🇺🇸 American vs British English Words 🇬🇧

A proper throwback to our early content - the different American and British English words for the same thing!
#American #British #English
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Hello! We are Joel & Lia. We post videos every week, all about British culture, British accents and the English language! We live in London and love sharing our top travel tips in the UK and abroad. As well as being best friends we share a passion for language, different accents and all things British. With past and future trips to the USA, lots of our content is American vs British.
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[@ThoseTwoBrits1]

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[@otis299]

I love these word comparison videos, thanks for sharing! To answer some of your questions, here's a tl;dr list for some of the words you mentioned: "Central reservation" to an American sounds like an Native American Indian reservation, haha. "Hoover/vacuum" is a similar situation to "plaster/Band-Aid". We commonly call small self-adhesive bandages Band-Aids which is a very common brand here. Off License/Liquor store: In several states, the state issues alcoholic beverage licenses to sell beer, wine and liquor for consumption on-premises (as in a bar or restaurant) and off-premises (as in to take from the store to consume at home). I would bet that is where your "off license" comes from as well. Also, a few states only allow the sale of bottles of hard liquor by state owned and operated stores called "ABC" stores, which refers to a state's Alcoholic Beverage Control board /agency/authority. In the US, any path meant for vehicular travel may be referred to as a highway or roadway or road, street. Typically, when someone refers to a highway they more often are referring to a larger roadway. Freeways usually refer to a toll-free limited-access highway (where pedestrians and slow-moving vehicles are not permitted and access occurs via on- and off-ramps, such as an interstate highway). On the other hand, a turnpike or toll road is a highway or freeway which requires payment of a toll. Washcloths or wash rags are usually just 10-12 inch terry cloth squares. Here "flannel" is a specific type a fabric used for warm clothes, especially a a plaid flannel shirt. A likely reason we say "crosswalk" instead of "zebra crossing" is because a zebra on a public street would be an incredibly rare thing here. Also, not all crosswalks are marked by alternating black and white stripes. I hate the word binky, too. And the word "nappy" here is often derogatory depending on context. In the midwest and the south, for shopping cart you might hear "buggy." If you ask someone for the nearest "cash point" you will probably get a confused look and, "What's that?" Scotch tape is a brand of clear tape and the name now refers to any clear tape that usually isn't permanent. We don't say things like, "She's at university," because we don't have a royal family, even if she is enrolled in, say, the University of California. She's in college. They're usually interchangeable, but universities often have colleges and schools within them, like a college of engineering or school of medicine. Condo vs Apartment: A building of several individual living units can be classified as a condominium when the units are owned individually and the building as a whole is run by these owners. The owner may choose to rent it out as an investment. An apartment building is owned as a whole and whoever owns the building, rents out the units. Usually the word "lift" would mean something like a chair lift for a wheelchair to get up a few steps. If it's a box that takes people from floor to floor, it's an elevator. An escalator is just an escalator. American fish don't have fingers, so we call them fish sticks. Oddly, our buffalos have tiny useless wings. We don't restrict our vacations just to holidays. How can you go on holiday when it's not a holiday? Powdered sugar is also called confectioner's sugar, but this is going out of style. Most states require both front and rear license plates. Even in those states, enforcement is sporadic.

[@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072]

We’d just say phone booth

[@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072]

1:10 Pharmacy is often used

[@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072]

Paddling pool wouldn’t make sense because it’s too shallow to pedal how young you are

[@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072]

9:10 we would call those garter belts

[@zippydogthemisanthrope483]

In the US a holiday is a day that you get off to celebrate something (e.g. Independence Day, Memorial Day, Christmas, etc.) while a vacation is something you take either in conjunction with a holiday or independent of one.

[@annaburch3200]

I like to think of vacation as where we VACATE our homes. 😉 As opposed to a STAYcation where we just sleep at home, but go do touristy things around the local area.

[@amandagoodman1272]

True-and one could say: “Are you going on vacation during the holidays?”

[@amandagoodman1272]

In US one can say, “Are you taking a vacation (or going on a vacation) during the Christmas holidays?” Joel: it’s British English and American English (not English English)

[@simonpowell2559]

@@amandagoodman1272 if I live in England, and speak English, then it's English English. Britain is 4 countries. I come from England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿.

[@simonpowell2559]

@@amandagoodman1272 long long ago. In your mother land. The only time off work was on Holy days, so any time off work school is holidays. If you vacate your home evey day then vacation doesn't make sense.

[@UncleBruceCT]

Off licence: because the stores have a licence to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, as opposed to pubs where alcoholic beverages are consumed on the premises.

