During the
discussion that followed my recent interview on Cindy's Country Corner, Cindy asked me, "Graham, I have heard that most Brits love their fish and chips! And, you obviously do! So, here’s my question. Are the chips more like french fries, home fries, potato chips or none of the above?"
I thought most American people knew what British "chips" were, but it is not the first time I have been asked this question, so I thought I would clarify this. British
chips are American
french fries (I hope we have got past the embarrassing term "
freedom fries" now), but unlike most fries, which are usually quite thin, British chips are generally fatter.
What Americans call
potato chips, Brits call
crisps.
For the benefit of my non-American friends,
home fries are par-cooked potatoes, diced or otherwise cut into chunks, then shallow-fried.
There are so many of these little differences, I think an entire series is warranted. Let us go on for a while:
What we Brits call
pants, Americans call
underwear. In Britain, the word
underwear is often used to describe any undergarments, such as underpants, bras, undershirts (US
undershirts are UK
vests, while a US
vest is what a Brit would call a
waistcoat). An American calls them
pants, while a Brit calls them
trousers. My four-year-old daughter always bursts into fits of giggling when I tell her about pants and trousers and so on.
While we are on the subject of anatomy and accessories, if you have not already checked it out, you might enjoy an earlier post here,
Don't say 'fannypack' around me.
Finally (for now anyway), you might enjoy
The Very Best of British - The American's Guide to Speaking British, a website which is full of these little differences and makes a very entertaining read.
Confused? Do you have some more differences or questions about language differences? Please
post a comment and let me know.
How timely! After talking about pants/underwear/underpants/trousers in my last blog post, the latest news from the BBC is that sales of Y-fronts have increased by 35%, according to British store Debenhams. In fact, sales of Y-fronts have overtaken sales of boxer shorts for the first time since early 1990, interestingly, the last time Britain was in a recession. A spokesman from Debenhams said,"They provide a much greater sense of security than loose-fitting boxers, and perhaps, in these troubled times, that's what men need to feel."
