tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post8660980209047378576..comments2024-02-23T02:03:23.020-07:00Comments on The Eco Cat Lady Speaks: Separated by a Common LanguageEcoCatLadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-70188766375972871132016-01-18T00:13:31.135-07:002016-01-18T00:13:31.135-07:00A Ha! Important clarification on the pissed vs. pi...A Ha! Important clarification on the pissed vs. pissed off, because I tend to use both phrases interchangeably to mean angry. Hmmm...EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-69938060621534290442016-01-16T17:53:38.619-07:002016-01-16T17:53:38.619-07:00Thanks for the laughs.
In Australia
pissed off = ...Thanks for the laughs.<br /><br />In Australia<br />pissed off = angry<br />pissed (as a fart) = drunkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-82327829003592814352016-01-14T01:13:47.478-07:002016-01-14T01:13:47.478-07:00I live to serve...I live to serve...EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-45004226029325052252016-01-14T01:12:55.273-07:002016-01-14T01:12:55.273-07:00Ha! Well, that particular photo was of rather shor...Ha! Well, that particular photo was of rather short knickers. Usually they come about half way down the calf. <br /><br />And that blog post was quite enlightening. I had no idea that "knickerbocker" was a person. The only place I've ever heard that word was in reference to baseball. There's a team called the New York Knicks, which I think is short for knickerbockers. So maybe it refers to the baseball uniforms? oh wait... the Knicks are actually a basketball team, not baseball. Well hmm...<br /><br />OK... <a href="http://www.nba.com/knicks/history/why_knickerbockers.html" rel="nofollow">here it is.</a> More information than one could possibly want about the history of the word "knickerbocker" in American sports! :-)<br />EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-91392811847805918842016-01-12T14:49:17.348-07:002016-01-12T14:49:17.348-07:00Oh my, so many pictures of pants! I'd never he...Oh my, so many pictures of pants! I'd never heard of knickers being anything other than underwear, so that's useful. We don't really have a word for that garment. They'd be shorts, but longer than normal shorts, so 'long shorts' for maximum confusion. I'd question your definition as 3/4 length, though, unless your knees are a lot closer to the ground than mine! That historical garment I think I'd call 'bloomers'. There were 'knickerbockers' though, which I guess were the ?17th century... no, I just looked that up and I was two centuries out! Here's a nice little blog on the history of knickers: <a href="http://www.gemslingerie.com/2015/03/27/whats-in-a-name/#" rel="nofollow">What's in a name?</a> What I was going to say was that the historical knickerbocker, being relatively practical, is quite close to your modern American knickers (which is perhaps not surprising, given that they originated in America, though as Brit, I'm loathe to admit that America has made any positive contribution to the language!)Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619866897155085499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-55183037880218374402016-01-12T12:04:15.188-07:002016-01-12T12:04:15.188-07:00Oh my! Well that's all good information! I'...Oh my! Well that's all good information! I'm sure that could make for confusion.<br /><br />OK... so in my world "Knickers" are generally a 3/4 length pant like these:<br /><b>[img]http://site.aerotechdesigns.com/shorts/ATD_Womens_PedalPushers_Main.jpg[/img]</b><br /><br />The only sense in which knickers are underwear would be in the historical sense, like this:<br /><b>[img]https://jeremybutterfield.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/knickers.jpg[/img]</b><br /><br />And while socks & bras are technically "underwear" I generally use that word only to refer to "bottoms". So women's underwear are "panties":<br /><b>[img]http://images.herroom.com/items/only-hearts-ohrt01-50848-gsz.jpg[/img]</b><br /><br />And men's underwear are "boxers" or "boxer shorts":<br /><b>[img]https://static.freshpair.com/fp_content/redesign/itempics/Fruit-of-the-Loom/3P722/66495.jpg[/img]</b><br /><br />or "briefs"<br /><b>[img]http://www.uroanswers.com/Images/products/Carolina/CPLM100%20Mens%20BriefsMED.jpg[/img]</b><br /><br />And I would have been totally lost if someone said that something was "pants". Holy Moly! :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-43193600884951472502016-01-12T11:30:19.097-07:002016-01-12T11:30:19.097-07:00And of course, here in the UK, we also use the wor...And of course, here in the UK, we also use the word "pants" for something that's not very good as in "this rainy weather is pants".Traceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00451416943813912617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-2308685805848781932016-01-12T09:39:44.933-07:002016-01-12T09:39:44.933-07:00Oh gosh, I thought that one was widely known. We n...Oh gosh, I thought that one was widely known. We never say pants for trousers, not even casual ones. Pants are strictly undies here. We also say knickers, but that's generally reserved for women's underwear. Pants are men's or women's, though sometimes underpants is used for men's. <br /><br />My friend thought it was hilarious that when she visited America she could say, "Does my fanny look big in these pants?" without being at all improper.