Eugene!

 Funny you should mention that. After a short career in the Shell/B.P. Fleet and being home ported in England, I started doing that too. Every once in a while I will accidently say that to a mechanic and get the funniest look!

   This goes way back to coach times as far as Boot is concerned and when cars first were on England's roads the engine covering, usually shaped sheet metal, held down by leather straps, was called the Bonnet, Because they considered the engine the driving force and a woman's head had to be protected by a bonnet from the weather.

 There are other phrases that stick out to me, But one of the ones I could relate to was Bodgers. They were those folks who built something useable from junk and found stuff! Don't take this a gospel, this is only what I have dug up in general conversation witth British and Aussie friends.

So, I'd guess that we all talk a bit odd to the other person's frame of mind, and that makes us all special .  .  . (and some are just a little more special than others) 

And then, when you go from regular speak to slang or colloquialisms, well then you can go buggy trying to decipher what that other guy is saying. But then again, that's half the fun, right??

Plus they call tech or merchanical geeks Boffins!

My son and I have been busy with a summer build and I named us Bodgit & Bodgit. 

Well Ugene, I believe that TB has the right of it, at least as far as the term boot is concerned, I'm not sure about the bonnet, but it makes a great story! Even your stagecoach had a storage area called the boot. We also had stagecoaches. Your most famous line was Wells Fargo, ours was Cobb and Co. You had outlaws, we had bushrangers. (Aussies also refer to their in-laws as outlaws.......

 As for cookies, well all I can say there is we speak the Queen's English, real bloody bonza mate! 

As for 'boffins', yer getting ya countries buggered up mate. Boffins is Pommie speak and that's another rabbit hole altogether!

And as for you two pair of jokers, Armournut and HooYa, it's not that we're in front of you, it's that your behind.  Just saying. And HooYa c'mon mate. Have you given up already???? I mean stone the flamin crows mate, where's the challenge? I had us down for a right royal stoush.

On another note, Est. 1961 I reckon what you and your son are doing is fantastic and I love the name.

Cheers all,

Dodgy

I like candy corn in small amounts, like a handful. A bag is too much. Sort of like those orange marshmellow circus peanuts. One or two is okay, but a bag is too many.

Dodgy

You Americans have funny names for things. So ok I'll bite. What the heck is candy corn?

Dodgy

 

Towards late summer and early fall, stores begin selling large bags of the candy, but closer to Halloween, the bags are smaller sized and have less than a handful in them so they can be handed out during Trick-or-treating on Halloween.

 Dang Dodgy if that how it works thwn I need to shoot you the numbers and we can do a 3way split....sorry HooYaa that how I roll LOL.

Rob Gronovius

I like candy corn in small amounts, like a handful. A bag is too much. Sort of like those orange marshmellow circus peanuts. One or two is okay, but a bag is too many. 

Marshmallow Peeps.  I hate those damn' things.  Even though they're made right here in Bethlehem.  I have never liked them, even as a kid.  You might as well just grab a 5-pound bag of granulated sugar and a tablespoon, and go nuts.  Fegh.

I agree with that Baron. When they bring stuff like that into work I imagine eating a spoon full of sugar, wasn't always that way inclined. 

I think!

           The funniest example I had was a first Officer from the Bronx, New York City, We had snugged up all the lines in preparation to unload, He opened his mouth, And All the Mates  on the dock stood there with their jaws agape then started laughing, their supervisor even had to join in. He looked at me and said "Wud I Say?" I told him he needed to spend some time in Sydney to understand.

 I also told him,"Watch Out" they have different slang that pertains to women too. He was single Poor Sod! 

I'm a Native Texan with an accent, but not nearly as pronounced an accent as many Texans. When I lived and worked in Connecticut, I was often told, "You have an accent." My response? "Ah don't have an accent. It's all y'all Yankees that have an accent. Ah talk just fine!"