[@aimeeguzman6758]

An apartment is something you rent. Usually you can't paint or change flooring and things like that. They have a landlord that will come and fix your sinks and things that break on the inside and out. A condo can very much look like an apartment building but you own your little area. They take care of the outside like roof, siding and shoveling the walkways. You take care of inside like the sinks or new fridge. You can also decorate and renovate any way you want. You can sell a condo and make money off it. You sign a lease for an apartment for a period of time. Both are buildings with units, they both can be single or multiple stories.

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

Condo, short for condominium. Which is basically Co-dominion, because it’s one building divided into multiple residences with different owners.

[@joycetaepke2533]

Escalators are simply called escalators. I’ve never once heard it called a moving staircase

[@dougbowers4415]

We sometimes have gardens in our yards. The garden is where you grow flowers or vegetables. The part of the yard covered in grass is the lawn. Most states require front and back plates, a few do not. We use college and university interchangeably. A university is a larger institution made up of multiple colleges. We say I’m going off to college or going to the university. We NEVER shorten it to uni.

[@elizabethleas9934]

And in the USA....a college is typically where you only earn a Bachelor's degree but at a University you can earn a Master's Degree and a PhD.

[@alexisr5199]

Yes what Doug said.

[@wolver73]

For example, I went to the college of education at my local university.

[@aspenrebel]

@elizabethleas9934 most colleges are usually smaller and have only one thing, i.e. Liberal Arts. Where as a university is made up of several different colleges. College of liberal arts, college of arts & science, college of engineering, college of education, college of nursing, etc.

[@aspenrebel]

@elizabethleas9934 many colleges of liberal arts offer advanced degrees. Here around Boston, we have many colleges that decided to call themselves University so they could charge higher tuition and the higher ups in administration could pay themselves more money. But they may still only be a liberal art school.

[@jlpack62]

The photo of the thumbtack is what we call a push pin. A thumbtack has a flat round head that sits flush to the wall or surface it's pushed into. We say escalator. In fact, its use is more consistent with elevator than yours is to lift. An American biscuit is not a scone.

[@passingthroughtime3033]

You're right about the thumbtack

[@joemalick4151]

Agreed, thumb tacks are the ones with flat ends!

[@karolevans6891]

We in the US say cookies, aren't they biscuits in the UK?

[@JohnG500]

@@karolevans6891yes.

[@PlumberryPuppet]

What you were describing as a suspender (to hold up ladies stockings), we call a garter.

[@SherriLyle80s]

Flannel for us is a type of material. Usually used for sheets or plaid button up shirts.

[@fsujavi16]

yeah i’m kinda surprised he didn’t say tea towel instead of flanel

[@deegeef]

A tea towel is used for dishes, not for the face.

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

And in the US washcloths are for people & dishrags are for dishes.

[@deegeef]

@@JustMe-dc6ks Same in Canada, although I might be more likely to say "dish cloth" than "dishrag".

[@chrysb52]

A difference between a freeway and highway (at least in California) is that highways have cross traffic while freeways don't. Freeways have onramps, offramps and merging lanes that allow drivers to enter, leave, or transition to another freeway without stopping. The whole point of a freeway is to go from point A to point B without having to stop (subject to traffic conditions, of course). A highway is usually understood to be a main thoroughfare, but one that intersects other streets. Generally speaking, they go through towns. Highways will have intersections with stop signs and traffic lights. They will go through business districts and neighborhoods as well as sparsely populated open land. If you take Hwy 1 in California - a road which is over 650 mi. long - you'll travel along or near the coast through towns large and small. You'll also go through large stretches with no towns at all. Part of Hwy 1 is wide with many lanes of traffic, while the sections that go through rural areas are just one lane in each direction. Everybody understands Hwy 1 as the coastal route, also known as PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). Drive around any beach town in California, you're going to spend some time on the PCH.

[@ESUSAMEX]

Freeway is only used in California. Moreover, they were originally called freeways because there weren't any tolls. Many highways on the East coast charge a toll to drive on them.

[@Trifler500]

@@ESUSAMEX Freeway is absolutely not only used in California. The story that freeway means no tolls is a myth. They're called freeways because the inventor imagined them as being free of traffic due to the lack of any traffic lights or intersections, and only allowing traffic on and off via ramps. Unfortunately, he didn't consider what happens when the exit ramps get blocked.

[@annaburch3200]

We have freeways all up and down the west coast, not just California. But they're not all "free". Ours have toll lanes where you pay if you aren't carpool (Washington State). We have toll bridges on freeways. Interstates cross borders, but can still be considered freeways (off/on ramps). We have an old interstate highway, too!! Cross streets and all. Highway 99, but it eventually expanded and now most of it is actually I-5 that runs from the Canadian border all the way to Mexico. (btw, the Pacific Coast Highway is Hwy 101. Hwy 1 is on the east coast. My dad's childhood home was ON Highway 1 in Maine! 😊)

[@pbtraveler694]

In the Midwest, we say "interstate" instead of "freeway." We also use "highway" interchangeably with interstate, but a highway can be a state road too where there are intersections.