<br /><br />Are you saying that knickers aren't underwear to you? So what word do you use for undergarments that aren't bras or socks? Are they just undies?Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619866897155085499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-83520174325097775842016-01-11T13:35:13.196-07:002016-01-11T13:35:13.196-07:00Love this!Love this!Everyday Life On A Shoestringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06038009981638541163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-5760135213813285282016-01-10T22:36:58.931-07:002016-01-10T22:36:58.931-07:00Hmm... what about knickers? If I used that word, I...Hmm... what about knickers? If I used that word, I would mean a 3/4 length pant or tights - but I think it means underwear in some placesEcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-45638551519357197972016-01-10T14:17:30.850-07:002016-01-10T14:17:30.850-07:00I think pants are undies (and trousers are pants)....I think pants are undies (and trousers are pants).Debbie Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-41498381468144913872016-01-10T12:11:17.916-07:002016-01-10T12:11:17.916-07:00Apparently whoever wrote the book totally missed t...Apparently whoever wrote the book totally missed the boat! :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-44640545704041493442016-01-10T01:41:43.734-07:002016-01-10T01:41:43.734-07:00Now that would make more sense but no the book had...Now that would make more sense but no the book had it wrong but it did start a conversation about the differences in our language. Lois@Living In Denimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368939902298894344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-4734507959794003172016-01-09T22:55:59.259-07:002016-01-09T22:55:59.259-07:00Alrighty then! If I'm ever in a British speaki...Alrighty then! If I'm ever in a British speaking land, I'll be very careful to sort out my sweet vs savory when ordering either pudding or scones! :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-46153614609516296262016-01-09T10:54:35.023-07:002016-01-09T10:54:35.023-07:00Well, when I was a kid I played in a youth orchest...Well, when I was a kid I played in a youth orchestra, and at one point we went on "concert tour" in New Zealand. It was really just an excuse to go to New Zealand since we weren't very good. Anyhow, the thing was all organized through the Rotary Club and we were staying with Rotary families.<br /><br />OK... so my point was (there WAS a point) that they warned us not to say "I'm stuffed" after eating a big meal, because in NZ that was apparently the equivalent of saying "I'm knocked up". I wonder if that's the phrase that the book on Australian English was somehow referring to?EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-91315646674192836302016-01-09T10:50:43.960-07:002016-01-09T10:50:43.960-07:00Pants? You've lost me. Are you referring to th...Pants? You've lost me. Are you referring to the trousers vs. pants thing? That one doesn't confuse me because both terms are used here. Trousers is usually used to mean more formal wear, whereas pants are used for more casual stuff like jeans.<br /><br />But maybe you meant something entirely different?EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-82035217955012832302016-01-09T05:37:09.630-07:002016-01-09T05:37:09.630-07:00Ah, there we are then. I was under the impression ...Ah, there we are then. I was under the impression that almost all American cars were automatic, going back at least twenty years. I consider myself educated. <br /><br />I was chatting about your blog post with some friends at dinner last night, and they reminded me of an obvious one - how could we forget our pants?Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619866897155085499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-28345949439922834592016-01-09T00:33:02.977-07:002016-01-09T00:33:02.977-07:00What colorful rubbers you found.:-) Normally I do...What colorful rubbers you found.:-) Normally I don't find British words to be a problem but you did stump with with a couple, candy floss and fanny (I had to look that one up). <br /><br />I love to read but American publishers are pretty lax about editing, or the editors are lacking necessary skills, not sure which. Anyway I found out British writers and editors are much better at their jobs and began to read a lot of British books just to enjoy a well edited story. My son asked for better books by the time he was in 4th grade as well so our house had stacks of books published in the UK and our vocabulary grew.