"I could care less"....???

[Popmartijn]

 

[indra]

And I really, REALLY hate the way that the british media have started using Americanisms

for example, talking about shopping malls, or sidewalks.

Ummm.... well, what the hell do you call them?


But after reading this thread I've decided that if I ever meet any of you I'm just going to point and grunt! 'Cause I do a lot of the hated pronunciations, spellings, etc.

 

[anitram]

Is it pavement?

 

[indra]

Is it pavement?

Isn't pavement a band?

 

[beli]

Footpath.

At least thats what we say here. I'm guessing the Poms use the same word.


Pavement is a USA word as well as sidewalk.

 

[anitram]

My friend in Manchester definitely uses pavement for sidewalk.

 

[beli]

There you go. Learn something new everyday. I was just guessing. Maybe the Poms say pavement, the people from the USA say sidewalk, and Aussies say footpath.

 

[indra]

My friend in Manchester definitely uses pavement for sidewalk.

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 and play on the pavement.

 

[anitram]

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]

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.

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]

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).

Canada has metric too, yes? I wonder how Canada ended up with part USA English, part English English....

 

[indra]

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?

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]

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.

 

[indra]

I wonder how Canada ended up with part USA English, part English English....

We're creeping up on those Canucks! Infiltrating their language....going for the hearts and minds next!

 

[beli]

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.

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]

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.

Which Canadians are the ones that say "aboot" for about?

 

[indra]

So a pavement means a road unless you are pounding the pavement and then its a sidewalk? lol.

Are your roads bitumen or paved?

I guess I should ask for a definition of the words....

Bitumen meaning asphalt or tar?

And when we say a road is paved it generally just means it's not dirt or gravel. A few methods I know of for paving -- asphalt, concrete, and tar and chip.

 

[beli]

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

 

[indra]

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

Getting there!

OK, I forgot about brick or pavers....there are some brick, cobblestone, or paved with pavers roads, but those aren't used much any more (maybe in a few upscale neighbourhoods for ambiance). Most of our roads are asphalt (which would be your bitumen/sealed I think) or concrete. The tar and chip is basically a poor man's asphalt -- a base of gravel is made, then tar is spread over that, and then a thin layer of fine gravel is spread over that. Not as durable as asphalt, but much cheaper and good for little back roads in the country. I live on a tar and chip road (used to be gravel until about eight years ago)

 

[Axver]

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

I think I'm actually just as likely to say 'unpaved' as 'unsealed', though I would only ever use 'sealed'.

And I've long since given up on knowing the different types of road surfaces. I just use whatever word pops into my mind, even if it's totally wrong. I think I tend to use concrete or cement most often to describe the surface of a road.

 

[beli]

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.

 

[indra]

^ Aha! Tar and chip.

 

[beli]

I was going to guess that when you indicated tar and chip is cheap crap. Our roads are full of holes.

 

[indra]

I was going to guess that when you indicated tar and chip is cheap crap. Our roads are full of holes.

awww....

 

[beli]

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.

 

[Axver]

soda, pop = fizzy drink. Actually I noticed Bono says fizzy drink too.

Go Bono!

Icey pole = Iced lolly (English). Dunno what USA people call them

I don't know what they call it either, but it's an ice block to me.

candy (USA) = either lolly or chockie depending on what it is. They are two quite separate food groups.

I honestly do not understand the American usage of 'candy'. To me, 'candy' is a synonym for 'lolly' (or 'sweets') and can in no way be used for chocolate. A gummi snake is a lolly, but I'd accept the term candy, but a Mars or Crunchie bar is a chocolate bar, yet I understand that's 'candy' in the US.

You can't group lollies/sweets/candy together with chocolate.

 

[indra]

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.

OK a slippery dip and an iced pole sound vaguely obscene.... 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).

soda, pop, tonic, coke are all used in various areas in the US (for fizzy drink).

candy -- well we have chocolates (which are, um, chocolate stuff), hard candy (I guess that would be lolly), and then other -- not chocolate but not really hard candy (stuff like pralines, non chocolate fudge, etc.).

And what is a biscuit to you?

 

[beli]

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).

Yay, popsicle. I knew there must be a USA word for it.

And what is a biscuit to you?

a biscuit

 

[indra]

a biscuit

Arrggghhh! But what kind of food is it? What's in a biscuit? I always thought biscuits were one of those totally different in the US foods.

 

[beli]

Shortbread is a biscuit. Umm, anything baked in the oven made out of flour and sugar is probably a biscuit.

I thought people in the USA called them cookies? Like the things the Cookie Monster eats. They are biscuits.