Local terms

[vilakins]

A meme about terms used in my part of the world, copied from zoefruitcake days ago. As you can see, we speak a mixture of UK and US English with some weird local terms thrown in. [worries a bit about whether that piece of soft furniture on the Liberator flight deck is actually a sofa rather than a couch] I'd be interested to know what you say for some of these things, and what the insect in question 15 is.

What do you call:

1. a flowing body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks: stream; creek if even smaller

2. the thing you push around the grocery store: trolley.

3. a metal container to carry a meal in: lunch box.

4. the thing that you cook bacon and eggs in: frying pan

5. the piece of furniture that seats three people: couch

6. the device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof: guttering; the vertical bit's a downpipe

7. the covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening: veranda[h] (if it's not covered, it's a deck)

8. carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverages: soft drinks

9. a flat, round breakfast food served with syrup: pancake

10. a long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself: filled roll if normal size; sub if ridiculously huge

11. the piece of clothing worn by men at the beach: they're all [swimming] togs or swimsuits here regardless of style or gender of wearer

12. shoes worn for sports: sport shoes / running shoes

13. putting a room in order. tidying up

14. a flying insect that glows in the dark. glow worm

15. the little insect that curls up into a ball: no idea what that is; we probably don't have them here

16. the children's playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down: seesaw

17. How do you eat your pizza? Eh? I bite bits off, chew, and swallow them. What the hell do you do?

18. when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff: garage sale

19. the evening meal: dinner if it's the main meal, tea if it's not

20. the thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are: basement but they're rare and we don't have furnaces

21. the thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places: water fountain [edit] or drinking fountain

Comments

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

Re #17, I think some places they use a fork for pizza. I've also seen people on TV (mostly from the Eastern US) fold it up before they eat it. Oh, and in Scotland they batter and fry it. :)

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

worries a bit about whether that piece of soft furniture on the Liberator flight deck is actually a sofa rather than a couch

As far as I'm concerned, it's both. I've always used them as freely interchangeable synonyms, and employ both of them about equally. Ditto "basement" and "cellar." I've come to suspect, though, that this is something of an odd artifact of my upbringing. I heard both "sidewalk" and "pavement" when I was a kid, despite being assured later in life that the latter was unknown in the US. :)

a flowing body of water, smaller than a river

I'm not even sure how small a "river" actually is these days. Stuff that gets referred to as a "river" here in New Mexico would barely qualify as a "creek" where I used to live. Hell, some of what they call "rivers" here, back in New Jersey, we'd call a ditch. Actually water does not seem to be a necessary feature. :)

the little insect that curls up into a ball: no idea what that is; we probably don't have them here

You probably don't. They're common in North America, though. They're variously called "rolly pollies" (or "rolly poly bugs"), "sow bugs" or "pill bugs." Little segmented things that curl up into a tight little ball if you poke 'em.

[vocatus-fortis.livejournal.com]

Here's the votes from the north of England (mainly Lancashire with a few Yorshireisms thrown in).

1. a flowing body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks: A stream, brook or beck.

3. a metal container to carry a meal in: I imagine it would be a lunch box. We don't really use such items here; the nearest equivalent is a plastic box.

5. the piece of furniture that seats three people: settee

6. the device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof: guttering; a drainpipe takes the water vertically.

7. the covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening: Conservatory.

11. the piece of clothing worn by men at the beach: swimming trunks

12. shoes worn for sports: trainers

15. the little insect that curls up into a ball: Could this be a woodlouse? I know some varieties of these curl up, but they ain't insects.

18. when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff: Doesn't happen. The nearest equivalent is a car boot sale.

20. the thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are: Cellar. Not all houses have them.

The rest, I agree with.

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

As far as I'm concerned, it's both.

Although, now that I think about it some more... it's kind of not. In my mind, at least, "sofa" and "couch" are interchangeable terms for the item of furniture in my living room, but "sofa" only applies to that very specific living-room-furniture kind of thing. "Couch" is more general. A piece of spaceship furniture? Is definitely a couch. Which is interesting, because I didn't realize that I thought of it that way until now.

Of course, what I call it is much less important than what the characters call it... But I'd be surprised if they thought of it as a "sofa."