<br /><br />I do have a funny story about words you might get a kick out of. When my kids were young Avon sold a book all about popular phrases and word usage from other countries. My kids found an Australian word and usage hilarious. According to the book an Aussie will say they are pregnant when they have eaten too much. So a couple years after purchasing the book we take a vacation to a working farm that welcomes unschoolers (which we were) and there is a family there from Australia. My son decides to show how smart he is an announces he is pregnant after a meal, everyone looks at him as if he's gone crazy. He explains about the book and the family cracks up and says they never heard of that one before. When we returned home my sons decided it was time to find the book a new home. :-)Lois@Living In Denimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368939902298894344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-25635269382811996772016-01-08T23:37:42.425-07:002016-01-08T23:37:42.425-07:00Hehe! Hehe! NicolaBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01542310810409358114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-9250536385718096372016-01-08T18:50:51.471-07:002016-01-08T18:50:51.471-07:00Yes, American biscuits are a little fluffier than ...Yes, American biscuits are a little fluffier than scones and have no sugar at all but otherwise very similar. They are generally eaten hot with butter and maybe jam or honey. Sometimes they are flavored, and the flavors can be savory (like jalapeno cheddar biscuits).<br /><br />Where I grew up, Coke was a specific drink but also a generic term for soda and we often use brand names to describe generic items (Kleenex), so using a cooking style to also mean a couple of different foods and a generic category of food is not a big surprise.Debbie Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-69772987722763567362016-01-08T18:35:12.217-07:002016-01-08T18:35:12.217-07:00Um yes, if you're in Britain and 'pudding&...Um yes, if you're in Britain and 'pudding' is offered, best check exactly what it is before accepting. As for scones, as Kris says, they are either sweeter than your biscuits, with a little sugar (though not very much), or more savoury, preferably with cheese. My most disappointing scone experience involved cheese scones that were actually sweet scones with cheese on top. That is not what I expected at all!Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619866897155085499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-36470494235264994632016-01-08T17:40:24.104-07:002016-01-08T17:40:24.104-07:00The comedy is free. ;)
I think it's hard to ...The comedy is free. ;)<br /><br />I think it's hard to jump in on Downton if you haven't grown to know the characters. I watch very little TV and Downton is my winter escape. Krisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-3832454424372369292016-01-08T17:38:11.207-07:002016-01-08T17:38:11.207-07:00I've read the Hamish Macbeth mystery novels--h...I've read the Hamish Macbeth mystery novels--he is a Scottish constable with a wild cat and a dog--I thought he referred to them as "beasties" which is why I thought it referred to animals--maybe it's a regional thing? Krisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-9645389307103981082016-01-08T17:35:27.955-07:002016-01-08T17:35:27.955-07:00Scones in England are similar in appearance and te...Scones in England are similar in appearance and texture to our biscuits (although I think they are a little more tender if they are well made), but usually are a little sweeter (unless you have a savory variety ... ) and are served with yummy things like clotted cream and lemon curd. Krisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-79551865112464064182016-01-08T11:28:57.219-07:002016-01-08T11:28:57.219-07:00OK... I'm really, REALLY glad that I didn'...OK... I'm really, REALLY glad that I didn't have a mouthful of coffee when I got to the "keep your pecker up" part, because I would have either choked or spit it all over my brand new fancy schmancy monitor!<br /><br />It reminds me of something I once read about a Japanese company that was trying to market a toy woodpecker here in America. They had come up with a bunch of advertising slogans that had me in stitches... things like "Touch Woody!" and "Pet the Pecker!"<br /><br />OK... I have to stop now, I'm laughing so hard that tears are rolling down my cheeks.<br /><br />I watched the first season of Downton Abbey and found it to be a bit "meh". Actually it really reminded me of the Mexican telenovelas... the same themes of aristocracy vs. serving class. So I decided that if I was gonna get myself addicted to another one of those shows, I'd go for another telenovela because at least that way it would have the redeeming quality of helping me to better my Spanish skills! :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.com