[@pacmanc8103]

@@ESUSAMEX That is not true. I do not live in California and we use the exact same terminology. It is definitely similar across West Coast and other Western states.

[@carolemckibbon4586]

I can just about promise you that if you asked someone here in the states where you could find the nearest CashPoint, you would get a lot of blank stares. That was the only surprise in your list of words though. Really enjoyed this video.

[@blackbird1891]

Depends on where you are I guess. They’re prevalent across North Carolina.

[@sarahbarnes4807]

Agreed. I would have no idea.

[@aspenrebel]

That's for sure

[@johncagnettajr344]

Scotch Tape is a brand. They made it first in America and the brand became the name. Same as Jello is gelatin and Kleenex tissue. Example: I’m going CVS to get my prescription but while I’m there I will pick up some kleenex, scotch tape and cherry jello.

[@mil2k11]

And you can add band-aids to your list while you're at CVS.

[@jensm4026]

But then none of those are terms we use on the uk. But we will have lots of similar things you don't use.

[@jensm4026]

Like sellotape and that's a brand name.

[@clemdane]

And Bandaids (plasters) and Q-Tips (cotton buds)

[@gaelliott61]

@@jensm4026 I think the comparison being made is similar to the one about vacuums and Hoovers. Hoover is a brand but you’re commonly using it to describe a vacuum cleaner. We do the same thing with Kleenex being a brand of facial tissues we just say Kleenex.

[@vodriscoll]

Freeway is a lot more common on the west coast while on the east coast we say highway. Biscuit and scone are not even close to being the same thing. Next time you are in the US, go to Panera and order an orange scone. You will see the difference. We say vacation because "holiday" is Christmas, New years's, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc. Here in New York State, you must have both a front and rear license plate.

[@lemonz1769]

In NY we call it the thruway.

[@wPatrickSF]

I'm on the west coast. Here's the difference. The freeway is usually an interstate; on ramps and off ramps only ( Interstate 10 or I 5). A highway is often a state road. It may go on for miles, but it can also go through a town or city and have intersections and traffic lights.(Highway 29 or Highway 101)

[@billbrasky1288]

In the south we call an interstate an interstate, and a highway a highway 🤷‍♂️

[@NickBLeaveIt]

They had real scones (apparently in the UK they’re called “rock cakes”) in Philly I believe.

[@clemdane]

@@NickBLeaveIt Rock cakes aren't the same as scones

[@mdsh00]

Another one I discovered when spending a week in England is that what we call "boxcutter knife" or "utility knife" in the US, are called "Stanley knife" in the UK since the most popular brand is by Stanley.

[@JennNChia]

A condo (short for condominium) is an apartment (flat) that you OWN. An "apartment" is only rented, not owned by the resident.

[@benrast1755]

You use a dish rag for kitchen cleanup and a washcloth on your person.

[@dougbowers4415]

Suspenders attach to your pants/trousers with metal clips while braces attach to the same garments with leather attachments at the end that connect with buttons affixed to the garment. Four buttons on the front, two in back. The leather attachments form a brace that connects to two buttons each.

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

And the supports for sexy stockings are garters or a garter belt. Suspenders is not a risqué word.

[@beverlydust5381]

I remember when you did this type video many years ago, I loved these. Laurence from Lost in the pond does alot of these types of videos

[@kier7132]

Want to put the “why do Americans call it an eggplant?” question to rest. Look up a picture of eggplants growing. They look just like eggs….on a plant. Love you guys and your content!

[@LarryHatch]

A university is made of several or as many as 20 colleges, Harvard and Oxford use the same terms.

[@FairportLady]

I’m from the U.S. and dated a Brit some time ago. We found many words that were different. One day he asked me if I had a yard broom and I had no idea 🤷‍♀️ that it meant rake. He found it hilarious when I called a string trimmer a weed wacker. It was fun comparing the differences in our language. The most confusing to me was Dress Up Party, Costume Party and a Fancy Dress Party differences.

[@aspenrebel]

How about "knock her up"?

[@aspenrebel]

How the heck is a rake a broom? You're not sweeping.

[@aspenrebel]

How about cloth vs rag?

[@2Blessed]

In the states, we actually have colleges and universities. Universities are larger and have more course offerings. A college is smaller and usually only offers the basic liberal arts, tech courses, and such offerings. Biscuits and scones are not the same.

