Klarinet Archive - Posting 000326.txt from 2004/03

From: Tony Pay <tony.p@------.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] English and American
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2004 16:22:06 -0500

In message <007201c402f3$c7403980$19d54c51@------>
"Rupert Kahn" <Rupert.Kahn@------.net> wrote:

> Anyone who is enjoying this thread should check the Beebs "Routes of
> English" website:
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/routesofenglish/index.shtml
>
> This programmes on which this is based was worth the license fee by itself.
> If you can get to hear CDs from the programme you will not be disapointed.

Good one. I agree.

> A few comments.
>
> Stuffed: The story seemed to say that English hosts took "stuffed" said
> after a meal to mean shagged or pregnant. This sounds apochryphal to me.
> Stuffed certainly can mean shagged, but it is also used to mean well fed,
> and would take a desperate and diliberate act of misunderstanding to mean
> anything else in this context.

Again, I agree. Though, I find these sorts of things differ between me and
my children.

They could have produced a better example in 'pissed'; which in England
means, 'drunk' or 'inebriated', but in US means 'angry'.

> Mind the gap/watch your step: If someone says watch your step I look for
> dog poo to avoid. Mind the gap is specific.

If you were referring to my post, I was asking about, 'mind THE step'
(specific), not 'watch your step' (general). I take 'mind the step' to be
current in the US too, in the sense that there could be a printed notice
appropriately displayed just before you encounter a step. (There are
unexpected steps in both countries.)

No?

> If my memory is right it's only Bank Station on the Underground that is so
> curved it has big gaps. Is there somewhere else.

Yes: Waterloo, for example, where there's an announcement as the train pulls
in. I'm sure there are others, but I can't immediately produce a list.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
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... To succeed in politics, it is often necessary to rise above your principles.