Foo - Commonwealth vs American English

Commonwealth countries usually speak of "hiring" something when we Americans would speak of "renting" something. My question: does "renting" have some different meaning in commonwealth countries? Is it understood differently, or just not used?

In Australia renting usually refers to real estate where you sign a lease and "rent" the property for a set time. When you use other things you "hire" them. For example you hire a car, tools, trailers etc.

Yes for us you 'hire' a bike, you 'hire' skiis.

Renting is more in the longer term i guess and is like aussie troy said above, used a lot in real estate.

What do you call it there when you choose an employee to work for you?

Well, I'm from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and we's talk just fine.

When you choose and employee you are "hiring" them or employing them. You would Hire a tradesman to a job for you.

...so what's it called when you fire someone in Australia?

What's a "lorry"?

What's a "lorry"?


I believe a lorry is a big truck, like a tractor trailer.

I believe a lorry is a big truck, like a tractor trailer.

Oh, thanks.

So, what's a "bonnet"?

Oh, thanks.

So, what's a "bonnet"?

The bonnet is what American's call the hood of the car.

What we call the trunk, the British call the boot.

The bonnet is what American's call the hood of the car.

What we call the trunk, the British call the boot.

Man, you guys are wierd!

Thanks, d00d.

When you choose and employee you are "hiring" them or employing them. You would Hire a tradesman to a job for you.

I like that. No false consciousness. You are trading currency for labor. In American english, it would seem crass to "rent" a person, but the fundamental arangement is the same. The usage in commonwealth english is more explicit, and doesn't obscure the basic class relationship.

Man, you guys are wierd!

Thanks, d00d.

What do you mean 'you guys?' Where do you think I am, anyway?

Besides, my friends from the deep south would laugh at you for saying 'you guys.' They'd say, "y'all" if they were talking to just you, or perhaps "all y'all" if referring to a group of people.

Dialects and phrasiology are fun.

I get tickled at the British use of collective nouns as if they are plural. For instance, "With only four days until England begin their World Cup campaign, Sven-Göran Eriksson admits he is revelling in the expectation on his side."

...so what's it called when you fire someone in Australia?

You sack them. They've been made redundant.

or you "retrench" them...

What do you mean 'you guys?' Where do you think I am, anyway?

Besides, my friends from the deep south would laugh at you for saying 'you guys.' They'd say, "y'all" if they were talking to just you, or perhaps "all y'all" if referring to a group of people.

Dialects and phrasiology are fun.

Exactly.

Down South, we also say funny things like "I don't know him from Adam." In South Alabama they'll say "I don't know him from Adam's housecat."

We also say "I'm fixin' to go do that" instead of "I'm going to do that". And "Look up under there and you'll find your keys." I guess the "up under there" was started by mechanics who were working on cars lifted up above their heads.

"Guys" these days can refer to groups of women, too.


Note also that Americans drive on the parkway and park in the driveway.

A pair of shorts but only one bra. Hmmm.

Fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing.

"Y'all" is a good word in my opinion, to distinguish second person singular from second person plural. The US South is ahead of the game in this dEpartment. I use it often and have been therefore been accused of being from the US South. Well, I am from Southern California.

If you're from Pennsylvania, "yuns" means the same thing.

Other fun words:

So, in the US another word for firing someone is to "give them the boot". In the commonwealth, you would give them the trunk of your car. Hmmm...sounds like a Mafia solution to me...

Flat = apartment (why do they call them "apartments" if they're all stuck together? - Gallagher)

In the US, "root" means to cheer for someone. "I'm rooting for the Packers in next week's game." In Australia...well, anyone want to volunteer to describe it?

I think "fanny" is another one. In the US it's a cute word for your butt. Hey, we wear fanny packs! In Australia???

We truly are one people separated by a common language. :D

Now I better get back to work before I get sacked.

I like "youze" better than "y'all." I've never heard of "yuns," but then again, I grew up in Philadelphia, not Pennsyltucky.

So does that mean Americans "rent" a "lady of the night" ?

In the US, "root" means to cheer for someone. "I'm rooting for the Packers in next week's game." In Australia...well, anyone want to volunteer to describe it?



Let's just say it is the flip side of a Brit coming around to knock you up in the morning.

Re y'all: I was reading a serious linguistic article about modern English's lack of a second person plural pronoun (you and you vs. tu y vosotros, for example). It feels like a gap and nonstandard forms like y'all and you'uns fill that gap. The writer was predicting that y'all would eventually become accepted as the standard form.

