Different Meanings for Words

[tartxcherries]

in the UK, we say fortnight. I have noticed "bi-monthly" now, as well as "bi-annually", which I have never noticed before.

Also "Mooning"...in the UK it is slang for showing one's behind. In the US I believe it means pining after someone?

It means both here, but to be honest my first though would be showing your rear. 

[katycoo]

Football!

UK: football = soccer
US: football = american football/grid iron
Aus: football = footy = rugby league
Aus: rugby = rugby union
Aus: soccer = soccer (althought the football thing is starting to get popular, it will always be soccer to me)

Almost!

UK & most of Europe : football = soccer
US : football = american football/grid iron
NZ : football = rugby (union)
Aus (Queensland/New South Wales/Capital/parts of the Northern Territory): football = rugby league/union
Aus (Victoria, Tasmania, parts of South Australia & Western Australia): football = Australian Rules Football, the Grand Final of which is next week at the MCG.

A lot of countries outside the EU refer to 'European Football' as soccer. There was a great graph on graphjam about this the other week... must see if I can find it...

Sorry kidlets - we've officially changed soccer to football, courtesy of the FFA (Football Federation Australia).  Start getting used to it!

BTW in my neck of the woods (Sydney), 'football' is not really used for other footy codes due to general confusion, even when soccer is not added to the equation - its always been AFL/Aussie Rules, League or Union.

[katycoo]

"I'm stuffed" in the U.S. means "I've had too much to eat", but apparently in Australia it means you've had sex?  I was told this by a friend who repeated the phrase in an Sydney restaurant and got funny looks, but it sounds far fetched to me.

As an Aussie I'm calling "rubbish" on this one. I've only ever used, and heard, "stuffed" to mean either really full or really tired.

In reference to fortnight - I had never realised that this was not a universally used term Fascinating!

I have noticed that people in the US will reference a time by the season, e.g. last summer, next winter. Now I'm not sure if it's a regional thing, but I tend to find that people here will tend to refer to the month, e.g. in July, last December. What do other countries do?

Seconded.  NEVER heard it used that way.

[Sharnita]

in the UK, we say fortnight. I have noticed "bi-monthly" now, as well as "bi-annually", which I have never noticed before.

Also "Mooning"...in the UK it is slang for showing one's behind. In the US I believe it means pining after someone?

Mooning has both menaings in the US

[iridaceae]

Cab and taxi. 

Here in NYC, they both mean the sort of metered vehicle that you hail on the street.  If you need a car to pick you up at a specified time and deliver you to a specified place at a previously agreed upon price, you call a car service.  The driver will pick you up at 7:30 AM and drive you to terminal 3 at La Guardia for 30 USD.  That's how it works.

US girl here - never heard of a car service. A cab (or taxi) is the word here for both functions.

Car service gets used here- I've seen it in company names here in Tucosn. Generally they are a little more upscale.

[Giggity]

UK hellions: what are trainers? Are those, like, Reeboks or similar?

[Larrabee]

UK hellions: what are trainers? Are those, like, Reeboks or similar?

Sneakers?  Training shoes?

Made by Adidas, Nike, Reebok etc.  These:

[Giggity]

Sweet! Thanks. I learned something today! /stanmarsh

[Miss Vertigo]

UK hellions: what are trainers? Are those, like, Reeboks or similar?

Yeah - Reeboks, Nikes, whatever; it's a catch-all term for sports shoes (not including specialist things like football boots or rugby boots)

This sort of thing:



On the same subject but in reverse: does 'tennis shoes' refer to all athletic kind of footwear, including what we'd call trainers?

A tennis shoe to my mind is something quite specific, like this, the sort of thing you used to wear for gym at school:



Much flimsier than trainers, usually made of canvas, also referred to as 'pumps'.

[iridaceae]

To me tennis shoes = sneakers. I use them interchangeably and usually call tennis shoes tennies.  However, the English language beign what it is if someone said "I've taken up tennis and need to buy some tennis shoes" I'll know they mean sneakers meant specifically for tennis players.

[Hollanda]

I love the difference in meaning of the swear word...I won't say it, I hate swearing, but in the UK it means to be drunk, in the US it means to be annoyed with someone.

[RingTailedLemur]

I love the difference in meaning of the swear word...I won't say it, I hate swearing, but in the UK it means to be drunk, in the US it means to be annoyed with someone.

If we are funking of the same word, then following it with "off" means the same in the UK and US.

[marcel]

A lot of countries outside the EU refer to 'European Football' as soccer. There was a great graph on graphjam about this the other week... must see if I can find it...

I would love to see that graph. I don't know much about Asian countries, but I can't imagine all African and South and Central American countries suddenly going to soccer.

Off course it is completely ridiculous anyway to call a sport that is mostly played by throwing the ball and holding it in your hand as football anyway. 

[Elfmama]

in the UK, we say fortnight. I have noticed "bi-monthly" now, as well as "bi-annually", which I have never noticed before.

Also "Mooning"...in the UK it is slang for showing one's behind. In the US I believe it means pining after someone?

It means both here, but to be honest my first though would be showing your rear. 

"Mooning" is showing one's behind.  "Mooning after" is pining for someone/something.

Re "stuffed": before we were stationed in England, we were given lists of "British English" with special emphasis on things to avoid, like "fanny".  "Stuffed" was on there as a Naughty Word, with s*xual connotations.  Now, this was about 25 years ago, so it may have been a slang term that has since fallen out of favor.

[Thipu1]

Jumper.

In the UK it describes the garment we, in the US, would call a 'pull-over sweater'. 

Here, a 'jumper' is a very different sort of garment.  It's a loose, sleeveless dress usually made of a heavy fabric such as wool or corduroy.  The jumper is always worn over a turtleneck or a long sleeved blouse.

  When made of velvet, the jumper is the dress of choice for young girls at winter holiday parties.  It's reasonably warm.  It's more comfortable than a standard party dress.  It also looks much neater than a skirt and blouse. 

Because it's so practical, I have no doubt that what we call a jumper is often used in the UK.  However, I have no idea what it is called there.