carpets, etc.) “Hoover“ in the U.S. is a brand name only, never used as a verb. Inland = internal, domestic (Inland Revenue = Internal Revenue) Inverted commas = quotation marks (GB = xx; USA = “xx“) Inquiry agent = private
22、detective Jelly = Jello (deriving from brand name Jell-O, gelatin dessert) “On the job“ = having sexual intercourse; U.s. “on the job“ = while working, learning, i.e. “on the job training.“ Joint = pot roast; U.S. “joint“ = marijuana cigarette Juggernaut lorry = a very large truck, an overlong truck
23、, a “double semi“ truck Jumble sale = rummage sale Jumper = light pullover (sweater); U.S. jumper = type of knee- length womans dress worn over blouse or sweater Kirby grips = bobby pins (to fasten long hair .) A Knock-up = (tennis) to warm up, to volley a few, to practice-volley To Knock up = to aw
24、aken, call early in the morning; U.S. “to knock up“ is colloquial for “to impregnate“ Lacquer = hairspray; U.S. lacquer = wood varnish, shellac (high-gloss), i.e. protective decorative wood coating Ladder = (in womens stockings“ = a runner, a run Lay-by = (beside a road) = a pull-off, a rest area. L
25、eft-luggage office = check room, baggage check (room) Level crossing = railroad crossing. Lift = elevator Lip balm = chapstick Logic-chopping = splitting hairs, hair-splitting Long jump (in athletics) = broad jump (in track and field) Lorry = truck Loud-hailer = bullhorn, amplified megaphone Lucky d
26、ip = grab bag (childrens party game or activity .) Lumber room = spare room, storage room (in a home) Mackintosh = raincoat, overcoat, trenchcoat Mains = ordinary built-in home electrical network (no special word as equivalent in U.S.) Market garden = truck farm Marrow (vegetable) = squash, gourd Ma
27、son = stoneworker; U.S. mason can be stone- or brickworker Marriage lines = marriage certificate Mean = stingy, tight with money; U.S. “mean“ normally means nasty, spiteful, ill-meaning in action toward another Mess kit = formal military dress for ceremonial dining; U.S. mess kit = army or boy scout
28、 utensils for cooking or eating a meal on the trail. Minced meat = hamburger meat, ground beef; U.S. mincemeat = sweet, spicy ground meat/fruit/nut combination used for making pies, especially around Thanksgiving/Christmas Mineral water = any carbonated soft drink; U.S. mineral water = bottled natur
29、al water (containing normal minerals) from spring or health spa, Perrier water, etc. Mistress = teacher in girls school; U.S. mistress = lover (extramarital) Mob = gang, group (neutral); U.S. mob = angry crowd; “the mob“ = Mafia Motorist, motoring = driver, driving Music Hall = vaudeville (generic e
30、ntertainment type/place name) Nappy = diaper (for infants not toilet-trained) A Neat drink = a straight drink, i.e. “give me a straight whiskey“ = whiskey without water or other additives Nervy = nervous, jumpy; U.S. nervy = bold, impertinent, i.e. nearly the opposite of the British usage Night club
31、 = private membership club; U.S. nightclubs are public (commercial) entertainment places Number plate = license plate (on automobiles) Off-license = liquor store Old boy (girl) = alumni, alumnus, alumna of a school Pantechnicon = moving van Panda car = police patrol car, police cruiser Patience (car
32、d game) = Solitaire Pecker (keep your pecker up) = keep your chin up; U.S. pecker = penis Pram (peramulator) = baby carriage, baby buggy, stroller, walker Petrol = gasoline, gas (to go in automobiles, airplane, etc.) Pie = meat pie; U.S. pie is always a fruit or fruit-derived pie, unless “a meat pie
33、“ is specifically indicated Pillar-box = mailbox, post office box, letter box, letter drop Pissed (he was really.) = drunk; U.S. “pissed = angry, upset Pitch (soccer) = field (football) GB “football“ = US “soccer“ Plimsolls = sneakers, tennis shoes, gym shoes Point = electric outlet, railroad switch
34、 (depending on context) Polka dots = chocolate chips (food product for baking) Prawn = shrimp Prom, prom concert = music concerts where most of the audience is standing; U.S. prom = dance, semi-formal, especially at end of year in high schools, colleges Rates = local, municipal property taxes Redund
35、ant = laid off (from a job); U.S. redundant = superfluous (no connotation of connection with jobs at all) Return ticket = round-trip ticket Ringway = circular road (around a city), bypass Rise = raise in salary To Roger = to “screw,“ have sex with; to exploit, take advantage of, to use Roll neck (pu