[@stitchesbysue]

I don’t know if this still applies, but a college used to only offer bachelor level degrees, but a university also offers Master and PhD degrees.

[@fsujavi16]

Also within a University there can be individual “colleges” aka departments i.e. College of Music

[@gaelliott61]

A college is part of a university. The college of social work. The College of Liberal arts. The college of dentistry. Are all housed on the grounds of the university or offsite but they are still part of a larger entity called the University.

[@johnhelwig8745]

Fun topic. I know you mentioned some of these words before, but there are some that were new to me. Couple of clarifications: Freeways (and our Interstates) are limited access with no traffic signals and have entrance and exit ramps. Highways are 2 or more lanes that may have traffic signals and intersections. Some US states, like Michigan where I am do not have front license plates. It boils down to costs of producing a second plate, so the state no longer requires them. I kind of like it because a front plate messes up the look of the front of the car, like who wants wants to go around with some tag stuck on their nose. Subway is rarely used unless it really is a Subway. We refer to the sandwich as a submarine or sub, hoagie, hero or a grinder.

[@Heidicr60]

Thank you Joel & Lia for making my day and putting a smile on my face🥰… my absolute favorite word without question is ice lolly vs popsicles 🙂 Wishing you and families nothing but the best! Wishing you a wonderful rest of the week ahead!

[@aspenrebel]

How about slush? A Frappe?

[@kristinewinship2065]

Laws regarding License plates in the US are state by state. Some states require both a front plate and a back plate other states are okay with just a back plate.

[@charleswelsh-charrier7782]

Yes. And... During World War 2, to conserve metal for the war effort, states only required a license plate for the back of the car. After the war, when rationing was over, and tfe government decided it was OK to have 2 license plates again , most states did and some did not.

[@danielchapman6032]

You rent apartments but buy condos. We have wardrobes too but a closet it built into the wall where as a wardrobe is a piece of furniture. A yard is grass but if plant anything else it becomes a garden. Faerie Floss is fun. It was first introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair as Faerie Floss but over the years both sides of the Atlantic has bastardized it.

[@vbvermont]

Escalator is actually a brand name that became a common term for moving staircase. Like Kleenex, Jell-o, Q-tip, band-aid, and many more.

[@jensm4026]

In the uk we don't use any of the things you stated in the uk. We would say,tissue,jelly,ear bud,plaster. But we have lots that we use in the uk that you wouldn't use.

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

In the U.S. jelly is a relative of jam.

[@jonathonswift7792]

I remembered in school, someone ask for a rubber; obviously, that person got several looks

[@passingthroughtime3033]

The Hoover vacuum bran was invented in the United States.

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Yeah, so? Hardly news.

[@dougbowers4415]

In the US the pharmacy is the specific section of the drugstore where you get your prescriptions.

[@shortcakemel]

Popsicle, Binkie, and Scotch Tape are also a brand name. We use a washcloth in the bathroom and a kitchen towel or a rag in the kitchen. Also most washcloths I know are terrycloth, not flannel. Here flannels is usually used for blankets or sweatshirts…sometimes pants… I would totally not know what a cashpooint is…and I’ve never heard rasher of bacon before…we say escalator…I love tartare sauce! I have also never heard prick stick.

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

I like how popsicle and icelolly are both saying frozen lollipop.

[@mil2k11]

The state I live in (Pennsylvania) dropped front license plates from cars to save the steel during WWII. They tried bringing it back, but did a 180 at the start of the Korean War. It's just been that way ever since. There are some areas that call sprinkles - jimmies. And that '"subway" Joel mentioned going under a roadway is what we'd basically call an underpass. Just the same, we have the same thing that also goes over a roadway which we call an overpass. A torch is what we generally call a stick with a flame on the end to light a passage - like what you'd see in medieval films. Many of us in PA used to call ATMs MAC machines. Money Access Centers were located all over the place in the 80s and they slowly faded out. Took me some time to start calling the new ones ATMs.

[@maryh.2729]

I'm in PA as well and I didn't know that about the front license plates. It's nice to have the backstory. As for ATMs, my dad still slips up and calls it a MAC machine occasionally.

[@clemdane]

But a subway in the UK is for pedestrians to walk under a road while an underpass in the US is for cars to drive under another road.

[@maryannebrown2385]

I just have to say that American biscuits and UK scones are not equivalent. Biscuits are light, fluffy and layered and scones are much more dense,crumbly and heavy. I used to live in England and have been back to visit so many times, and I just don’t think American biscuits exist there. At least I have never encountered them.

[@joyceanderson3165]

No biscuit encounters? Did you try making them there?

[@maryannebrown2385]

@@joyceanderson3165 No. I was in college (University) so I was living in the dorms. The kitchen area was a refrigerator and stove top. No oven. I am from Chicago, and while I enjoy biscuits they aren’t a huge part of the culture here.