I love that Brit Eng. use of the plural for groups. Everytime I hear it, I flash on Monty Python's Novel Writing Sketch:

Commentator: November is spelled wrong, he's left out the second "E", but he's not going back, it looks like he's going for the sentence, and it's the first verb coming up - it's the first verb of the novel, and it's "was", and the crowd are going wild!

Exactly.

Down South, we also say funny things like "I don't know him from Adam." In South Alabama they'll say "I don't know him from Adam's housecat."


I love a good Southernism. If my grandfather wanted you to hurry up he would tell you to "raise a trot."

Aunt Lizzie, who always enjoyed poor health, was fond of telling us how she "might nigh died" the night before.

If you're from Pennsylvania, "yuns" means the same thing.


It's "yins". As in--

Yins going to pick up some arn, before the stiller game?
=
Are you all going to pick up some Iron (City Beer), before the Steeler game?

Linguists say that Southern English is closer to English (ca1700) then the English that is spoken today. Because when you break away the dialect doesnt change as much.

When I was in South Africa they said "bill" instead of "check" at restaruants. The trunk of a car was the boot and the hood was the bonnet.

When I was in South Africa they said "bill" instead of "check" at restaruants.

When I read The Catcher in the Rye in high school, I recall Holden Caufield talking about getting a "peaked" cap. I came to learn that what he was calling a peak on a hat we would call a bill. I have never heard the term anywhere else.

In the US, "root" means to cheer for someone. "I'm rooting for the Packers in next week's game." In Australia...well, anyone want to volunteer to describe it?

I think "fanny" is another one. In the US it's a cute word for your butt. Hey, we wear fanny packs! In Australia???


To make it all blindingly obvious for people. (cos i think someone should do it)

Root = the mildly crass way to describe sex. Usually used amongst groups of men to describe the desire to have sex with a woman that is usually within eyeshot but out of earshot. "Gee, i'd love to root her"

Fanny = Vagina - i can describe that one for you too eubi if you like ;)

Fanny packs are called bum bags.

I think i've seen this (http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html) here before, it's pretty accurate.

When I was in South Africa they said "bill" instead of "check" at restaruants. The trunk of a car was the boot and the hood was the bonnet.


Because a cheque is something you write to pay for things.

You might pay the bill with a cheque (but most places don't actually accept them nowadays.)

When I read The Catcher in the Rye in high school, I recall Holden Caufield talking about getting a "peaked" cap. I came to learn that what he was calling a peak on a hat we would call a bill. I have never heard the term anywhere else.


What do you call the visor ie the bill on a motorcycle or bicycle helmet?

I like "youze" better than "y'all." I've never heard of "yuns," but then again, I grew up in Philadelphia, not Pennsyltucky.


Gimme a break, yuns from Philly go fishin' in the crick. :lol:

Gimme a break, yuns from Philly go fishin' in the crick. :lol:

Last time I went fishin' I cast too hard and got a crick in my neck.

I think i've seen this (http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html) here before, it's pretty accurate.

Good link Gusboh! Thanks!

Now I can understand my mates in Adelaide!

Gimme a break, yuns from Philly go fishin' in the crick. :lol:

I grew up in Kentucky and never heard a creek referred to as a crick until I went to school in Indiana. In Kentucky, "Yuns" seems to be restricted to the eastern mountains and is seldom heard in the central or western part of the state.

What do you call the visor ie the bill on a motorcycle or bicycle helmet?

I call it a visor.

It's "yins". As in--Yins going to pick up some arn, before the stiller game?


I grew up in Kentucky and never heard a creek referred to as a crick until I went to school in Indiana. In Kentucky, "Yuns" seems to be restricted to the eastern mountains and is seldom heard in the central or western part of the state.

Interesting...

My source for this word (?) grew up in West Pittsburgh, in western PA. "Yun's" is his pronounciation. :D

I call it a visor.


A visor is the face shield, the peak is the bill I would have thought.

A visor is the face shield, the peak is the bill I would have thought.

From Dictionary.com:
vi·sor also vi·zor
n.
A piece projecting from the front of a cap or an elastic headband to shade or protect the eyes.
A fixed or movable shield against glare attached above the windshield of an automotive vehicle.
The front piece of the helmet of a suit of armor, capable of being raised and lowered and designed to protect the eyes, nose, and forehead.
A means of concealment or disguise; a mask.

From Dictionary.com:
vi·sor also vi·zor
n.
A piece projecting from the front of a cap or an elastic headband to shade or protect the eyes.
A fixed or movable shield against glare attached above the windshield of an automotive vehicle.
The front piece of the helmet of a suit of armor, capable of being raised and lowered and designed to protect the eyes, nose, and forehead.
A means of concealment or disguise; a mask.

What does it say about 'peak'?