   Barbie is a doll, prawns well, who knows how we continentals bastardised that one, shrimp are small and served with cocktail suace, prawns are big shrimp, no idea what Aussues call lobsters...however in the Northeast, Maine Rhode Island,etc it's "labsta." Fresh water lobsyers are mudbugs, crawfish, or crawdads..

    Back to " barbie" if ya go to Texas, what the rest of the natural world calls a BBQ they call it grilling

Tanker-Builder

I think!

           The funniest example I had was a first Officer from the Bronx, New York City, We had snugged up all the lines in preparation to unload, He opened his mouth, And All the Mates  on the dock stood there with their jaws agape then started laughing, their supervisor even had to join in. He looked at me and said "Wud I Say?" I told him he needed to spend some time in Sydney to understand.

 I also told him,"Watch Out" they have different slang that pertains to women too. He was single Poor Sod! 

 

Back in 75 I was in Hawaii for the RIMPAC exercise. When we came alongside and started to heave our mooring lines down to the waiting American sailors, one of them yelled out, "where he'll from? We answered "Australia". The response .......... "Golly, you guys speak english" 

We knew then it was going to be an interesting run ashore!

Dodgy

Space Ranger

I'm a Native Texan with an accent, but not nearly as pronounced an accent as many Texans. When I lived and worked in Connecticut, I was often told, "You have an accent." My response? "Ah don't have an accent. It's all y'all Yankees that have an accent. Ah talk just fine!"

 

That made me laugh and remember something else about RIMPAC 75. A bunch of us were in a bar and a waitress came to take our order. When we had finished ordering, she looked at us and said "you guys sure have funny accents" "Hang on a minute we replied, it's you whose got the accent, not us". Ah, know nothing Aussie babes in the woods in a foreign land!

Dodgy

My mom was born in Liverpool and I have family there still.  I lived there for two years or so when I was 5 while my dad was on his 3rd tour in Vietnam.  When I came home I said 'you talk funny dad'.  Younguns pick up the accent quick.

Years later a few of my relatives came for my wedding.  We were at a pizza joint and my uncle and I got up from the table to go get a couple more pitchers of beer.  The cute barmaid noticed my handsome uncles accent and said 'I love your accent, where do you come from' and he said 'that table just over there'

Dodgy

Yeah, you guessed it Eugene, I come from a land downunder. And as for Mr. flaming HooYa Deep Sea, well.........

Why do you blokes call chips, fries? And what the blazes are 'flip flops'? Also, can someone please tell me what 'sneakers' are? Or is that some kind of classified black ops thing????? And strike me bloody pink, what is a 'fanny' bag???????? I mean really? And 'shorts', how did yer Reg Grundies come to be called shorts????? I mean shorts are short strides that ya wear in the summer.

I dunno, it leaves a simple bloke from the bush a bit confused.

Over to you HooYa....

Dirty Dodgy from downunder.

 

Well, back in the '80s we only called the cheap flimsy type of sandals 'flip-flops'. The type that you wore for about one summer and then they ended up in the trash. They had a strap on the front that went between your toes to hold them on but no strap in the back at the heel. So as you flexed your foot walking the sandals would make a 'flop, flop, flop' sound. I'm assuming that's where the term 'flip-flop' came from. Now I hear the term used for any sandal. 

'Sneakers'- well I've always called them 'tennis shoes'. Why, I dunno, I wear them but don't play tennis. I suppose some people use them for that. 

'Chips- fries'. I dunno. I used to think 'chips' were the big finger-sized thick type that we Yanks call 'steak fries' and the fries were the little pencil sized ones but I think the terms are interchangable. 

Steak fries:

Why do we Yanks call 'potato chips' 'chips' when Brits call them 'potato crisps'? I have no friggin' clue. 'Crisps' make more sense though.

Bish tried to explain to me what a 'lorry' was years ago. I think I get it- or at least most of it. A 'lorry' is what as a Yank I'd call a flatbed truck. A container truck in the UK is called a 'van'. Or at least I think.    

