10 Words To Rewrite In Your Mental Dictionary If You Ever Plan On Visiting The Land Of Tea And Crumpets | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

10 Words To Rewrite In Your Mental Dictionary If You Ever Plan On Visiting The Land Of Tea And Crumpets

And you thought a rubber was only a condom.

105
10 Words To Rewrite In Your Mental Dictionary If You Ever Plan On Visiting The Land Of Tea And Crumpets
Amber Armstrong

Have you ever watched a British show or movie and heard words like "jumper" or "gob"? Maybe you have wondered what in the world us Brits mean but you're too afraid to ask due to seeming ignorant or not knowing anyone from England to discuss this with.

Well, I can be that one helpful British girl who will put your troubling minds at rest! I am here to help guide you through words in "Skins," "The Great British Bake Off," or any other program you may be having trouble with.

1. 'Rubber' vs. 'eraser.'

I cannot stress this enough: In the United Kingdom, 'rubber' means 'eraser.' Over here, it means CONDOM. I made this mistake in 8th grade when I asked a teacher for a rubber. You should've seen his face. I am pretty sure he was more embarrassed than I was.

2. 'Jumper' vs. 'sweatshirt.'

This is not a piece of clothing over here. The only place I have ever seen use the word 'jumper' is Hollister. So if you're from England, I suggest you shop there.

3. 'Flannel' vs. 'towel.'

When going into a department store in the United States asking for a flannel, they will point you in the direction of plaid shirts, not soft towels. A flannel is usually a face towel in England and not something that cowboys strut around in.

4. The 'loo' vs. the 'toilet.'

You could say you wanted to use the toilet in England, but I am pretty sure they would be confused about why you didn't say the loo. I remember a lot of my friends teasing me when I asked to use teachers to use the loo.

5. 'Pants' vs. 'underwear.'

I remember when I first moved here and someone asked me, "What pants are you going to wear to the mall?" I thought to myself, "Ummm, isn't that a bit personal?" and proceeded to tell them what underwear I was going to wear (I felt more embarrassed that I told her they were covered in llamas than the fact she meant my trousers).

6. 'Chips' vs. 'French fries.'

Chips are NOT french fries. Chips are crisps in England. I remember ordering chips with a meal at a burger stand. Boy, was it embarrassing receiving a packet of salted lays and not french fries...

7. 'Biscuit' vs. 'cookie.'

A cookie is a biscuit in England. So when if you see "biscuits and gravy" on a breakfast menu in England, it would most likely be a cookie drenched in brown gravy (yuck).

8. 'Cow' vs. 'b*tch.'

Calling someone a cow in America will not get the same reaction as it will in Great Britain. In England, it could almost be the equivalent of calling someone a female dog.

9. 'Gob' vs. 'mouth.'

"Shut your gob" sounds more polite than "shut your mouth." But if you hear someone in a British show saying "shut your gob," they mean business!

10. 'Snogging' vs. 'making out.'

I am pretty sure if you were to explain to your American best friend "yeah, we snogged!" they would look at you blankly. Now if you travel to England, you now know how to politely ask your date to make out!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Sorority
Rebekah Lee

I remember my freshman year oh so well. I remember feeling terrified the night before orientation. The one thing that I dreaded the most was not the new people, the new environment, or even the academic pressure. I was dreading having to talk to sorority girls about Recruitment. I remember cutting off and avoiding any Rho Gamma/Panhellenic Officer that came my way during First Week. I looked at them like they had asked me to cut my arm off whenever they asked me if I wanted to rush. To be honest, I did not even know what rush was, but I knew that I did NOT want to be a part of it. To me, it was dumb. It was a waste of money. It was a waste of my time.

And guess what? I did not rush my freshman year. I spent the first half of my freshman year isolating myself from everyone on campus. I spent all of my time in the library, and then (since I was a commuter) went back home once my work was finished.

Keep Reading...Show less
10 Must Watch Shows During Winter Break
Netflix

Now that the semester is over, you are probably wondering what your purpose of life is beside writing essays and constantly studying. Breaks give you time for some rest and relaxation, and what better way to relax than cuddling with some hot cocoa and some Netflix. Here is a list compiled of shows that must make it into your binge watching sessions, with the website in which you can find it. Enjoy!

Keep Reading...Show less
Disney Princesses
The Odyssey
Tiana would no doubt be disappointed in the food our cafeteria has to offer.

And hopefully she would cook for everyone in her dorm.

She definitley would not take any 8:00 am classes because she would be up late baking and cleaning up the communal kitchen that are available in every dorm.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

The Struggles of Being A Last Semester Senior, As Told By Michael Scott

25 reasons your last semester in college is the best and worst time of your life

1354
Michael Scott

The day you walked onto your school's campus for the first time you were scared, excited, and unsure of how the next four years of your life were going to turn out. You doubted it would go fast and even though you weren't positive about what your future plans would hold, you had plenty of time. You figured out your major, added a minor or two, joined a handful of organizations and all of the sudden you're here. Your final semester of undergrad. Now you've got 25 problems and graduation is only one.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Syllabus Week At UD Explained By "The Office"

"The Office" understands the struggle of the first week back from winter break.

1084
the office

January 19th is the first day of the second semester at the University of Dayton, and students couldn't be more excited. However, the excitement that students are experiencing may be short-lived once they see what this semester's courses will entail. Although students will be happy to be back at Dayton, they may realize this semester will be more difficult than they predicted. Here are some things that happen during syllabus week explained by " The Office."

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments