Through the art of vocabulary

For the past three years, I have had many experiences with people from different countries, and something that always seems to get in the way is words. When we communicate to each other, we use a certain amount of vocabulary which can be considered difficult for certain others. And one instance which I never thought it would be such a big problem, is when I’ve had friends from the United Kingdom.

Upon meeting three British students nearly three years ago now, there was a certain amount of confusion throughout the first few weeks of their stay in the U.S. For instance, they didn’t wait in queues anymore, they waited in American lines. And they didn’t wear jumpers anymore, they wore either a hoodie or a sweater, not a crazy combination. Chips were now fries and crisps were now chips. It’s just a topsy tervy world for them.

The same was for me upon visiting the U.K. last March and May. When I sliced my finger open, nobody came to my aid when I needed a band-aid. I needed a plaster. My luggage went in the boot, not the trunk, and when we went through the mud I needed wellies, not rain boots.

The concept can be even greater when it comes to larger concepts between those students from Asian countries staying with me. Entire concepts would have to be explained, and rationalized. Through this comes the great gift of patience. A virtue which I was lacking before acting globally. A virtue, which has stuck with me since.

I leave you now with my top ten British translations:

1. Arse— Ass. Simple enough, however was quite hysterical during a “Friends outtake.”
2. Chips— French fries.
3. Chrisps—Chips. Everything gets a little bit confusing when you order a bag of chips and get a bag of fries, and when you’re asked if you’d like chrisps with your sandwich and out comes a bag of potato chips.
4. Plaster—Band-aid. Accidents happen, and they will look at you silly if you stand there asking for a band-aid. “A what?”
5. Queue—Line. Don’t stand around waiting in the “line” all day, it’s a queue.
6. Torch—Flashlight. They’re not that old fashioned.
7. Lift—Elevator. “Taking a lift” does not involve anybody lifting you up.
8. Biscuit—Cookie. These biscuits are nothing like those flaky bits you get at Bob Evans. No butter needed.
9. Jumper—Hoodie or Sweater. No jumping involved.
10. Pudding—Dessert. They do not have an obsession with the snack loved so dearly by the elderly. Pudding can be cheesecake, chocolate cake or any other variety of snack. Yum.