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- M -
Man, Guy:
Bloke, Chap, Lad or Man
(Max to Alan: 'What was the name of that bloke we met last
night?')
(Note: 'Guy' is also being used more and more often by the Brits)
Mail:
Post
Mail Box:
Letter Box
'Main Street:'
'High Street'
Masturbate, e.g. 'beat-off, jerk-off':
'Wank,' Toss'
And a 'Wanker' & 'Tosser' is someone who
supposedly 'beats-off' and is used as an semi-offensive term to call someone.
These are obvious slang terms and 'masturbate' is used when scientists talk
about it... The American slang terms are understood also.
("Hey Phil, ya know what?
You're a Wanker!")
Math:
Maths
('Hi mum, I've got loads of maths homework tonight')
My:
My, Me
(As correctly as the English think they speak,
they nearly all, at one time or another, use 'me' for 'my' when speaking
casually.)
("Where's me coat Jane?")
(although it's supposedly only a 'northern'
thing...)
Meatballs (a traditional style made with pork and pork liver):
Faggots (!)
(Sam to Linda:"What's for tea tonight Linda?" Linda to Sam:
"Faggots, mash and peas dear")
[See
picture]
Minister, Pastor, etc.:
Vicar
(The English have their own protestant religion, the 'C of E,' or
'Church of England,' which is the predominant religion and a 'Vicar' is what they call their earthly representative to God.
'Minority' religions do exist such as Methodists and they're called Ministers as
normal.)
Mis-matched socks:
Odd Socks
('Ian, you certainly look silly with those odd socks')
Mobile Home:
Static Caravan, Caravan
Molasses:
Treacle
Mom:
Mum
Money:
The Bits call their money (£) Pounds, or Pounds Sterling. Unlike
($) Dollars,
their bills (notes) come in different sizes
to differentiate value, e.g. a 'fiver' (five pound bill) is quite small compared to a fifty pound bill,
which will barely fit in your wallet.
Their coins are in pence, or "p" and come in 1p, 2p (which are copper), 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p (silver color), the gold colored
One Pound coin and the dual-color Two Pound coin which are both quite heavy.
Moron, Idiot:
Berk, Pillock, Pratt, Plonker
('Your brother is a real pillock Michelle!')
Mother's Day:
Mothering Sunday
(But Father's Day is called Father's
Day)
Mouth:
Mouth, 'Gob'
("Will you just shut your gob for 5 minutes
Lisa!?")
Mouth Guard (boxing):
Gum Shield
Movie:
Film; movie also used
Movie Ratings ( PG, PG-13, R, X):
"U" for universal, i.e. small kids upwards. And the rest:
"PG," "12," "15," "18," & "Restricted 18" I think are self-explanatory.
(I got this straight from the British Board of Film Classifications so no more
explanations in the guestbook about it!)
Movie Theater:
Cinema
Muffler (car):
Silencer
- N -
Nap:
Kip, Nap
("I'm going for a bit of kip Janice, I'm knackered!")
Napkin:
Serviette, Napkin
National Holiday:
Bank Holiday
Natural Gas:
Gas
Newstand:
Newsagent
Nipple (for baby's bottle):
Teat
Nothing (for zero quantity):
Nil
("The score of the football game was 'two -
nil'' ")
- O -
Odometer:
Mileometer
Off-Ramp, On-Ramp (highway):
Slip Road
One-Storey House:
Bungalow
One time, Single Time, Unique:
'One-Off'
(For example: The Brits love their
documentaries. If they are starting a new documentary that will be shown over
many weeks it is of course a 'series,' but if it is just a single episode
documentary, they'll call it a 'one-off' documentary.)
One-Way Ticket:
Single Ticket
Operating Room:
Operating Theatre
Outsource (labor):
Sub-Contract
Oven, Stove:
Cooker, Oven
Oventop, Stovetop:
Hob
Overpass:
Flyover
Overseas:
Abroad
("James is going to live
abroad for a year")
- P -
Pacifier:
Dummy
Panties:
Knickers (!)
Pants, Trousers or Slacks:
Trousers (only)
Pantyhose:
Tights
Paper Towels:
Kitchen Roll
Parking Brake:
Hand Brake
Parking Lot:
Car Park
Pass (to pass another car):
Overtake
Pavement, Asphalt:
Tarmac
Paycheck:
Pay Packet
Pedal Bike, Bicycle:
Push Bike, Bicycle
Pedestrian Crossing, Crosswalk(without lights):
Zebra Crossing (!!)
Pedestrian Crossing, Crosswalk (with lights):
Pelican Crossing (!)
Pee:
Wee
("I'll be back in a sec, I've got to go for
a wee")
Penis:
Willy, Todger and all of the 'normal' crude words
('Willy' is what young children are taught to call it)
Period (punctuation):
Full Stop
Person on Vacation:
Holidaymaker
Pet (pet the dog):
Stroke (!)
('Ian, can I stroke your dog?')
Pharmacist, Druggist:
Chemist, pharmacy (sometimes)
Phone Booth:
Phone-Box, Call-Box
Photos Sizes: 8x10, 5x7, 4x6, etc.:
10x8, 7x5, 6x4
(The Brits say their photo sizes backwards..)
Physical Therapist:
Physiotherapist, 'physio'
Pickle:
Gherkin
Pint (U.S. 16oz.):
Pint (UK 20oz.)
P.M.S:
P.M.T (pre-menstrual tension)
Police:
Police, 'the Bill,' 'the old Bill'
Police Line-Up:
Identity parade (!)
Police Officer:
P.C. (Police Constable), 'Bobby on the beat'
Popsicle:
Iced Lolly
Potato Chips:
Crisps
Pre-Natal:
Ante-Natal
President (of the United States):
We won't even go there!, i.e. 'no comment.'
The brits don't like to be compared in any way to the American system!
Pretentious (talker), 'smoothtalker,' etc.:
'Blag','Blagueur'
('Boy did Ben ever blag his way into that job!')
Preview, Trailer (movie):
Trailer (only)
Prison, Penitentiary, Slammer:
The Nick, Prison
Private Parts, Genitals:
'Rude Bits,' Genitals
Private School:
Public School (!!)
'The Projects':
'Estates.'
('Estate' is a confusing word in
Britain. When speaking of inner-city 'estates' they're referring to the
equivalent to 'The Projects.' But it also means a new sub-division of
'normal' houses. And if you mention a 'country estate,' it
could be the 400-acre grand, private 'estate' of Lord Wadsworth or some other
person with 'blue blood.')
Pudding:
Blancmange (pronounced: 'blahmanj')
(The Brits use the word 'pudding' as one
of their terms to mean 'dessert.')
Purse:
Handbag
Push-Up:
Press-Up
('Give me twenty press-ups recruit')
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