(taken from here)
If someone in America asks you if you would like a pig in a blanket, it will save a lot of embarrassment if you know they are offering you a sausage roll.
Many of us go on holiday to the US confident we will have none of the language problems experienced in other countries.
OK, we all known they call petrol "gas" and they walk on the "sidewalk" rather than the pavement and they have "vacations" rather than holidays, trousers are called "pants" and so on.
But a look at the words Americans use for everyday food and drink items makes me wonder if a British-American phrase book would be essential after all.
For instance, they call an avocado an alligator pear, an aubergine an eggplant – and if you want mangetout, you'll have to ask for snow peas.
Fish fingers become fishsticks, prawns are shrimps, a beefburger is a hamburger, a gammon steak a ham steak, blueberries are huckleberries and corn is maize.
And can you guess what a rutabaga is? It's what we call a swede. (The American word is derived from the Swedish word rotabagge, which means turnip).
Meanwhile, if you want a sorbet, ask for a sherbet. How about some treacle... just ask for molasses. Gherkins are pickles, spring onions are known as scallions and if you want semi-skimmed milk, you'll have to ask for "low-fat" or "2 per cent".
It's just as difficult for children with ice lollies called popsicles, sweets called candy, candy floss known as cotton candy, biscuits called cookies and fairy cakes are cup cakes.
And how about this: If you want jam, you have to ask for jelly. And if you actually want jelly, you have to ask for "jello". Yes, it's all a trifle confusing...
Icing is known as frosting, an off-licence is called a liquor store, if you want something grilled, you must ask for it to be broiled, and in the US, food comes in cans, not tins.
And just in case that lot hasn't put you off going shopping in the States, take a look at these complete opposites: A catfish is a dogfish; chicory is known as endive and, surprise, surprise, endive is called chicory.
All this to worry about on top of getting the pronunciation and spelling right. Which reminds me of the American at a job interview in England who is asked to spell the word "coffee" – and is told the job is his if he gets just one letter correct.
The American ponders for a while before answering slowly: "K - A - W - P - H - Y".
If someone in America asks you if you would like a pig in a blanket, it will save a lot of embarrassment if you know they are offering you a sausage roll.
Many of us go on holiday to the US confident we will have none of the language problems experienced in other countries.
OK, we all known they call petrol "gas" and they walk on the "sidewalk" rather than the pavement and they have "vacations" rather than holidays, trousers are called "pants" and so on.
But a look at the words Americans use for everyday food and drink items makes me wonder if a British-American phrase book would be essential after all.
For instance, they call an avocado an alligator pear, an aubergine an eggplant – and if you want mangetout, you'll have to ask for snow peas.
Fish fingers become fishsticks, prawns are shrimps, a beefburger is a hamburger, a gammon steak a ham steak, blueberries are huckleberries and corn is maize.
And can you guess what a rutabaga is? It's what we call a swede. (The American word is derived from the Swedish word rotabagge, which means turnip).
Meanwhile, if you want a sorbet, ask for a sherbet. How about some treacle... just ask for molasses. Gherkins are pickles, spring onions are known as scallions and if you want semi-skimmed milk, you'll have to ask for "low-fat" or "2 per cent".
It's just as difficult for children with ice lollies called popsicles, sweets called candy, candy floss known as cotton candy, biscuits called cookies and fairy cakes are cup cakes.
And how about this: If you want jam, you have to ask for jelly. And if you actually want jelly, you have to ask for "jello". Yes, it's all a trifle confusing...
Icing is known as frosting, an off-licence is called a liquor store, if you want something grilled, you must ask for it to be broiled, and in the US, food comes in cans, not tins.
And just in case that lot hasn't put you off going shopping in the States, take a look at these complete opposites: A catfish is a dogfish; chicory is known as endive and, surprise, surprise, endive is called chicory.
All this to worry about on top of getting the pronunciation and spelling right. Which reminds me of the American at a job interview in England who is asked to spell the word "coffee" – and is told the job is his if he gets just one letter correct.
The American ponders for a while before answering slowly: "K - A - W - P - H - Y".
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