Counting in American

We were invited to dinner with some Americans, very well to-do ones, he was the head of a US bank in Africa.

At the end of the meal, and much to our astonishment, our hostess announced that she had 'fanny fatigue' and perhaps we would like to join her in the drawing room. My Dh nearly fell off his chair!

Really? As in houses in a row? It kind of makes sense. But they do say row boat not rowing boat I think?

Well suffice it to say thongs in britain are very scanty undergarments. I'll leave the rest to your imagination
Pollyperkins; You're too kind! Problem is, my imagination is becoming rather obsolete because of lack of stimulus.
I"m puzzled by the application of "thongs" to what you describe. What's the connection with something that goes on my feet? And how did it come about?
I think "cami-knickers" stirs my imagination better, but then, I've already been given the accolade of DOM, so I'd better back off.!
Although it does tempt me to post a sort of "naughty but nice" joke, tomorrow perhaps. You won't need any heart pills either.!
Hang on, it's tomorrow already here.
OoRoo

If it's what I think it is, I live in one - a terraced house.

Boat shed?

Sorry ,but what is a row house?

Yes washing up before a meal is confusing -I have to mentally translate to 'get washed' or 'wash hands.' Washing up is called doing the dishes I think.
Dumb means dim and smart means clever and mad means cross but it can easily cause confusion as they mean different things here. . (As you can see I am easily confused these days!)

And tramp has a quite different meaning too! It took me a while years ago to work out what 'that's why the lady is a tramp' meant as I imagined she became a vagrant!

What happened to my italics?

I keep finding novels where the characters (apparently English in England) suddenly start 'washing up' -before- a meal, or refer to 'row houses'....... each time I look at the short bio of the author and find - oh yes, American again

I once read a novel that had been imperfectly 'translated' from US English into Brit, where a sentence read, 'He patted her fanny as he went past.' !!!

Some of the novels I had published a while ago were also sold to the US, and quite a bit of 'translation' was required. Most I could manage myself, though I did have to ask sister in US what was Yank for mangetout (snow peas).

And I had my US copy editor tell me sternly that I shouldn't refer to 'dumb animals' (referring to a dog) since, 'Dogs are not stupid!'
Some things just had to be re worded completely.

Well suffice it to say thongs in britain are very scanty undergarments. I'll leave the rest to your imagination!

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!
Pollyperkins; Don't you worry about that! I've been having "funny turns" ever since I stumbled across GN., and I now get my heart pills cheaply and in bulk now that I'm in my naughty 90s.
Everybody must know by now I'm a computer whizz-kid, so why am I being repeatedly told to Google everything? I don't want to "Google" anything unless I really have to.
I can't argue with it, preferring to have a vigorous debate with a real live person and it annoys the hell out of me when a robot asks me to tick a box to prove I'm not a robot.
The same principle applies when I shop at our supermarket. I eschew the self-serve outlet, having to deal with an automatic weighing machine, preferring to use the "personal" line with conversation as the day's special.
Then I feel good with myself for helping to provide a job, usually for a student in need of cash.
Having got that off my chest, I've forgotten what we were talking about.
I'd better get to bed before I have another funny turn.
Cheers

At least I know making out means snogging!
The french call a fortnight quinze jours incidentally. Their fortnights are a day longer.

Well I've a rough idea ffinochio. . Laziness I expect!

On anothwr tgread someone mentioned fanny pack which to us is much ruder than bum bag! But never tell an American to keep his pecker up

I think it's what the Brits call two weeks darling" ! She was fascinated with the term!!

Jennifer; You were in luck! At least she knew that "Brits" speak English
We were on a tour in America several years ago that started from NY, consisting entirely of Americans, and a lady, on learning we were from OZ, asked what language was spoken in Australia.
I think she came from mid-West something or other.
When I said Strine" she shut up!
OoRoo

Oh pp !

Of course American books and American films use their own expressions. As you’ve watched so many films and read lots of American books, and you’ve visited, why haven’t you found out before about, for example, their school system. Easily done via google!

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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