[@fonemann6944]

@@joyceanderson3165 Maybe she could take some White Lilly flour, then and only then can a proper biscuit be made.

[@kenbrown2808]

and sadly, Joel and Lia are unlikely to ever encounter a proper American biscuit in a restaurant, because restaurant biscuits and restaurant gravy almost never rate better than "passable"

[@jeffmorse645]

Plus Southern style biscuits generally have no sugar in them and use baking soda for leavening. The scones I've had in Britain were slightly sweet (and very good).

[@wm3752]

college's in the U.S. are typically smaller liberal arts/community college/vocational schools, and the like- where as Universities are typically larger institutions offering graduate and undergraduate degrees.....there are, of course, a variety of exceptions- but generally speaking those are the differences....

[@stevepalmberg5905]

Scotch tape is brand name of tape from 3M company

[@MsTrain69]

I have missed these videos! I noticed Joel is having the same issue I am. I find myself thinking/saying the British version of things instead of the American version. I guess I’ve watched you guys so long it has gotten into my head now! 😆

[@rettawhinnery]

As a linguist, I might mention that the joke for "What is the difference between a language and a dialect?" is "A language is a dialect with an army and a navy."

[@shadow1sd]

They use different words from us

[@luislaplume8261]

​@@shadow1sdBlimey! 😊

[@stephaniesosna8213]

If you asked about the closest "cash point", absolutely no one would know what you were talking about !!!

[@monica11760]

You both are so much fun. You covered a lot of words, and it was interesting!!

[@stevenmcauliffe5754]

Joel & Lia. Usually flats (apartments) are leased / rented, whereas condos are owned.

[@PlumberryPuppet]

In the US a wardrobe is a piece of furniture, and a closet is always built in (and required in building codes to be counted as a bedroom, a room without a closet is an office or bonus room). I think closets (or maybe you would call it a built in wardrobe) are not common or required in the UK, and the piece of furniture that we also call a wardrobe is more common.

[@bkm2797]

Yes, I find it so strange they don't have built in closets, I mean how can you not have closets in your bedrooms at the very least,lol.

[@davidheiser2225]

the word "wardrobe" also refers to the sum total of the clothing you own.

[@bkm2797]

@@davidheiser2225 True!

[@robertsitch1415]

It's pretty common for pre WWII housing to not have built in closets in most of North America though.

[@pacmanc8103]

@@robertsitch1415 My house was built in 1903 and it has walk-in closets in the bedrooms - 3 of the 4 have small windows that open.

[@LarryHatch]

String beans come from both bush beans (bushes in the row) and runner beans (vine type).

[@ashp5597]

It was nice to see the throwback style video again, good job guys.👍🏽

[@lemonz1769]

We’d probably use the term freeway, highway, thruway and interstate all to mean the same thing even though there may be technical or regional distinctions.

[@776alpha677beta]

🤔 interesting. In my head Freeway & Expressway have ramps and no cross streets. Highways & interstates do not. Maybe thruway is another version of freeway. I never hear anybody say that one though.

[@wwoods66]

"Interstate" refers to a specific set of highways, marked as such.

[@cjhansen6618]

A think a good majority of Americans call plastic wrap "Saran Wrap" because that is the company that makes plastic wrap. We also call tissues "Kleenex" because again that is a brand of tissues.

[@georgekekuna5361]

In the United States call a trolley a car that transport people. Like in San Francisco.

[@joycetaepke2533]

Holiday = from the term “Holy day”, such as Christmas, Easter, etc. Vacation = meaning “to vacate” or leave on a trip. So no, you will never convince me to swap out “vacation” for “holiday”. 😉

[@deegeef]

Canadians use “holiday” and “vacation” interchangeably.

[@simonpowell2559]

So, you have a vacation every day???? Don't you just find it hilarious that yanks tell English people how to speak English?

[@joycetaepke2533]

@@simonpowell2559 that literally makes no sense. Why would you think I take a trip every day?

[@joycetaepke2533]

@@simonpowell2559 I also think it’s “hilarious” when the English feel that everything they say is the only “correct” way to say it.

[@krystalsmith849]

When my family lived in England, we used to try and make cookies with “granulated sugar” and wondered why they were so hard. We didn’t realize that you call it “caster sugar.” We finally figured it out and our cookies came out fine. Food and clothing had lots of words that are different. You call something a “pinafore dress” and we call it a “jumper.” I also remember reading a magazine article over there and there were lots of words I didn’t understand. My brother is taking his wife to London this fall and I wish I was going.

