AA
AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION. This is the British equivalent to Triple-A (American Automobile Association). (See also RAC) It can also be used to refer to ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, as in the US. Note: In military circles AA means ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY, the British equivalent to the American term TRIPLE-A.
ABDABS
Nervous attack. It is always “screaming”, as in the phrase “He gives me the screaming abdabs”.
ABORIGINE
Although this has the same strict meaning as in the States, in Britain the term is usually applied exclusively to an indigenous native of Australia.
ACCLIMATIZE
ACCLIMATE.
ADAM’S ALE (Slang)
WATER.
ADJUSTABLE SPANNER
MONKEY WRENCH. (See SPANNER)
ADVERB
Britons don’t typically use adjectives in place of adverbs as many Americans do.
You might hear an American say “He was going real slow”, but a Briton will typically say “He was going really slowly”.
AERIAL
ANTENNA. Antenna may be used, but only in the technical sense. In Britain, the device on your car, is an AERIAL. Bugs, however, have ANTENNAE, not aerials!.
AEROPLANE
AIRPLANE.
AFTERS
DESSERT. They certainly have desserts in the UK, in fact the Britons’ notorious sweet tooth probably means they eat more sweet things than the average American does, but these are not always referred to as desserts. Depending on where and how you were brought up, they may be called AFTERS, DESSERT, PUDDING or SWEET. Cheese and crackers (see BISCUIT) may be served in place of or after a dessert. Melon or cantaloupe (see OGEN MELON) may be served as an appetizer rather than as a dessert. (See HORS D’OEUVRES)
AIRING CUPBOARD
LINEN CLOSET. (See CUPBOARD)
ALBINO
ALBINO, but pronounced “al-bee’-no”.
ALLOTMENT
Small parcel of, usually, local government land rented out to individuals for growing vegetables, etc.
ALSATION
GERMAN SHEPHERD. This breed of dog was formerly called a German Shepherd in the UK until the time of the First World War. It lost its Teutonic reference at about the same time that King George V changed his family name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.
ALUMINIUM
ALUMINUM. Pronounced “a-luh-min’-yum”.
ANÆSTHETIC
ANESTHESIA.
ANISEED
ANISE.
ANORAK
PARKA. One type of anorak -- khaki with a fur-trimmed hood -- is known as a parka.
A lightweight hooded nylon windbreaker (see WINDCHEATER), is called a CAGOULE (cuh-gool’).
ANTICLOCKWISE
COUNTERCLOCKWISE.
ANTIPODES
A Briton talking of the antipodes is referring to AUSTRALIA or NEW ZEALAND. Strictly speaking, if you were to burrow through the center of the Earth from London you would come out at a spot some 600 miles SE of New Zealand. It is interesting to note that Americans consider that they would come out in China if they dug a similar path. Starting from Washington, DC they would actually come out some 900 miles SW of Australia. Let’s face it, China and the USA are both in the northern hemisphere, so could never be antipodes.
ANYROAD
ANYWAY. As in “Anyroad, enough of this tom-foolery, let’s get on with some work”. More common in the North of England than in the South.
APPLE SAUCE
APPLESAUCE. But only when it is used as a condiment for roast pork, etc. Otherwise it is just known as STEWED APPLE[S]. British apple sauce contains little or no added sugar.
ARSE (Slang)
See ASS.
ARTICULATED LORRY
SEMI[-TRAILER]. (See LORRY) Often abbreviated to ARTIC.
ASHES
The Ashes is a trophy competed for by national cricket teams from England and Australia. (See CRICKET and TEST MATCH)
ASS
Literally a DONKEY, figuratively a FOOL. It is not part of the anatomy -- that area is crudely referred to as the ARSE. (See BUM and FANNY)
[INSURANCE] ASSESSOR
ADJUSTOR or ADJUSTER. This is perhaps the place to mention that Britons typically use the “-or” ending less frequently than their American cousins do. You are unlikely to see the words “payor” or “bettor” in the UK.
ATE
ATE. However, it is typically pronounced “et”, not “eight”, even by the better educated.
ATHLETICS
TRACK & FIELD.
AUBERGINE
EGG-PLANT. Pronounced “oh’-ber-zjeen”. This is one of a number of food items which is called by different names in the two countries. (See the Quick Shopper’s Guide at the back of this note)
AUTUMN
FALL. Perhaps one of the best known difference between the two languages.
AXE
AX.
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