[azdak.livejournal.com]

I've always used them as freely interchangeable synonyms,

I was brought up only to use "sofa" because "couch" was common. A "couch" was what you would find in someone's "front room", whereas a "sofa" adorned a "sitting room" (we were too posh to say "living room" and not posh enough to say "drawing room" - ah, the English class system! Why make life simple when you can make it well-nigh impossible?). I am therefore quite sure that our Liberator friends, with their byootiful BBC enunciation, all say "sofa" (or possibly, by analogy with graphite writing stick, "anti-grav rear-end support").

And to those things that look like miniature armidillos I would say "woodlouse". They don't seem to have inspired the English to any great extent, certainly not linguistically. Here in Austria they're called "Asserl" and feature quite a lot in humorous dialect songs and poetry, as I had occasion to notice at festival this weekend.

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

A "settee" is a couch?! Man, I always thought it must be, I don't know, some kind of formal, old-fashioned, British sort of thing, because we didn't seem to have them here...

You really do learn something new every day. Or at least learn how ignorant you are. ;)

I know some varieties of these curl up, but they ain't insects.

The US ones aren't, either. Too many legs, I think.

[kerravongenius.livejournal.com]

I was baffled when I first heard the term "sneakers". From the context, I knew it was something that was worn and I came to the conclusion that, being plural, it must be some kind of trousers.

[kerravonsen]

Most of my answers are the same, with a few variations. But having been brought up all over the place, I can't speak for the origins of the words I use.
2. shopping trolley
5. I'm not sure of the difference between a couch and a sofa, I tend to use either.
6. Or "gutters".
7. Or "balcony" if it's not on the ground floor.
8. Or "fizzy drinks".
9. Yes, pancake, but if it's really thin and big it's a crepe, and if it's small and thicker and made with baking powder, it's a pikelet.
11. Or "cozzies" (short for "swimming costume").
12. Or "sand shoes".
14. Isn't that a firefly? I don't think glow worms fly.
15. I call them "slaters" but I don't know where that bit of my vocabulary comes from.
17. Yes, this does seem an odd question.
19. Yes, and it can get confusing for people when "dinner" is the middle meal of the day (such as "Sunday dinner")
21. Or "drinking fountain".

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

LOL! "Sneakers" was the only word for them that actually made sense to me. They're quiet shoes, good for sneaking. Everybody sometimes has occasion to be sneaky! Whereas I've never played tennis in my sneakers, or trained for whatever it is one is meant to be training for. :)

[jomacmouse.livejournal.com]

1. Creek, though some of them are more like glorified storm water drains around here.

5. Just as likely to refer to it as the lounge, though I can't honestly say I know everyone this side of the Tasman would agree with me.

11. Cossies is an alternative description here.

12. Sneakers, sandshoes.

19. My family has a habit of referring to it as tea regardless of it being the main meal or not.

20. That one's interesting - businesses might have basements, but a lot of houses don't seem to. They might have a cellar, not necessarily for wine, or they might just have open space under there. The houses I grew up in had open space - dirt floor and brick pillars holding up the house.

21. Bubbler. That's what they were called at school, and I've never heard anyone call them anything else.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

Have only noted ones where it's different. And some of these diffferences may be more generational than geographic:

1. mostly stream, but if I'm in Scotland or northern England, burn.

2. wheelie bag

6. vertical bit's a drainpipe

7. doesn't exist here unless you're very rich (climate unsuitable?) If at back of house, patio.

8. fizzy drinks

9. same, but not for breakfast. Only Shrove Tues in our house.

11. swimming trunks

12. trainers

15. woodlouse. You must have them! Like miniature armadillos.

18. car boot sale?

20. cellar

21. we don't have any. In school they were drinking fountains.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Ah, U and non-U. Here I think it's always 'couch' but it could be in a living or sitting room, or indeed lounge which I'm sure is very Delta.

We do have woodlice but I didn't even think of them.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

9. I say all those too, but it's only pancakes if it's breakfast.

21. Yes, drinking fountain also applies here. [edits]

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

7. A patio to us is a paved uncovered area; a deck (wooden bit built out) is more normal. Our house has decks on three sides.

15. We do, though I haven't seen them since I was a kid. Their rolly-up-ness never seemed their main feature though, so I didn't think of them.

