Proof Americans and Brits speak a different language

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  • john holdingjohn holding Ecclesiantics Host, Mystery Worshipper Host
    Unless you are talking to someone whose mother tongue is not English (French or Spanish, for example, or whatever language is spoken by the head of the WHO Dr Tadros), in which case "qu" is invariably pronounced "k"
  • What is the "correct" pronunciation of "Schedule"? Does it begin Sked or Shed?

    I've heard both, I'm pretty sure I've used both, and I'm confused!
  • Nick TamenNick Tamen Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Here (American South) it’s sked-ule, just like school is skool. In my experience, that’s generally the case in the US.

    I’ve heard an explanation for why shed-ule is the more common UK pronunciation and sked-ule is more common in the US, but I can’t for the life of me remember what that explanation was.

  • EirenistEirenist Shipmate
    'Sh' would be the pronunciation in German, so Brits would think that was correct?
  • Canadian here. I say both. No idea what gets me to say one or the other.
  • Schedule (like school, scheme, schism and I think most other words that begin with sch) is from Greek, not German, and sked would be closer to the Greek. I’m thinking that perhaps the shed pronunciation was influenced by French, whereas the sked pronunciation was influenced by Webster’s preference for a pronunciation closer to the Greek.

  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    Schedule (like school, scheme, schism and I think most other words that begin with sch) is from Greek, not German, and sked would be closer to the Greek. I’m thinking that perhaps the shed pronunciation was influenced by French, whereas the sked pronunciation was influenced by Webster’s preference for a pronunciation closer to the Greek.

    The original pronunciation of the English word would be Sedule, owing to its coming from French Cédule. The spelling with an sch- started to creep in because of the ultimate derivation from Latinised Greek. The pronunciations sh- and sk- both in turn derive from that spelling innovation.
  • Ah, thanks. That may be what I heard and have been trying to remember.
  • What do you call toilet paper in your area? Toilet paper, and TP are common. But also less politely "bum wad" and more recently heard "poop ticket". This is western Canada.

    I admit that my interest is stimulated purely because of runs on it (pun intended).
  • EnochEnoch Shipmate
    The official name is toilet paper, but 'Bumf' or 'Loo roll' are widely prevalent in the circles I live in. That's why needless paperwork and wodges of tedious documents are referred to as 'bumf'. In the past, 'bog roll'.

    I'm taken with 'poo ticket'. Unknown here but might adopt that one.
  • edited March 2020
    Does that mean the word bog is used for poo?

    A bog here is a moss filled former slough (said sloo like "Cain slew Abel", what is called a pond elsewhere) .
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Bogroll. A bog is a khazi, crapper, or the room or out-building in which it is situated.

    May be pluralised - "I found a stash of jazz mags behind the bogs" - "I came across some Adult literature secreted behind the public conveniences"

  • I always thought that 'bumf' was short for 'bum fodder', which must be going back to schooldays. 'Bog' has always meant toilet, with 'bogroll' as the obvious relative, but may just be UK usage.
  • It’s pretty much just toilet paper or TP here.
  • orfeoorfeo Shipmate
    Damn. For once Australians aren't terribly inventive. I'm struggling to think of ever hearing it called something besides toilet paper or a toilet roll. Even if you're going to the loo rather than the toilet.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    You'd think there'd be something based on dunny.
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    orfeo wrote: »
    Damn. For once Australians aren't terribly inventive. I'm struggling to think of ever hearing it called something besides toilet paper or a toilet roll. Even if you're going to the loo rather than the toilet.

    Or loo paper, which seems pretty common around here.
  • rhubarbrhubarb Shipmate
    We say both toilet paper and loo roll
  • Though usually toilet paper or TP, I've occasionally heard toilet tissue (as opposed to facial tissue).
  • I hear toilet tissue in advertisements, but I rarely hear a Real PersonTM call it that.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    There is a meme going around, to the effect:

    Name a Movie and change a word with Toilet Paper--or loo roll.

    My nomination: Fist full of Toilet Paper.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    There is a meme going around, to the effect:

    Name a Movie and change a word with Toilet Paper--or loo roll.

    My nomination: Fist full of Toilet Paper.

    See "Gone with the Toilet Paper" in the Circus.
  • "Toilet Tissue" is seen on many a package of TP. Also "bathroom tissue." I think the Spanish have it right calling it "hygienic paper."
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Never heard it as TP. I'd use toilet roll in polite company and bogroll in more casual speech.
  • Tree BeeTree Bee Shipmate
    As a Kath and Kim fan I’m familiar with the Australian use of the word tut for toilet. I think that’s how it must be spelt.
  • We must not forget the perfectly proper Swedish word for bogroll: kräpp.
    (Closely related to crêpe, of course).
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I'd call it either loo roll or bog roll, depending on the politeness level of the company I'm in.

    As for schedule, my understanding is that "shedule" is the Brit pronunciation and "skedule" the American.
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    Tree Bee wrote: »
    As a Kath and Kim fan I’m familiar with the Australian use of the word tut for toilet. I think that’s how it must be spelt.