[@joemalick4151]

And one I definitely agree with you on is “holiday” vs. “vacation”. Although we say “vacation”, I just love the sound of “we’re going on holiday”. Much more classy. 🙂🙂🙂

[@gacaptain]

It's confusing to us Americans because Holidays here stand for days of the year recognized by the government as times for everyone to celebrate whereas vacation is time given to an individual to take off any random day or days of the year.

[@josephdominguez2814]

@@gacaptain yes

[@bmorg5190]

Saying that one of those words is more classy just sounds so stupid.. classiness has nothing to do with either of those words sorry to break the news to you. Vacation actually makes sense going on holiday doesn’t make sense in so many situations.

[@simonpowell2559]

Look at it this way. Long ago when English was invented in England by the English. The church would give you time off work or school. Hence holidays. No idea where this vacation thing came from. We don't even know what it means really.

[@michaelmullard4292]

Great throwback video concept! So much fun! You would both make great game show hosts!!

[@micahwoodard]

You rent an apartment. You own a condo.

[@dugferd2266]

The picture shown for thumbtack were actually just push pins. Thumb tack is a more specific type of push pin with a large round head that is easily pressed in place with the thumb, and is used for attaching something usually to a vertical surface such as a board, post, or wall and are not meant to be moved very often (like tacks for other materials like wood or metal),The tack inserts all the way so the head presses flat against the surface. They can be more difficult to remove than other push pins. Push pins can be used for attaching, but are also used for marking an area and are easily removable.

[@marybaker8582]

The subway sandwich generically is called a sub. Subway is the name of a restaurant chain. A subway for transportation is simply called a subway. A highway is not an elevated road necessarily.. it’s a two lane road (1-2 lane each way) usually between smaller towns

[@barbarakiewe4917]

Quite comprehensive. Great job!

[@jono8884]

When we visited the UK and called on an elderly cousin of my wife's family I said: "What a nice backyard you have".....she promptly corrected by saying "It is my GARDEN......a yard is full of junk"

[@amandagoodman1272]

That was a snooty response. To Americans it is a “yard”… not a “junkyard.”

[@jono8884]

@@amandagoodman1272 different generation and proud of her flowers etc. The guy who took care of her lawn gets a tea break that she made for him.

[@simonpowell2559]

@@amandagoodman1272 Nothing to do with snooty. I am pretty sure she was very proud of her garden and didn't appreciate some dumb yanks calling it a yard. It wasn't! Don't forget you are not in bloody America!

[@aspenrebel]

But if you have no flowers or plants, then it can't be a garden. If you only have grass, it's a yard or a lawn..

[@jono8884]

@@aspenrebel she had both a lawn and surrounding flowers etc.

[@StephEatsnTravels]

I'm American. I thought I knew a lot of British lingo, but I learned so many terms in this video! Love your language vids!

[@gemoftheocean]

Popovers usually have filling. Freeways are usually quite wide, even six lanes+ and implies no toll is paid. We say STRIP of Bacon.

[@cosettelewallen4281]

I love how you understand how posh you sound and have fun with it just like Americans would. Makes you so much more relatable.

[@bradparnell614]

In America college and university are two different things. While both are typically post high school higher education institutions, colleges are generally much smaller than universities. College can be places like community college, liberal arts college, or trade school. Colleges generally offer undergraduate courses while universities have both undergraduate and graduate programs. A university can be made up of colleges, and a college can expand to become a university.

[@Jammin1288]

Living here in London, there is liquor everywhere as in you can buy in supermarkets where in many areas of the US, the liquor store is the only place you can buy certain types of liquor (anything but beer), so we go there way more.

[@todradmaker4297]

Alcohol laws differ from state to state.

[@dougbowers4415]

We would never call Yorkshire pudding a popover. While rare, we would just call it Yorkshire pudding. A popover is pastry that’s folded in half and usually has fruit inside. I suppose it could be savory as well.

[@stephennaas9214]

A popover is an eggy batter cooked in cup at high heat in the oven which expand and remain hollow.

[@PlumberryPuppet]

A pastry folded in half with fruit inside I've only ever seen called a turnover.

[@Tony36847]

That's not what a popover is in the US

[@wwoods66]

Yorkshire puddings and popovers are made with the same batter, but in my experience yorkies are made in large pans; cut or tear to make multiple servings. Popovers are individual servings made in cups.

[@bethanybody2201]

Wash cloths are for washing your face/body, dish cloths are for washing dishes, cutlery, pans, etc. For me string beans and green beans are interchangeable, freeways are larger/more lanes than highways (and highways sometimes have stoplights where I’m from but freeways never do). Stockings can be held up with clipped on garters often as part of a garter belt.

