Sometimes over here I feel like I'm learning English as a second second language. Although generally it's the same, lots of words and phrases have different meanings, so it's not as simple as it might seem to communicate. After my sis-in-law sent me this article about a new British mom in the U.S. learning all the different American baby phrases, it inspired me to write a similar post. We're past the baby stage, but there's a whole new crop of toddler- and kid-words that are different here than back home. It's not that big of a deal yet, but both the girls are starting school in the fall (another post for another day, but we have found CBear a school that agreed to let her go two days a week and home school three days a week--yay! Jellybean will be going to a pre-school at our church two mornings a week). I'm starting to use some of the words interchangeably so they'll be able to communicate with and understand their teachers, which makes for some interesting and confusing vocabulary in our house! Here's a handy-dandy reference for translating British kid-isms:
What the Brits say: American translation
Clothing
pants= underwear
trousers= pants
wellies= rubber boots
vest= undershirt/tank
trainers= tennis shoes/sneakers
jumper= sweater
Baby/kid gear
pushchair= stroller
nappy= diaper
pram= baby carriage
dummy= pacifier
cot= crib
muslin squares/muslins= burp cloth, thin, flat cloth diaper
School
nursery/pre-school= day care/pre-school (pre-school starts at age 2 or 3)
Reception= Pre-Kindergarten (Reception starts at age 4 and is normally full-time school)
Year 1= Kindergarten
primary school= elementary school
head teacher= principal
rubber= pencil eraser
sticking= gluing (as in crafts: "do you want to do a bit of sticking?")
Food (there are lots more, but these are common for kids)
biscuit= cookie
chips= french fries
crisps= chips
mash= mashed potatoes
candy floss= cotton candy
ice lolly= popsicle
fairy cake= cupcake
bangers= sausages
pudding= dessert
toad in the hole- sausages baked in batter
veg= vegetables
squash= a super concentrated fruit juice drink
Around town
paddling pool= kiddie/splash pool
trolley= shopping cart
car park= parking lot
fun fair/fun park= kiddie park/carnival
till= check out/cash register
queue= waiting in line
surgery= doctor's office
Misc. Phrases and words
mum/mummy= mom, mommy, mama
use the toilet/go to the loo/do a wee= go to the bathroom, go pee
bunches= pigtails (as in the hairstyle, not swine)
mad= crazy (as in, "you're driving me mad!")
cheeky= sassy
daft= silly
ladybird= ladybug
plaster= band-aid
telly= television
loads= lots
sick= to vomit
ill/unwell= sick/feeling bad
straight away= right away/immediately
poppet= darling, hon, sweetie (term of endearment, to child usually)
pong= bad smell (learned this from Cbear's library book about a hippo with bad gas!)
lorry= big truck (useful when playing with boys!)
garden= back yard
I'm sure there are "loads" more--friends in the U.K., what did I miss?
