Counting in American

MiniMoon but why, WHY are the American crochet terms one 'step' behind ours? Or conversely, why are the British terms one step in front of theirs? So that, e.g. a UK double crochet is a US single crochet (we don't have single crochet), a UK half treble crochet is a US double crochet and so on... I usually manage OK, sometimes by having a conversion chart handy, but it's particularly tricky if I find a pattern online which doesn't bother stating whether it's using US or UK terms

I don't think stones are used in any other country but the UK. I'm in Australia and we've used the simple metric system for everything for many decades.

I have 2 sets of American cups, but once I’ve used 1 cup for butter and one for honey(?) I’ve got to wash up and how do I measure cups of sliced cucumber?
So, I have to convert the recipe first.
Into ounces because I still can’t work out grams.

Finnochio how can back to front dates make sense, of course they use what they like and I ve no right or desire to change them, but the logical law is either small to big or big to small not middle, small, big makes no sense to anyone
Day month year is logical
month day year is illogical
And how do you measure butter in a cup ?

I don't know why the US always gets picked on - school systems are different the world over. In South Africa, you start school in Class 1 [and SA children start school in "Class 0" at age 6, so I think that 4 is very young for my grandson to be starting school], then in high school the years are called Standards, as in Standard 6, 7, 8 - and eventually you Matriculate or "pass Matric" (Standard 10).

I read something the other day that made me chuckle:

American man to punter in pub in Bath:
So do you say Baaath or B-ath? (short "A").
Punter: We say both.
American man shouts to wife: Honey, they pronounce it Both.

Many years ago on our first visit to America we were in a diner for breakfast when the waiter asked how we wanted our eggs - DH replied "fried". I had to explain the various ways Americans can order - sunny side up, over easy etc. I do like the way they keep topping up your coffee though!

Ha ha Granny knot, love it!

What on earth is over easy? I know what sunny side up is.

We were confused in the USA when we were asked if we wanted complimentary 'pop overs'. We had no idea what they were but were intrigued so agreed. Turned out to be small yorkshire puddings!

I think the reason I (at any rate) asked about the American school system is that we see so many American films as well as reading American books where it is expected that you understand what these terms mean. Eg when I was in 8th grade, she was a sophomore, he was in little league etc etc. None of these terms are explained! Doesn't happen so much with other countries.

I've heard of Americans eating "grits" for breakfast. What are they and is there a British equivalent, does anyone know?

I was very confused by the term 'rest room'. Expecting to find a place where I might be able to put my aching feet up, I was surprised to find a ladies lavatory. What a talent for euphemisms! Underwear coyly referred to as 'intimate garments'.

pp over easy is when the cooked egg is flipped over and cooked for a few seconds but still leaving the yolk runny.

There are differences in all languages. My brother lives in Australia and his daughter sent me a message via Facebook to say that he had tripped in the yard because he was wearing thongs, apparently thongs are what Australians call flip-flops. I had to explain what thongs are in UK and that I now have a mental image of my brother which will need years of counselling to get rid of.

Oh, isn’t language just wonderful! ??

Oldwoman70 ?

I think 'grits' is a kind of coarse cornmeal. Wouldn't know how to prepare it though.

It is confusing - some Americanisms are relics of English where it has not evolved as it has here.

What I found irritating was the use of 'couple' without an 'of' after it eg a couple cars, a couple doughnuts in a series of books I read.

Oldwoman
And I am wondering if your brother's yard where he tripped in his thongs is a one acre landscaped plot (still 'a backyard' though).

tripped in the yard because he was wearing thongs, apparently thongs are what Australians call flip-flops

Oldwoman70; Are you sure!?
Some stupid idiot drivers even drive their cars in thongs, but it's usually the car that becomes a "flip-flop" when it hurtles off the road into a tree.
Now I'm intrigued. What connotations should spring to my mind with the UK version?
OoRoo

We'll leave you to google Rufus (Marks and Spencer website could be useful too)

I am an English language specialist and we British, as a nation, are very arrogant in many ways but particularly about the English language. It doesn't mean that they are wrong because they say things differently - just different - as with the Indians, Nigerians, Australians, South Africans etc. etc. and many other nations who first language is English. We are also very snobby (still!!) about regional accents which I find fascinating. Thanks heavens I say - how boring it would be if we all spoke received pronunciation.

On holiday a couple of years ago I got chatting to an American couple who were staying at a hotel in one of the islands we had docked at.
The woman was interested in our cruise and asked how long it was. "A fortnight" I told her.
She looked blank, looked at her husband who said "I think it's what the Brits call two weeks darling" ! She was fascinated with the term!!

Apparently it's not not widely known in the US !
I had no idea.

pollyperkins I've made 'popovers' for years - the recipe is in my McDougall cookery book which is years old. Made in a bun tin with 12 bun holes!
I think there is also a recipe for Yorkshire pudding which is made in one tin.

Well we hadn't heard of them Jallima. Regarding thongs when we were in Australia we booked to go on a guided walk. The guide said 'it's not at all strenuous -you can come in your thongs'!!! You can imagine our horrified reaction! Rufus I couldn't possibly explain but make sure you are sitting down if you google it and that you've taken your heart pills. We wouldn't like to be responsible for you having a funny turn!

They also call woggles (the long foam cylinders children use to learn to swim) noodles in Austria!

CM88

1 Stick or 1/2 cup of butter = 4 ozs ... 113 grams

Stick of butter come in packs of 4 usually, and the individual wrappers are marked up .... usually in 1 oz divisions. I find it very easy when I’m over there.