Quiz

[Cole Parker]

I missed two of these, and I read a lot of British writing. I wonder how our Brits will do with this. Probably a piece of cake for them.

http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/12/confusing-british-phrases-quiz/

C

[Graeme]

I got 8/10, too. One of the two I missed I had never heard before. The other one I recognised, but I couldn't remember the exact meaning. I tossed up on which of two answers...and I picked the wrong one.

[Cole Parker]

Same exactly with me.

C

[Pedro]

I am relieved to say I got 10/10 for the two British English quizzes.

I managed a better than expected 8/10 for US terms after guessing a couple, but how do you get 'jumper' for an apron?

My result for 'Strine' was a woeful 5/10. I expected to do better and even the five included a few guesses.

Canadian ? a better than expected 7/10 - mainly courtesy of Gee's 'tutorials'.

[Lugnutz]

4/10.

[Cole Parker]

I also got 10/10 on the second quiz, testing Americans on the meaning of unusual English words. That was an easier quiz. I will admit to guessing at one of them. I didn't know the English called cream cakes that.

C

[Nigel Gordon]

I'm glad to say that I got 10/10 on both of them. Would have been in a mess if I hadn't as I have used all these in my writing from time to time.

[Nick Deverill]

As I'd hoped, 10/10 for both. However, I've never heard or seen the phrase relating to the member of the equidae family without the word 'years' being appended.

And Cole, while a cream cake can and is referred to that way, it's not in common usage. Not uncommon either, but I'd have not picked it as an example.

Cars are much more fun

English American

Big end Crank bearing
Bonnet Hood
Boot Trunk
Cam follower Lifter
Chassis Frame
Circlip Snap ring
Dynamo Generator
Grease nipple Zert/Zerk
Plain bearing Bushing

Steering ball joint Steering knuckle
Wing Fender

[Cole Parker]

Now there's a list Lug can enjoy!

C

[Rutabaga]

90%. Never heard of the "hump" one for being annoyed.

R

[Pedro]

Just to lower the tone of the site:

I don't know the true origin of the use of hump for annoyed/frustrated but it might come from the rugby players version of the Eton Boating Song which includes the verse:

The sexual life of the camel,

Is stranger than any can tell.

At the height of the mating season,

It tries to bugger the Sphinx.

But the Sphinx's posterior orifice,

Is blocked by the sands of the Nile,

Which accounts for the hump on the camel,

And Sphinx's inscrutable smile.

Just to confuse matters 'humping' means something else- more associated with releasing frustrations!

[Pedro]

Has anyone else had a go at the South African English Quiz? I managed 9/12 although I had only heard of three or four of them before and had to take a calculated guess on the rest.

I also want to know how well Graeme and Des did on the Australian test....

[ChrisR]

And just to drive everybody even more crazy, the Second Edition of the Australian National Dictionary is purportedly out with some 6,000 new words and phrases to befuddle the once universal language!

Of course it's reported in the New Zealand press.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11699447

[Graeme]

I also want to know how well Graeme and Des did on the Australian test....

Australian's automatically get 100% on the Australian test. It's one of our citizenship perks...

[Cole Parker]

Wow! The Australian one is nuts. I had to guess at every one of them, and missed at least half, maybe more. I think if I went to Australia it would be like visiting Romania. I'd have no idea what people were saying.

C

[Lugnutz]

Now there's a list Lug can enjoy!

C

I've used both.

[Merkin]

Some of the new words in the latest Australian National Dictionary, courtesy of the BBC: ‘Feeling schmick in your budgie smugglers having a chardy in the arvo with ya ranga bunji.’

Translation: 'Feeling smart in your speedos having a glass of wine in the afternoon with your redhaired mate.'

Probably pretty hard for a Yank to walk into an Aussie gay bar and have any luck. You'd be better off booking that flight to Romania.

[Cole Parker]

I don't speak a word of Romanian, but it seems I don't speak much Australian, either!

Are there any cute gay Romanians?

C

[Graeme]

Some of the new words in the latest Australian National Dictionary, courtesy of the BBC: ‘Feeling schmick in your budgie smugglers having a chardy in the arvo with ya ranga bunji.’

Translation: 'Feeling smart in your speedos having a glass of wine in the afternoon with your redhaired mate.'

Probably pretty hard for a Yank to walk into an Aussie gay bar and have any luck. You'd be better off booking that flight to Romania.

The only three words/phrases in that sentence that I immediately recognised were "budgie smugglers", "chardy" (which is actually short for chardonnay -- apparently other wines don't rate) and "arvo". The others are new to me.