[Note: This is a continuation from yesterday’s blog in which I presented Britishism that began with the letters “a” through “g.” Today, I present those beginning with “h” through “l.”]
Once upon a time, I worked for a very large New York City book publisher, who, periodically, gave me British books to “Americanize” before publishing the books for American readers. I changed both British spellings and British words that were foreign to Americans. Of course, being a royal (lowercase “r”) Anglophile, I loved this task!
In the United States, nearly all book publishers today use the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a reference for spelling and word meanings—while UK editors use the Oxford English Dictionary. The Merriam-Webster dictionary is a direct descendant of the famous dictionary that Noah Webster wrote, An American Dictionary of the English Language. Webster, a Connecticut Yankee who studied at Yale, was a lexicographer and English spelling reformer. He thought British spellings were unnecessarily complex and simplified them—thus, for example, giving us “honor” instead of “honour.” With two English-speaking countries calling upon different dictionaries to supply “proper English,” little wonder American English and British English parted ways. Such would have been the case anyway, with the distance between our countries, but differing reference books helped cement the deal.
When I first started Americanizing books, I was quite surprised to find almost all of the unfamiliar words in the British books were, actually, in the Merriam-Webster dictionary—but they were typically labeled “chiefly British variant.” Seeing words used in wonderful new ways fascinated me! And like any good Anglophile, I soon incorporated them into my own vocabulary. I hope you will too!
Below is an index of British words that confound many Americans. Because the entire list is a bit long, I’ll present the information in my next few blogs posts. Enjoy!
Britishism / Americanism
H
hair slide = barrette
headmaster/headmistress = principal
hire = rent
hob = stove cook-top
holiday = vacation
holiday-maker = vacationer
hooter = nose
Hoover (trade name) = vacuum
hot flush = hot flash
housing estate = subdivision
I
ice lolly = popsicle
immersion heater = hot water heater
indicator (on a car) – turn sigle
inverted commas = quotation marks
J
jam = jelly
jelly = Jell-o (trade name)
jim-jams = jammies, pajamas
Jobcentre = employment office
joiner = cabinetmaker
judder = vibrate
jumper = sweater
K
kerfuffle = fuss, commotion
kettle = tea kettle
kip = sleep
kirby grip = hairpin
knackered = tired, exhausted
knickers = panties
L
ladybird = ladybug
larder = pantry
launderette = Laundromat
lavatory = bathroom, rest room
lead (electrical) = electrical cord
leasehold = property that may be purchased or sold but belongs to a third-party
let = offer for rent
letter-box = mailbox
lido = public outdoor swimming pool
lift = elevator
lipsalve = ChapStick (trade name)
litter bin = trash can
loft = attic
loo = john, toilet
lounge = family room
*****************************
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Go to: VISIT BRITAIN
Go to: HOMEPAGE
Once upon a time, I worked for a very large New York City book publisher, who, periodically, gave me British books to “Americanize” before publishing the books for American readers. I changed both British spellings and British words that were foreign to Americans. Of course, being a royal (lowercase “r”) Anglophile, I loved this task!
In the United States, nearly all book publishers today use the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a reference for spelling and word meanings—while UK editors use the Oxford English Dictionary. The Merriam-Webster dictionary is a direct descendant of the famous dictionary that Noah Webster wrote, An American Dictionary of the English Language. Webster, a Connecticut Yankee who studied at Yale, was a lexicographer and English spelling reformer. He thought British spellings were unnecessarily complex and simplified them—thus, for example, giving us “honor” instead of “honour.” With two English-speaking countries calling upon different dictionaries to supply “proper English,” little wonder American English and British English parted ways. Such would have been the case anyway, with the distance between our countries, but differing reference books helped cement the deal.
When I first started Americanizing books, I was quite surprised to find almost all of the unfamiliar words in the British books were, actually, in the Merriam-Webster dictionary—but they were typically labeled “chiefly British variant.” Seeing words used in wonderful new ways fascinated me! And like any good Anglophile, I soon incorporated them into my own vocabulary. I hope you will too!
Below is an index of British words that confound many Americans. Because the entire list is a bit long, I’ll present the information in my next few blogs posts. Enjoy!
Britishism / Americanism
H
hair slide = barrette
headmaster/headmistress = principal
hire = rent
hob = stove cook-top
holiday = vacation
holiday-maker = vacationer
hooter = nose
Hoover (trade name) = vacuum
hot flush = hot flash
housing estate = subdivision
I
ice lolly = popsicle
immersion heater = hot water heater
indicator (on a car) – turn sigle
inverted commas = quotation marks
J
jam = jelly
jelly = Jell-o (trade name)
jim-jams = jammies, pajamas
Jobcentre = employment office
joiner = cabinetmaker
judder = vibrate
jumper = sweater
K
kerfuffle = fuss, commotion
kettle = tea kettle
kip = sleep
kirby grip = hairpin
knackered = tired, exhausted
knickers = panties
L
ladybird = ladybug
larder = pantry
launderette = Laundromat
lavatory = bathroom, rest room
lead (electrical) = electrical cord
leasehold = property that may be purchased or sold but belongs to a third-party
let = offer for rent
letter-box = mailbox
lido = public outdoor swimming pool
lift = elevator
lipsalve = ChapStick (trade name)
litter bin = trash can
loft = attic
loo = john, toilet
lounge = family room
*****************************
Go to: BRITISH BOOKS
Go to: CHAT FORUM
Go to: VISIT BRITAIN
Go to: HOMEPAGE
