Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Fandoms:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2016-02-14
Words:
822
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
118
Kudos:
392
Bookmarks:
191
Hits:
6,188

Britspeak to Amerispeak

Summary:

Writing a Teen Wolf fic where Derek takes this bloke Stiles to see a film in the cinema before taking him back to his flat to meet his mum? Writing a Sherlock fic where Sherlock meets John at college while studying for a big test so they both get good grades?

If so, you need this Britspeak to Amerispeak directory. I hope to keep adding to it, so feel free to put any instances in the comments that I'm missing so far. This is meant to be GENERAL advice, obviously there will be exceptions, but if you're a Brit writing American characters or an American writing British characters, take a cruise through and see if there are any word usage or spelling errors you might have made! I tagged the fandoms I'm in, but of course it could be helpful to any American or British fandom.

Note: I am American, born and raised, and have lived in almost every part of this country. Feel free to add your comments and suggestions, but if you start it with "Actually, Americans would never..." just know that I am laughing at you right now.

Work Text:

British American Category
bagsy / bagsied dibs / called dibs actions
whinging whining actions
taking the piss teasing, mocking actions
shagging fucking, screwing actions
having a domestic fighting, arguing (only law enforcement or legal professional would say 'domestic disturbance') actions
fancy want, like actions
pinch / nick steal actions
dodgy (suspicious) shady adjectives
skint broke adjectives
stroppy, cross angry, irritated, pissed off adjectives
peckish hungry adjectives
gagging for desperate for adjectives
pissed drunk adjectives
working-class working class, blue collar adjectives
middle-class middle class, white collar adjectives
posh high class, rich, fancy/elegant adjectives
lorry truck automotive
bonnet (of car) hood (of car) automotive
boot (of car) trunk (of car) automotive
windscreen windshield automotive
indicator (of car) turn signal / blinker automotive
estate car station wagon automotive
caravan camper / r.v. automotive
petrol gasoline automotive
dummy (for baby) pacifier baby
pram, buggy stroller baby
jumper / pullover / jersey sweater clothing
trousers pants clothing
pants underwear (or more specific,e.g. boxers, briefs) clothing
button-up dress shirt, button-down clothing
vest tank top, sleeveless t-shirt (some say wife beater but that's kind of offensive) clothing
waistcoat vest clothing
trainers (shoes) sneakers, tennis shoes clothing
flies (of trousers) fly (of pants) clothing
braces suspenders clothing
high street main street clothing
rucksack backpack clothing
track pants sweatpants clothing
tights pantyhose, nylons, tights (exclusively for opaque stockings) clothing
combat trousers / combats cargo pants clothing
high heels, heels high heels, pumps clothing
nappy diaper clothing, baby
flatmate roommate (less frequently: housemate or apartment mate) community
(television) programme t.v. show community
queue line community
skip dumpster community
chip and PIN machine grocery self check-out community
cash machine ATM community
Inland Revenue the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) community
junction intersection community
zebra crossing crosswalk community
Hen Night bachelorette party community
stag do bachelor party community
maths math community
marks grades community
primary school, secondary school elementary / grade school, middle / junior high school, high school community
class, form grade (as in group of kids in the same grade) community
Shite! Bollocks! Bugger! Shit! Fuck! Goddammit! exclamations
Oi! Hey! (exclamation of offense) Hey you! (to get someone's attention) exclamations
sweets candy food
biscuit cookie food
crisps potato chips food
chips french fries, fries food
ice lolly popsicle food
courgette zucchini food
jacket potato baked potato food
aubergine eggplant food
candy floss cotton candy food
treacle molasses food
takeaway (food) takeout (food) food
tin (of food) can (of food) food
jam / jam doughnuts jelly / jelly doughnuts food
coriander (leaves) cilantro food
soft drink soft drink, soda, pop food
jelly Jell-O food
pudding dessert (general) food
bill (e.g., from a restaurant) check food
telly t.v., television furniture
bedside cabinet side table furniture
wardrobe closet (built-in), dresser (folded clothes), armoire (hanging clothes, rarer) furniture
work top kitchen counter furniture
fringe bangs hair
hair slide, hair clip hair clip, barrette hair
serviettes napkins household
kitchen roll paper towels household
toilet roll, bog roll toilet paper, toilet tissue household
torch flashlight household
timetable schedule household
tap faucet household
rubber eraser household
post mail household
mobile cell phone household
rubber eraser household
plaster band-aid household
hob stove household
a tip a dump (messy place) / a dumpster (metal box you throw trash in) household
rubbish garbage, trash household
bin garbage can, trash can household
holiday vacation other
row fight, argument, disagreement other
postal code / postcode zip code / zip other
newsreader newscaster / anchorman / anchorwoman other
mum mom, mother (mommy for little kids) people
bloke guy people
wanker, clot, berk jerk, douchebag, asshole people
prick dick people
knob, muppet, berk, clotpole, pillock, prat idiot, dork, moron, dumbass people
bum, backside, arse butt, ass (crude), bottom (twee), booty (facetious) people
council estate, housing estate public housing, housing project places
University (Uni) college places
pavement, footpath sidewalk places
motorway highway / freeway places
film movie places
cinema movie theater (or "to the movies") places
storey (of a building) floor places
garden yard/backyard (garden is only for an actual flower garden) places
ground floor (at street level) first floor (at street level) places
flat apartment (or condo, townhouse if owned by the tenant) places
car park parking lot / parking garage places
lift elevator places
loo bathroom / toilet places
underground subway places
chemist's drugstore places
block of flats apartment building places
canteen cafeteria places
going back to yours going back to your place places
off-license / carryout liquor store places
corner shop bodega store, mom-and-pop store, convenience store, 7-Eleven (brand-specific) places
A&E, Casualty the ER (layman), the ED (for Emergency Department, preferred terminology within healthcare) places
in hospital, to hospital in the hospital, to the hospital places
public school private school places
canteen cafeteria (canteen is only for military) places
aluminium aluminum science
football soccer sports
pay rise raise work
sacked (from a job) fired work
     
SPELLING DIFFERENCES    
fantasise, emphasise, realise, etc. fantasize, emphasize, realize, etc.  
cheque check  
kerb curb  
colour color  
theatre, centre, fibre, etc. theater, center, fiber, etc.  
programme program  
tyre tire  
tonne ton  
odour, behaviour, neighbour, parlour, etc. odor, behavior, neighbor, parlor, etc.  
pyjamas pajamas