18. Car boot sales are unknown here. People sell stuff from their garages, and even what were once church fairs or jumble sales held in a church hall are now called garage sales which sounds quite wrong to me because they aren't in garages.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Ah. We just eat them. Batter and fry it? But it's already crisp and yummy (or should be). :-P

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

'Sofa' and 'settee' or very Engish to me; it's a couch here.

Ditto "basement" and "cellar."

To us, a besement is only a cellar if you store wine in it. Most houses incidentally have neither.

I heard both "sidewalk" and "pavement" when I was a kid

That should've been in the quiz: we have neither. It's a footpath.

And that insect seems to be what we call a woodlouse. I haven't seen one since I was about 12.

[kerravonsen]

I say all those too, but it's only pancakes if it's breakfast.

What, they aren't pancakes at other times, or they aren't the other things if it's breakfast?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

My Vila always calls his sneakers because he uses them for that purpose. :-) When I was a kid, I heard sneakers and sandshoes, but those terms seem to have died out, probably during the huge jogging craze of the 80s.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I've only ever seen pancakes for breakfast (at cafes etc). Pikelets are an afternoon tea item like scones, and crepes are usually for dessert (thin and delicate with rich and decadent fillings).

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

From SE England (though it may be as much a social class as a geogrphical thing). Most, but not all are the same as in NZ.

What do you call:

1. a flowing body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks: stream.

2. the thing you push around the grocery store: trolley.

3. a metal container to carry a meal in: lunch box.

4. the thing that you cook bacon and eggs in: frying pan

5. the piece of furniture that seats three people: couch or sofa or settee.

6. the device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof: gutter; the vertical bit's a drainpipe

7. the covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening: we don't go in for these much, but probably porch at least if fairly small.

8. carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverages: soft drinks

9. a flat, round breakfast food served with syrup: pancake

10. a long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself: filled roll

11. the piece of clothing worn by men at the beach: swimming trunks

12. shoes worn for sports: trainers (until about thirty years ago they were plimsolls)

13. putting a room in order: tidying up

14. a flying insect that glows in the dark: glow worm

15. the little insect that curls up into a ball: no idea what that is; we probably don't have them here

16. the children's playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down: seesaw

17. How do you eat your pizza? How is this a language question? I would use a knife and fork, but people who eat slices of piuzza on the move would presumably use their fingers.

18. when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff: garage sale

19. the evening meal: very much class related. The lower class traditionally had dinner in the middle of the day, might have tea around 5pm and possibly supper later on, or might have "high tea" at around 6pm; the middle class had lunch in the middle of the day, might have tea around 4pm, and then dinner in the evening. I think the middle class terminology has now largely taken over.

20. the thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are: basement if large and wwell-lit, cellar if small and dingy.

21. the thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places: water fountain

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

11. I've heard cozzies from Australians, and, I think, bathers form my friend in Melbourne.

12. They used to be that here when I was a kid, but they seem to be running or sport shoes now. I blame the joggers.

19. I say dinner if it's cooked; if it's a scrappy meal like soup and toast, then it's tea.

20. Most houses don't have 'em either, but my childhood home had a huge basement we kept our bikes and other equipment in. Our current house is a pole house on a hill, so one side is open with just earth and a bit of paving in one part so we can shove garden furniture under there.

21. I have never ever heard that!

[kerravonsen]

True about pikelets, but I've also seen pancakes for dessert.

Not to mention the Pancake Parlour, which has pancakes for everything.

Gah! I want some pancakes now. 8-(

[hafren.livejournal.com]

Ones in a church hall would still be jumble sales here -

where ladies of the village
fight like Visigoths for pillage

as Jake Thackray has it.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

19. Yes, I sometimes find the meal terminology confusing in British books. For us, it's:
- breakfast
- morning tea (if taken)
- lunch unless it's the main meal, then it's dinner
- afternoon tea (if taken)
- dinner if it's the main meal, otherwise tea for a lighter meal
- supper (light late evening snack if taken)

How about restaurant meals? We have basically entrée or starter, main, and dessert, but for Americans, the main is called the entrée. It must cause so much confusion when they come here and get only a small serving.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, lounge, frightfully infra dig. I'm sure it would have given Vila very great pleasure to persistently call the bridge the "lounge."