bammo2 said:And I really, REALLY hate the way that the british media have started using Americanisms
for example, talking about shopping malls, or sidewalks.
anitram said:Is it pavement?
anitram said:My friend in Manchester definitely uses pavement for sidewalk.
indra said:
In the US you don't want to be walking on the pavement, because that's where the cars are. ....then again, there are a few people in this world I wouldn't mind telling to go out a play on the pavement.
anitram said:For a long time I didn't know that Canadian and American English were considered distinct only based on the spelling, but they are.
It's weird, because we do use a z instead of s (recognize, etc) like Americans (+ aluminum), but we also spell neighbourhood like the British, as well as using the -re suffix instead of -er (like in centre, litre).
beli said:
So does pavement mean a road to people in the USA? the bitumen? Thats interesting.
PS Which nationality says "pound the pavement"? I thought it was USA but maybe its England?
beli said:
I wonder how Canada ended up with part USA English, part English English....
indra said:
Yeah, pavement usually means road. I don't think anyone uses bitumen here (we couldn't pronounce it anyway ).
And yeah, we do use the term "pound the pavement" but that would more or less mean sidewalks (or footpaths ), so maybe that's our Brit heritage showing.
anitram said:Yes, Canada has metric and Celsius (we converted some decades ago). Our pronunciation is also decidedly "American" with some minimal exceptions. Most of our spelling is British. I have no idea how it all happened.
beli said:
So a pavement means a road unless you are pounding the pavement and then its a sidewalk? lol.
Are your roads bitumen or paved?
beli said:I think bitumen is tar and gravel but I'm not an expert. Its stinky black stuff when its just be laid.
We say "unsealed road" for dirt tracks. Paved is paving stones, or bricks.
Sealed is bitumen.
Are we confused yet? lol
beli said:I think bitumen is tar and gravel but I'm not an expert. Its stinky black stuff when its just be laid.
We say "unsealed road" for dirt tracks. Paved is paving stones, or bricks.
Sealed is bitumen.
Are we confused yet? lol
Bitumen or Asphalt - What is the difference?
In simple terms the bitumen is the black liquid that gets sprayed directly onto the road.
This is then covered with crushed stone, which stops the vehicles driving on wet, sticky bitumen.
When asked what is more commonly used, Mr Van Den Kieboom says roads are sealed using bitumen, 'bitumen is sprayed wet and we put stone across the top'.
As for asphalt, it's more like a black concrete.
"The asphalt is actually a mixture of bitumen, plus stone, plus sand, it's combined at the quarry plant then put on the roads from there.
In essence it is like black concrete but you use bitumen instead of cement powder," Mr Van Den Kieboom explains.
So the bitumen seals the road by being sprayed and covered in stone, while asphalt combines bitumen and other additives, like those used to make concrete with of course the exception of concrete powder.
beli said:I was going to guess that when you indicated tar and chip is cheap crap. Our roads are full of holes.
beli said:soda, pop = fizzy drink. Actually I noticed Bono says fizzy drink too.
Icey pole = Iced lolly (English). Dunno what USA people call them
candy (USA) = either lolly or chockie depending on what it is. They are two quite separate food groups.
beli said:A childrens slide = slippery dip
soda, pop = fizzy drink. Actually I noticed Bono says fizzy drink too.
Icey pole = Iced lolly (English). Dunno what USA people call them
candy (USA) = either lolly or chockie depending on what it is. They are two quite separate food groups.
indra said:
Only thing I can think of that might be the US version of icey pole or iced lolly is a popsicle (frozen juice or the like on a stick).
indra said:And what is a biscuit to you?
beli said:
a biscuit