Also Bish didn't know what a 'yellowjacket' was so I guess it's a 'Yank' term too. It's what we call a wasp with a yellow and black striped abdomen. 

Also I found out that in Australia you guys have Vegemite pizza. 

Now I want to try that, why can't I get it here!?!?!! 

armornut

   Barbie is a doll, prawns well, who knows how we continentals bastardised that one, shrimp are small and served with cocktail suace, prawns are big shrimp, no idea what Aussues call lobsters...however in the Northeast, Maine Rhode Island,etc it's "labsta." Fresh water lobsyers are mudbugs, crawfish, or crawdads..

    Back to " barbie" if ya go to Texas, what the rest of the natural world calls a BBQ they call it grilling

 

Armornut old mate, see there is a difference right there. We spell armor as armour. And yes we have Barbie dolls too. (Remember throwing my second cousins Barbie down a well when I was a kid.) Her dad became a very successful racehorse trainer, but has never given me a good tip. Wonder why???

Prawns are just prawns, large or small, and freshwater jobbies are either yabbies, or in WA, where they have big blue buggers, they're called Maron. Lobsters are crayfish, or Cray's. Our 20$ note, which is redish/orange in colour, is referred to as a lobster. We also have saltwater crustacean we refer to as a bug. Crabs are just crabs, but up North we have mud crabs. Bloody huge and very tasty.

Thanks for the clarification about Texas BBQ's. That always confused me.

Dodgy

That is very funny!!!

Hi!

       Crawdads(OrCraw fish) were dubbed that in the U.K. We liken them to Mudbugs and Critters. Now, Barbie is a doll, Not an outside Cooker. Americans do have it wrong. Snack Chips and Puffs are referred to as Crisps outside the U.S. Have you ever seen a soft Dorito! My first adventure with "Fish and Chips" Was in LiverPool. What the Liverpudlians? Serve IS Fish and Chips! ("Chips or sections of Potatos and Fish Just like the Europeans in my family served at home") Americans call them "Home Fries". Not Fish and Chips as we see it. Who ever heard of putting Pringles on a fish dinner plate. Pringles*A processed potato product is properly a " Crisp: Nothing More or less.

 Yes! "Downeast" Don't ask me where that single word phrase came from?  Even my friends up there don't know!("It's just always been called that", is what I get) (Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts environs ) do say things like "Labstah" (For LOBSTER) As they call the oversize " Mudbugs? My Phrase for any of that particular crustacean family. That  they catch, Charge To Much For and try to make it Special. In Colonial Times, That was Poor Folks's and Prisoner food! Because they were so prolific and found just  About anywhere on that coast! The Upper-Crust at that time wouldn't be caught dead eating a "Labstah" The whole thing gets melted down to some simple examples Is it "coupe Or Coup'e",  or Drophead coupe(for Convertibles) ie.Tomato or Tahmato! NOTE:

         I was NOT born in the States. I was born outside the the Continental limits on a ship with my country's flag on the staff(Austrian) Which I found out my Mom Came from. Married Mom's sister off.(My Aunt) to a Sicilian Family. We all came here as soon as we could because of "Der fuerher". My Mom didn't make it. But she made sure I did!

Gamera

...Also Bish didn't know what a 'yellowjacket' was so I guess it's a 'Yank' term too. It's what we call a wasp with a yellow and black striped abdomen. 

And yeah, these are chips...

They're the best, too.  If you want the best potato chips, or pretzels, for that matter, you come to PA Dutch country.

Gamera

 

 

Dodgy

Yeah, you guessed it Eugene, I come from a land downunder. And as for Mr. flaming HooYa Deep Sea, well.........

Why do you blokes call chips, fries? And what the blazes are 'flip flops'? Also, can someone please tell me what 'sneakers' are? Or is that some kind of classified black ops thing????? And strike me bloody pink, what is a 'fanny' bag???????? I mean really? And 'shorts', how did yer Reg Grundies come to be called shorts????? I mean shorts are short strides that ya wear in the summer.