    Probably toot - but can't recall ever seeing it written
  • We must not forget the perfectly proper Swedish word for bogroll: kräpp.
    (Closely related to crêpe, of course).

    Oh, I thought that was a build-it-yourself toilet from IKEA.
  • Toilet paper, toilet tissue, and TP are used interchangeable in our house USA.
  • I'd never come across TP until this thread. I don't think it's used in Britain - which is normally the signal for lots of folk to tell me differently!
  • What about disposable tissue you blow your nose on? We call it kleenex even that that's a brandname. I do hear "tissue" by usually in the context of "have an issue? here's a tissue."; "snot rag" is the rude version.
  • Yep Kleenex, no matter the brand. I also hear tissue used.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Here is a good one:

    Bangs

    Say ‘bangs’ to a British person and perhaps they’ll imagine thunderstorms or fireworks - the word is used in the onomatopoeic sense to refer to a loud noise. In America, though, the term bangs refers to a shorter section of hair which is cut straight across the forehead – what is called a fringe in Britain. The word bangs first started being used in 1878 and is thought to have stemmed from the adverbial use of bang to mean ‘abruptly’ – the hair is cut bang off. When used adverbially in Britain, however, the word bang translates to ‘exactly’ or ‘directly’ – for example: ‘the train arrived bang on time’ or ‘I tripped bang in the middle of the road’.
  • orfeoorfeo Shipmate
    KarlLB wrote: »
    You'd think there'd be something based on dunny.

    Yeah, I guess "dunny paper" would be a thing. People I know wouldn't often say "dunny".

    Maybe I'm just struggling because until now there hasn't been much of a reason to talk about toilet paper in social settings.
  • EnochEnoch Shipmate
    "Bang" in Brenglish is the noise an explosion makes. I don't know how the expressions like 'bang on' that @Gramps49 mentions come to derive from it, but they are widely used.

    In the hair context, I've never heard it used to mean a fringe, but I have, very occasionally, heard 'bangs' used as an alternative to 'bunches'.

    In case that expression itself isn't familiar in the, US, bunches are what we call the girl's hairstyle where the hair is tied, with ribbon or some sort of elastic into two clumps one on each side of the side of the back of head.
  • Recently I read an American book where a girl was described as having "dog ears". I assumed that was what you describe as "bunches", but I haven't heard that term before.
  • Yep Kleenex, no matter the brand. I also hear tissue used.

    Paper hankies in this house.
  • Yep Kleenex, no matter the brand. I also hear tissue used.
    Same here.

  • strangely enough, "tissues" is one of the rare cases where we don't use the brand name in our house
    we talk about doing the Hoovering, for vacuum cleaning, and Sellotape for any sticky tape.
  • Kleenex (generically speaking) is often on the box referred to as "facial tissue" although nobody calls it that.

    "Bang" as a transitive verb can also mean "have sex with" -- usually spoken of the male in P-I-V sex.
  • Wet Kipper wrote: »
    strangely enough, "tissues" is one of the rare cases where we don't use the brand name in our house
    we talk about doing the Hoovering, for vacuum cleaning, and Sellotape for any sticky tape.
    I've heard that the Australian equivalent to (UK) Sellotape and (US) Scotch tape is Durex. It has been known to lead to occasional cross-cultural awkwardness.

  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Wet Kipper wrote: »
    strangely enough, "tissues" is one of the rare cases where we don't use the brand name in our house
    we talk about doing the Hoovering, for vacuum cleaning, and Sellotape for any sticky tape.
    I've heard that the Australian equivalent to (UK) Sellotape and (US) Scotch tape is Durex. It has been known to lead to occasional cross-cultural awkwardness.

    DIY condom...
  • KarlLB wrote: »
    DIY condom...
    Ouch.
  • Durex means condom to me in western Canada.

    Bang is a multipurpose word. It is an activity you might need a condom for, a sharp sound, but has to be plural to mean hair "bangs". Bang also means something that happened suddenly. "So here I am in the meeting and bang the boss says <something startling>"

    For no reason, except it's a genius song and he dances and bangs so well: I Want to Bang on the Drum All Day.
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    Wet Kipper wrote: »
    strangely enough, "tissues" is one of the rare cases where we don't use the brand name in our house
    we talk about doing the Hoovering, for vacuum cleaning, and Sellotape for any sticky tape.
    I've heard that the Australian equivalent to (UK) Sellotape and (US) Scotch tape is Durex. It has been known to lead to occasional cross-cultural awkwardness.

    I have no doubt that you've heard that, but we've not heard it for decades - and even then it was not common.
  • Damn, all this talk of bangs has got ricky martin stuck in my head, she bangs she bangs. Used to be a favourite track.
  • Bunches = "pigtails." One bunch is a ponytail. And "fringe" in the U.S. is something you find on carpets and upholstery--or really, really horrible shirts.
  • Hey! whoa there about shirts!
  • Well, if we could get you to MODEL it, we could form a proper idea... :wink:
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