"Q" is for Question...

Sarah and I thought we would include some typical British vs American translational differences we ran into on our trip to London! Some we understood but others were quite the learning experience for the both of us. The QUEUE - pronounced like Cue - "Q" was not only a learning experience for Sarah and I, but I'm also pretty sure fellow bystanders had a good healthy laugh at our expense. All a while Sarah and I felt as if we were on an episode of "PUNKED"... When walking into the Aquarium in London we asked if it was still open... They said, "Yes, of course but they were going to close in about 15 minutes so please go to the QUEUE - "Q". This is when it started to get pretty humorous... You can just imagine Sarah and I looking around for the "Q". We didn't see anything labeled with a Q and couldn't figure out what they meant. After about 15 minutes, and both of us very frustrated, one of the employees asked us if we were lost and needed help with something. We of course said, "Yes, What/ Where is the Q?"... He said, "Right there. That is the Q."....Sarah said, "You mean the line?... He said, "Yes, of course!" The QUEUE is the line. We both couldn't stop laughing and realized even though we thought we understood the language something was once again lost in translation... So here are a few more pictures and some important translations to help you on any future visits to England.

SPEND A PENNY - To go to the bathroom.

CHAT UP is slang for handling someone a line especially to get to know a girl

RING UP— is to telephone

TORCH— flashlight

DUMMY— is a pacifier

BULLOX - Something really bad or stupid .

TELLY - TV

COOKER   - Stove 

SELLOTAPE -- scotch tape

BANGERS - Sausages.

BARKING— Crazy

BOBBY— Policeman

BLOKE— A guy. Similar to "chap."

BLOODY—. Descriptive term for something that frustrates or bothers someone, as in "that bloody boss!"

BUGGY - A stroller.

BUM - Posterior / buttocks.

BROLLY - Umbrella.

CARRIAGEWAY - Highway.

CHIPS— French fries, as in "fish and CHIPS".

CHEERIO - Good bye.

CONK— nose

COT - Baby crib

CRISPS—Potato Chips

DUSTBIN— Garbage can.

GIT— Oddball; jerk

JOLLY— Very, as in, "It's JOLLY hard work".

KNICKERS— Underpants .

LIFT - Elevator.

LOO - Toilet

MANKY— Dirty and very used.

MUM—Mom

NICK— To steal.

PISSED - drunk

PITCH.— A playing field for sports

PLASTER - Band –Aid

The QUEUE— (Pronounced like "cue") n. A line, as in a group of people lined up for something.

RASHER— Slice, as in, a RASHER of pizza.

RUBBER—Eraser.

RUBBISH— Trash.

WELLIES - WELLINGTONS. Rubber Rain boots.

WOOLLY — a sweater

WONKY— weak

And then there's Cockney rhyming slang, of course, which is a whole different thing altogether. Cockney is anyone born within the sound (hearing distance) of the Bow bells in London (the East end). Cockney uses combinations of words that are alike or go together, of which the latter word rhymes with the original word, to replace that word, if that makes sense. So:

apples and pears - stairs (go up the apples)
trouble and strife - wife (my trouble's been out shopping)
rabbit and pork - talk (what are you rabbiting on about?)
Adam and Eve - believe (would you Adam and Eve it?)
butcher's hook - look (have a buther's at that)
loaf of bread - head (Think about it; use your loaf)