Tagged Questions
1
vote
1answer
133 views
deceit vs deception
There seems to be a boundary between these concepts, but I can't quite work out where it is. Camouflage and mimicry are deceptions; telling untruths is deceitful.
In common usage we would say, 'The ...
16
votes
3answers
1k views
Why does “corn” mean “maize” in American English?
I keep hearing "corn" as a synonym of "maize". This is widely popularized worldwide by popcorn. However, this is American English! In British English, "corn" can mean any type of "grain", especially ...
0
votes
1answer
190 views
What's the difference between “bloke”, “chap” and “lad”?
Several synonyms are used in the UK: bloke, chap, lad. What's the difference between them?
6
votes
4answers
507 views
Different Meanings of 'Jumper' (Transatlantic embarassment)
I'm originally from Wales, now living in the USA, and as the cold weather is approaching I'm determined, this year, to start using the word sweater to describe the item of clothing I'm wearing, as ...
8
votes
1answer
275 views
Capital Letters from 1700 [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Capitalisation of nouns in English (historically)
After reading a recipe from 1747, I noticed that all of the nouns are capitalized. Is that a normal thing for that era? ...
5
votes
4answers
389 views
What is the name of this structure at kids playground?
We can usually find this structure at kids playgrounds. I want to know what it's called.
I've searched online but couldn't figure it out but fortunately found the image below.
6
votes
6answers
2k views
Is there a different understanding of “rubber” in British and American English?
I was well aware of the different meanings of rubber, not least because there are the same definitions in my mother-tongue. However, while reading a text about differences between British and American ...
2
votes
4answers
886 views
“Enclosure” vs. “attachment”
If I understand it correctly, one usually uses the term enclosure when referring to extra documents to e.g. a letter. But what if these extra items are not other documents and papers?
Say I have ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
“Invite” vs. “invitation”
I hear a lot of people saying "Send me an invite". I always thought that it was an 'invitation'. Is "sending one an invite" accepted usage? Or is it incorrect? If I need to get my wedding invitation ...
2
votes
3answers
789 views
Englishman or English man?
Which group is correct (in British English)? Is there any difference? And which group do you use?
Group 1 (the one I use)
English man, English woman, English men, English women
Irish man, Irish ...
5
votes
2answers
596 views
What is the proper adjective for the UK?
I've heard Ukonian used, and I must say I rather like it, but I don't think it's a fully accepted word yet. British leaves out Northern Ireland.
29
votes
8answers
9k views
“Toilet”, “lavatory” or “loo” for polite society
My friend is trying so hard to fit into polite society, and is raising her child to say loo rather than toilet. I know it should be lavatory (and I would not say lav) but we are in the 21st century ...
5
votes
3answers
7k views
In British English, should it be “licensee” or “licencee”?
We all know that "license" in American English is "licence" in British English. But what about the person to whom the licence is given?
Various dictionaries show the 'c' version, e.g.:
...
10
votes
4answers
5k views
“flat” vs. “apartment”
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th edition
Flat:
noun. [ countable ] ( BrE ) a set of rooms for living in, including a kitchen, usually on one floor of a building.
Apartment：
noun. ( ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the difference in meaning between “pattern” and “rhythm”?
What is the difference in meaning between pattern and rhythm?
It seems to me that the former is more American-English and the latter more British-English. Are these more or less synonyms or are there ...
10
votes
6answers
3k views
Difference between “canteen” and “cafeteria”
Are there any differences between canteen and cafeteria?
In India, usually an eating place attached to an office, factory or school is called a canteen. Of course, in some new offices it is called ...
11
votes
5answers
2k views
What's the origin of the word “geezer”?
From Oxford Dictionaries:
geezer noun
1. a man (British informal)
he strikes me as a decent geezer
2. an old man (North American informal , derogatory)
I think in British English ...
7
votes
5answers
2k views
“Season” vs. “series”
TV shows, other than ones that have new episodes year-round (e.g. news, soaps), typically group episodes in batches — most often per year, although not necessarily calendar years, and sometimes there ...
11
votes
2answers
831 views
Meaning of “Caucasian”
When I search the definition of Caucasian in the NOAD, I find the following definition (it's the first of three definitions):
(often offensive) of or relating to one of the traditional ...
8
votes
4answers
1k views
Do Americans use the world 'turtle' as a generic word to mean 'tortoise'?
Obviously there are two different animals — a tortoise and a turtle. But I have been told by a colleague that in the US the word turtle is used to describe both.
I find this odd as for example the ...
12
votes
3answers
5k views
What's the difference between 'subway', 'metro' and 'tube'?
When I watched the "American Album" program, Susan and Henry talked about New York, and she used the word 'subway'.
When I listened to BBC's '6 minutes English', I heard 'tube' used in the ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Why “ladybird”?
In case you don't know, in British English, the little red-with-black-spots insect is not called a "ladybug", as in North America, but a "ladybird".
This seems rather a poor act of classification, ...
5
votes
1answer
3k views
Is “weightage” an English word?
Is weightage an English word?
We use it a lot in India, but I couldn't find it in my Oxford Dictionary.
9
votes
3answers
4k views
Why Isn't Citizen 'Citisen' in British English?
In British English vocabulary, most words with 'z's are replaced with 's's. For example, capitalization to capitalisation. Industrialization to industrialisation.
But for some words, like citizen, ...
11
votes
3answers
3k views
Is there any difference between “color” and “colour”?
What is the difference between color and colour?