[@brandonaston2261]

In the US garden refers to a patch of land used for growing fruits and vegetables. Its located in your yard. If it just has flowers in it then its a flowerbed.

[@donniebrooks21]

Throwback was so much fun. Learned a few new Brit terms.

[@realnicksutton]

Old school Joel & Lia. Love it!!

[@LlyleHunter]

In the US a rasher of bacon is a serving of four strips.

[@tonybriarstone2285]

Freeway and highway mean the exact same thing. It depends on what part of the country you live in. In my part of the country we never say Freeway. We always use Highway. Unless it’s a Toll Road. Then we can it a Toll Road because you have to pay to go on it.

[@stacyr4070]

Not really, all freeways are highways but not all highways are freeways.

[@tonybriarstone2285]

@@stacyr4070 maybe technically, since we have Toll roads. But personally, I have never used freeway. We always say Highway or Sometimes interstate. Thanks for the correction. I didn’t think of freeway being the opposite of a Toll Road. Never thought of that before.

[@gaelliott61]

Freeway is free and thus the name vs paying a toll. Agree we use many interchangeably (highway, freeway, interstate).

[@trippyerinsd]

You guys 😂😂 I laughed out loud several times. Just naturally hilarious.

[@racafritz]

I think it’s interesting that some words are longer or shorter on both sides. Stroller vs pram for example.

[@LeannWebb61]

When I hear "Drawing Pin" I'd think of a pen to use for drawing. (Southerners pronounce PIN and PEN the same)

[@kaisofine]

Once I worked in Marshall's and a British lady asked me "where the trolleys are?" I directed her out the store & to the bus stop, which was on the corner across the street from the store's parking lot. I had to have her explain to me what a trolley was to her, so that I could understand what she was asking for. A shopping cart...lol

[@TimSmith-uc4pk]

On the East side of the states we do not say Freeway, it is called the Interstate as it says on the signs. Its Interstate 95, Interstate 75 interstate 4 an etc.

[@grateful7912]

In the West we have the interstate that is a main artery running across the country. The ones that aren’t as long we call freeways. The ones that aren’t as long or as wide we call highways. Like Highway 1 that goes along the coastline or PCH which stands for Pacific Coast Highway. I think I got that right 😆

[@fsujavi16]

@@grateful7912 in CA we call any interstate that has no toll a Freeway, no matter if it’s long (the 5 Freeway) or short (the 105 freeway).

[@grateful7912]

@@fsujavi16 yup and we say “the” 55 or “the” 405 which I hear other places don’t say.

[@BigMrSDD]

As an American living in England, I had two embarrassing moments using the wrong word. Once I mentioned that I might occasionally wear suspenders when working around the house. I later learned I had inadvertently admitted to wearing a lady's garter belt! Another time, when discussing a disobedient little girl, I suggested she needed a smack on the fanny. A little girl's fanny is below the belt...but in front, not in back, hence Bum Bag vs. Fanny Pack.

[@charleswelsh-charrier7782]

Loved this! An apartment is a "flat" that you rent. A condominium, or condo, is an "apartment" ( not a house) that you buy. In an apt., the landlord is responsible for all repairs. In a condo, the resident (owner) is responsible for all repairs from the front door in. With a condo, you also pay a condo fee to pay for building administration, and I think overall upkeep in common areas.

[@jeremiahcomer]

If we used Holiday instead of Vacation, we’d be confused over actual Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

[@todradmaker4297]

Exactly, the word holiday comes from holy day; meaning a sacred day.

[@simonpowell2559]

@@todradmaker4297 Any time off work or school is a holiday. All we know about vacation is it's some strange word yanks use.

[@simonpowell2559]

Have you never heard the song "We are all going on a summer holiday" ?

[@todradmaker4297]

@@simonpowell2559 It's aways fun when you have to explain the English language to the English. The word Holiday comes from the Old English word haligdaeg, meaning holy day. The word vacation means the act of leaving something, as in leaving work or town for a period of time. For example one could say "I'm going on vacation during the Christmas holiday.

[@timelapse11]

My mum was talking to her friend and her friend was saying how funny she thought it was that British people put everything in sandwiches (like crips, chips, fish fingers) and my mum looks over and I'm there putting rice into a sandwich 🤣🤣

[@kasaletaak4471]

In the US we say "Mom", never "Mum". That's difference that stands out to me.

[@billyclabough9835]

In U.S. a university is a collection of colleges. For example a student may enroll in the College of Engineering at the University of Arizona.

[@suzannehawkins383]

so a difference that Ive not seen anyone else mention is... (im canadian) there are no 'exit' signs there, instead they say 'way out'. and 'yield' traffic signs all say 'give way'....

