US and UK Spoken English

Writing technical information in US English is one thing. However, over the past few days, Baxter, a hula-hooping expert from North Carolina, USA, has been staying with my family.

This is Baxter:



This led me to recite my two favourite observations about the difference between UK and US spoken language:

Communication can be one way at times
Because films and media generally flow from the US to the UK but not back the other way, North Americans generally do not understand our idioms although we generally understand theirs. This can lead to blank stares during normal conversations or snorts and gurgles as they try to get their head around our anglicisms.

The richest field for alternative words is the automobile, sorry, car.
Starting from the front we need to translate:
Bumper  > Fender
Headlamps > Headlights
Bonnet > Hood
Windscreen > Windshield
Gear stick > Stick shift
Boot > Trunk
Rear lights > Tail lights
Exhaust pipe > Tail pipe

If you have any more for my collection then do let me know.

I'll finish with one final anecdote:
A few years ago I was getting out of the car with my Texan friend who shrieked with delight when I exclaimed, "Oh no, I've trodden on a boiled sweet" as I got out. She just didn't know what I meant. It turns out that, actually, I'd "stepped in a candy".