36、llover) = turtleneck (sweater). Roundabout = traffic circle Rubber = eraser; U.S. rubber = condom, prophylactic device Saloon = “sedan“ car (automobile); US saloon = western-style bar Saloon bar = one section of an English pub Sanitary towel = sanitary napkin, feminine hygienic item A good screw = a
37、 good salary; U.S. “good screw“ equals good “fuck“ or good sexual experience To Screw = to cajole, persuade, extract money from; U.S. “to screw“ = to have sex with, fornicate Season ticket = commuter (train, bus) weekly or monthly ticket; U.S. season ticket is admission ticket to all home games in o
38、ne season of a particular sports team To Second to = to temporarily loan staff to another job or unit Sellotape = Scotch tape (both brand names now used as “generics“ “Semi“ = duplex, duplex house; U.S. “semi“ = tractor-trailer truck rig Seminary = Roman Catholic seminary only; U.S. Seminary can be
39、ANY religion, i.e. Lutheran, Methodist seminaries Sherbet = powdered, fruit-flavored candy; U.S. sherbet = G.B. sorbet (pronounced “soorbay“) Shorthand-typist = stenographer To shy = to throw something (he shied a rock at the stray dog.) Sideboards = sideburns (in a hairstyle) Single = one-way ticke
40、t; U.S. “single“ in context would mean “only one“ as opposed to “several“ tickets To Snog = to neck (i.e. kissing, hugging, etc., esp teenagers) Spinster = any unmarried woman; U.S. spinster is always OLD unmarried woman Standard lamp = floor lamp (as opposed to table or wall lamp) S.T.D. (subscribe
41、r trunk dialling) = direct distance dialling on the telephone, as opposed to dialling through operator Steps = ladder; U.S. “steps“ always would mean staircase, built- in stairway or staircase To stream (pupils in a school) = to track (streaming = tracking) Stroke (punctuation) = diagonal, slash To
42、Stuff = to fornicate, have sex with; U.S. “Im stuffed.“ = to be comfortably, pleasantly full of food, satiated Sub-editor = copy reader or rewrite person, in journalism Subs = dues, as in union dues, etc. Subway = underground walking passage, underpass, pedestrian tunnel; U.S. subway = G.B. “undergr
43、ound,“ i.e. underground railway system for public transportation Superannuation scheme = retirement pension plan Supply teacher = substitute teacher Supertax = surtax Surgery = a doctors office, office hours, reception time; U.S. “surgery“ refers to “surgeon“ operating on a patient Suspenders = gart
44、ers, for socks or stockings only; U.S. suspenders = G.B. braces, for holding up trousers Sweet = dessert, or piece of candy Sweetshop = candy store To Table (parliamentary procedure, conference terminology) = to put on agenda for immediate handling; U.S. “to table“ = to put aside indefinitely, to de
45、lay further handling Tannoy = public address (p.a.) amplification system Teat = baby bottle nipple; US teat = GB nipple = breast nipple Terrace house = row house, garden apartment, town house Are you Through? (telephone) = are you connected; U.S. “are you through“? = are you finished, completed, wit
46、h your call To tick = to check, place check mark beside Tights = hose, panty hoseh, nylons, nylon stockings; U.S. tights = leotards, skin-tight exercise suit, knit stocking pants Tinkle = telephone call give me a tinkle sometime; U.S. “tinkle“ = childrens talk for “to urinate“ Tip = garbage dump; U.
47、S. tip = hint, advice, clue Torch = flashlight; U.S. torch = burning, flaming light or weapon Touchline = sideline (in sports, such as on soccer pitch, etc.) Tower block = high-rise apartment building Trade union = labor union (but usually organized by “trades“ in England, by “industry“ in the U.S.
48、US “Auto Workers Union“ would be represented by different “trades“ in GB) Tram = streetcar, trolley car Transport cafe = truck stop (roadside cafeteria, restaurant, popular with truck lorry drivers Traveller = travelling salesman Treacle = molasses Trousers = pants; U.S. pants = G.B. underwear short
49、s Trunk call = long-distance call (on a telephone) Turn it up (colloquial) = stop it, cut it out! U.S. “turn it up“ = increase the volume Undercarrige = landing gear (aircraft) Underdone = rare (extent to which you wish your meat cooked) Underground= subway (cf “subway“) Vest = undershirt; U.S. Vest = G.B. waistcoat Windscreen (automotive) = windshield Wing (automotive) = fender, bumper (pre-70s designs.) White spirit = turpentine, paint thinner; U.S. “white lightning“ (spirits) = potent home-distilled backwoods alcohol! Wholemeal = whole-wheat (bread, flour,
