Sunday, October 28, 2012

English Translation Please

I have been so blessed with the most fun and wonderful friends a girl could have!  I haven't laughed so hard or so much in a long time!  Much of our laughing consists of trying to translate each others words.  An executive decision has been made! There is no way I can start Russian lessons until I can speak English first.

My friends consist of.....

An Italian lady who speaks Aussie living in Moscow and taking Scottish dancing...otherwise known as "Diamand Lady."

A Mexican lady married to a Brit, speaking the Queen's English with a Spanish accent...otherwise known as "Mexican Momma". She can cook some mean enchiladas! if she were Native American her name would be "girl with no coat" because her shipment has yet to arrive, she hasn't bought one and it is snowing.

An Aussie by birth and Swede by marriage. She's been living in Sweden for 26 years. There is nothing Aussie about her. She has been known to speak in English and switch mid sentence to Swedish...she is otherwise known as "Super Trouper" because who doesn't love a good ABBA song?!

A British lady who is unapologetically British. She is a great source of information regarding organic products, Russian folklore and summer reading for her children. Which makes her even more the perfect British mother doing homework over the summer while I, the American, let my kids eat ice cream and play all day in the sun without sunscreen. She is otherwise known as "Potty Mummy."

This is just a sampling of friends. Others are awaiting their nicknames.  It is during conversations with these ladies that I have stop them mid sentence to translate. There is the occasional clarification asked of me, but then it is followed up with "you are so American!" Here are a few words and phrases that have tripped us up. Until we can agree on English, I am not sure Russian will work.


Arvo is Australian for afternoon...as in....let's do wine and cheese in the Arvo

My shout is Australian for my treat...As in...it's my birthday, let's do lunch my shout.  My reply? Why are you paying when it is your birthday? Answer is bc that is what we do. My response...well, I am American and I do not buy on my birthday!

Fanny...is Australian for THE female body part, rhymes with Medina. You would never say the word fanny in Australia, much less fanny pack as in what a tourist may wear.

Lie In...British for sleeping in

Whilst...British for while

Stack...Aussie for list

Tongs and thongs...in America we call these flip flops. Tongs are things you toss a salad with. A Thong is a panty a woman wears. Yes we had some confusion on this!

Caunt....British for can't....I have been told I am not allowed to say this word the British way because it sounds like cunt.  

Pants...The American clothing item that covers you from you waist, hips, buttocks to your ankles. Pants to the British are the same as underwear, panties, skivvies, garcheis...my word.  Knickers are also underwear, panties, etc.  trousers to British are what pants are to American.

Pudding...British for Dessert....and no, it isn't just pudding. It's cookies, brownies, any dessert Item.

Tomato Sauce....Aussie for all things tomato.  You make spaghetti sauce with tomato sauce. Ketchup is called tomato sauce. There is no distinction. And by the way, spaghetti sauce is bolognese sauce.

Fringe...the British word for bangs...

Biscuit....Aussie for cookie

2 comments:

Lois B said...

haha, I can relate. At my English speaking women's Bible study, the Aussie asked if someone would grab the dummie for her. Fortunately there was a Brit in the room who knew she meant pacifier.

Potty Mummy said...

One of these days we might even understand each other! Although of course, that would make life far less entertaining. Now - pudding, anyone? x