[@carriem4596]

I love the OG type Joel and Lia videos!! Reminds me of when you guys were filming in Lia's bedroom. Scotch is the name of a brand of cellophane tape. Also, if you ever get to Wisconsin and you hear anyone ask for a Tyme (pronounced Time) machine, they are looking for an ATM. It's an old brand of ATM that I don't think they make them any more.

[@tonyweisse3285]

TYME is/was an acronym for Take Your Money Everywhere

[@troys6965]

Max. Headroom cracks me up. And Mind Your Head sounds so civilized. 🤣 (Your subway is our pedestrian underpass or, if overhead, a pedestrian bridge.)

[@eileensheridan6412]

We have both colleges and universities. Universities are larger and you have both undergraduate and graduate programs

[@joemalick4151]

I love these kinds of videos, please keep them up, it’s fun on our side as well to think “why do Brits call it that?” 😂 FYI, you buy a condo, you rent an apartment, and a condo is usually only 1 story, while a townhouse is 2! And I’m the great state of NJ where I live, we DO have license plates on the front and back, so Ubering is awesome here! Come back anytime! 🙂 Love you guys as always!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@lisalamotte7247]

This was a fun video! I have missed seeing this type of video from you. Love you both!

[@annemariecronen9096]

Places like Walgreens are considered a drugstore with pharmacies inside. However, Targets and Walmarts also have Pharmacies inside them to get prescriptions filled but are not drugstores

[@schs1977]

Condo is short for Condominium. A condo is basically an apartment you purchase and are usually located in a multiple story building. You own only between the 4 walls and the celling and floor.

[@phatbassanchor]

Yard? No, no, no.... Like Clint said, "Get off my lawn!" Oh, wait... it's just Joel and Lia... come on in for tea, y'all🥰

[@georgekekuna5361]

Scotch tap is called that because it is made buy scotch brand and it is tape

[@englishlessonswithsilviopa4139]

A highway is, by definition, a main road that connects two cities, or another kind of main route between locations. The main difference between a highway and a freeway is that a highway does not have on-ramps, tends to have slower speed limits, and can utilise traffic lights and roundabouts. Moreover the term "freeway" would be more common in Californian English and some parts of Canada and Australia. Both colleges and universities offer post secondary degrees, so ultimately, it's up to you to decide what's a better fit for your goals. Colleges tend to be smaller and offer more specialized fields of study; universities are much larger, place heavy emphasis on research and award master's and doctoral degrees.

[@hassangardezi3822]

1. License plate rules are different by state. For example, Florida and Louisiana only require back plates. Illinois, Rhode Island, NY require front and back.

[@jlovebirch]

In the U.S., pharmacy is just as common as drug store, only California uses Freeways, Trolly suggests trolly car (cable car) still used in San Francisco (a city you must visit), and sledge sounds like an abbreviation for sledgehammer. A Yard is a grass area, where Garden suggests flower beds or a vegetable-growing patch. Dual Carriageway makes me think of horse-drawn carriages.

[@TheBullyMomma]

I don’t know where you’re from but freeways are in every state that I know of. Freeways are highways that can only be accessed by on and off ramps.

[@PlumberryPuppet]

@@TheBullyMomma I agree, I definitely did not grow up in California and lived in a few different states and every state I lived in called them freeways.

[@jlovebirch]

@@TheBullyMomma - I was referring to the term "freeway" which is used in Calif,. while every other state calls them highways. The video is about language, not the actual items.

[@marinaannetoma1268]

When we order an Uber here they show/send you the make and model of car, color and picture of person driving to your phone so that helps to identify the car/driver for me bc here in FL the tag is only in back

[@kelly1827]

I 💗 how exites Joel got for the "jumble sale"

[@jLutraveling]

license plates might vary from state to state according to state laws.

[@CalifGirl000]

A condo (condominium) is a unit similar to an apartment that you own. You own the interior unit, not the building. A townhouse is similar to your row houses. Often they share a common wall, but the owner owns the interior, exterior, structure and land below the house.

[@Trifler500]

2:35 - We would call what Joel is describing here an "underpass"

[@sue3317]

Our university has numerous colleges within it...such as college of education...of business..of technology...

[@angelagraves865]

The biggest difference between a condo vs. apartment is ownership. An apartment is defined as a residence that is rented, often as part of a larger residential building. A condo is similar in structure to an apartment - usually a unit within a larger residential building - but condos are owned instead of rented.

[@Blend-24]

Freeway was originallly said because they had (and still do in many areas) toll roads so a “freeway “ was a new highway (large with higher speed limits) that was a FREE WAY

[@rickl2834]

Rasher of bacon is also said in the states and movie theaters are called cinemas as well

[@startingagain639]

Rub it out means something very different here Joel 🤭