08 September 2005

English-American Translation

I would like to make this post bigger. I know people have told me in the past that they had to work around the English slang in my posts - my only problem is I don't know which words they referred to!

Blogzilla has asked me what a pinny is.

I propose to update this post for every UK word my American (or other) friends don't understand, until we have a handy reference list. It doesn't matter where you saw the word - here or on any UK blog/website.

(If the translation makes no sense either, then I trust someone to let me know!)


Jumper - traditional name for a woollen knitted sweater. If it has long sleeves, no front fastenings and is made of machine or handknitted wool (ok, or cotton, or acrylic wool) its a jumper.
Pinny - shortened form of piniafore - apron.
Plimsolls / Plimsoles canvas topped flat trainers, almost always black. Very like deck shoes, but softer. Worn by every UK schoolchild for PE. Fastened with laces or velcro crossover, but traditionally worn as a slip-on with elasticated inserts either side of a tongue shaped central section.
Raspberry#1 - shortened form of Cockney rhyming slang, raspberry ripple - nipple.
Raspberry#1a - shortened form of Cockney rhyming slang, raspberry ripple - cripple. Apparently.
Raspberry#2 - a strange quacking or fart like noise made by pursing or twisting the lips before blowing, or by blowing out with the tongue out.
Snooker - a classy version of pool - one white ball, a few red balls and one each of several other colours. There are no numbered balls, but you pot a red then a colour, then a red and so on to clear the table. Different colour balls score different points. Every time a colour other than red is potted it comes back on the board until all the reds are gone, then you have to pot the colours in strict sequence ending with the black; the white cannot be allowed to clip the wrong colour. The game is named after the way you can leave the balls at the end of your move. If the next colour your opponent has to pot is positioned right behind another ball, so that there is no way at all for them to hit the right one, then thats a snooker. They have to have a go, and when they hit the wrong one it opens the table back up for you.
Snookered - screwed, basically; set up, stitched up, stuck, unable to move, damned whatever you do, forced into giving the advantage to the opposition - named after the same situation in the game.

15 comments:

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Ah Cheryl, you're just asking for it. The minute you get to jumper and pinafore--we always get confused.

smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

I was brought up in the sincere belief that a raspberry ripple was a cripple. Oh, dear. I don't know what that poor lad in the wheelchair must have thought of me!

Doris said...

Great! I found I have caused people problems when I have posted something on their blog and funnily enough jumper was one such word and liked your explanation. I'm sure I have used one or two baffling words on my blog and will post them here when I have found them!

How was your work today? OK-ish?

Anonymous said...

I just hope the Americans know what "petrol" is, what with all the blogging that's being done about fuel prices at the moment....

I also had an American lady ask me if "snooker" was a word I made up!

Jennifer said...

I figured it was an apron, but had these visions of gloves for some reason. Love the Raspberry:nipple. We have the other raspberry here, too.

Jumper is used by Aussies, so I was familiar with that one too.

I love slang.

Heads up! Your five questions are posted at my blog Have fun with them.

Jennifer said...

PS: Dan, we know what petrol is in the states. What we can't seem to understand is how to use it responsibly. I've had many a brutal argument about public tranportation & shanks mare vs SUVs and Cadillacs. Not to disparage a president I didn't vote for, but considering he plays in oil, well, enough implied already. Petrol is just another thing for Ameritards to waste.

Ms Mac said...

Even after 15 years together my Aussie husband still looks at me funny when I use a word or phrase he's never heard before!

birdychirp said...

Yes Raspberry Ripple can also be rhyming slang for cripple!

Ah god I love English. I don't understand it mind...

DC said...

Now explain cricket!

Anonymous said...

I refer the honorable gentleman to this page for a clear and concise explanation of crisket:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_towel_explanation_(cricket)

Anonymous said...

... and that'll teach me to proofread comments before posting them. Now if someone can come up with an explanation for crisket, I'll be most impressed.

Cheryl said...

Or, if you want an explanation NOT designed to make you more confused, try this:
http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/hosking/cricket/explanation.htm

:-)

Anonymous said...

Reading your description of "snookered" makes me wonder whatever happened to the game of "bugger"....

fineartist said...

Crisket, a crisp trisket?…crisko biscuit?…I really need a good long rest. This, Dan, made me laugh, reminded me of something I would do, or have done.

Anonymous said...

ooooooooo how tempted I am to confuse them over the water with black-country words and sayings!