I dunno, it leaves a simple bloke from the bush a bit confused.

Over to you HooYa....

Dirty Dodgy from downunder.

 

 

 

 

Well, back in the '80s we only called the cheap flimsy type of sandals 'flip-flops'. The type that you wore for about one summer and then they ended up in the trash. They had a strap on the front that went between your toes to hold them on but no strap in the back at the heel. So as you flexed your foot walking the sandals would make a 'flop, flop, flop' sound. I'm assuming that's where the term 'flip-flop' came from. Now I hear the term used for any sandal. 

'Sneakers'- well I've always called them 'tennis shoes'. Why, I dunno, I wear them but don't play tennis. I suppose some people use them for that. 

'Chips- fries'. I dunno. I used to think 'chips' were the big finger-sized thick type that we Yanks call 'steak fries' and the fries were the little pencil sized ones but I think the terms are interchangable. 

Steak fries:

Why do we Yanks call 'potato chips' 'chips' when Brits call them 'potato crisps'? I have no friggin' clue. 'Crisps' make more sense though.

 

Bish tried to explain to me what a 'lorry' was years ago. I think I get it- or at least most of it. A 'lorry' is what as a Yank I'd call a flatbed truck. A container truck in the UK is called a 'van'. Or at least I think.    

Also Bish didn't know what a 'yellowjacket' was so I guess it's a 'Yank' term too. It's what we call a wasp with a yellow and black striped abdomen. 

 

Hey Gamera.That beastie in the photo is referred to here as a European Wasp. Nasty little buggers. The Luftwaffe had a jabo geschwader named for them, 'Wespen Geschwader'.

My wife is English and always used the term 'crisps', we call them potato chips. Jill loves a chip butty, crisps in buttered bread. Strange people the English........

As for flip flops, we call them thongs. Nough said.

Dodgy

We've got a lot of different terms like bonnet (English) and hood (American) in automobiles, boot (English) and trunk (American).

Potato chips actually make more sense in American English. When sliced thinly, the potato resembles poker chips prior to being deep fried. But then they become crisp, so I see the Queen's Enlgish reasoning, much like we often call French fried potatoes simply "fries".

It can be like that in the same country Rob. Take scones for instance ; besides the issue of cream with jam on top or jam with cream on top. There is the pronunciation; scone as in con or cone. I've always used the former the later been imho a bit posh. In Ireland it's pronounced as in cone, dispite been home now going on 18yrs I still say scone as in con. I'm just back from a holiday in Devon and Cornwall two counties next-door to each other and they can't agree with either cases above.

Est.1961

It can be like that in the same country Rob. Take scones for instance ; besides the issue of cream with jam on top or jam with cream on top. There is the pronunciation; scone as in con or cone. I've always used the former the later been imho a bit posh. In Ireland it's pronounced as in cone, dispite been home now going on 18yrs I still say scone as in con. I'm just back from a holiday in Devon and Cornwall two counties next-door to each other and they can't agree with either cases above.

Sent from my phone

 

 At least beer is universal....on Earth anyway

Hi Dodgy!

 Listen, There's folks saying there's something wrong with the Messaging so---

 Here's my address to send the Tuna Boat to. G.J.Geracci, 436 Copper Hill dr. New Braunfels, Texas, 78130-9295. If you need anything else, let me know!

Hi Dodgy!

            Hey, you know what? If you look at the Bug in the picture. That says "Wasp" to me. Bees are shorter, smaller and some are slightly fuzzy-All the better to pick up pollen with! That "Wasp" If you notice, has a distinct pattern between the Yellow and Black. This can be spotted even when they are buzzing around you. Don't mess with them and they will usually leave you alone.

           Another thing most folks don't know is this. On a very hot day, Most insects like this are more active. Like lizards and stuff, heat makes them more active. That's you don't want to interact with them. They will be VERY aggressive then. So if you see any while working around the house flying in a certain area, it's not to far from their nest. Leave the area and don't come back till the heat eases up or the sun goes down!