Americans don't have the same vocabulary as Canadians [Archive]

Jett Rink

09-30-2005, 04:22 PM

Why is it that I can travel 2 hours south into the almighty US of A and they don't know what I'm talking about?

What kind of pop do you have? (No clue)
Do you have any serviettes? (No clue)
Where is the bathroom? (No clue)

Is there no bank machine here?
Actual answer..."What is a no bank machine?"

Any other good ones you've come across?

wh1t3bread

09-30-2005, 04:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Why is it that I can travel 2 hours south into the almighty US of A and they don't know what I'm talking about?

What kind of pop do you have? (No clue)
Do you have any serviettes? (No clue)
Where is the bathroom? (No clue)

Is there no bank machine here?
Actual answer..."What is a no bank machine?"

Any other good ones you've come across?

[/ QUOTE ]

Seriously, ask an AMERICAN next time and not one of our illegal immigrants from Central America.

BoogerFace

09-30-2005, 04:26 PM

You're right. We don't.

Why not stay in Canada? You won't be missed.

phage

09-30-2005, 04:26 PM

I moved down here 7 years ago and people still love to tell me how quaint my "Canadian" accent is...On the other hand I am still muttering about how they can't spell or speak properly.
I am a cranky old man. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

miajag81

09-30-2005, 04:27 PM

What's a serviette?

wh1t3bread

09-30-2005, 04:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What's a serviette?

[/ QUOTE ]

A napkin.

STLantny

09-30-2005, 04:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Why is it that I can travel 2 hours south into the almighty US of A and they don't know what I'm talking about?

What kind of pop do you have? (No clue) Thats a regional thing
Do you have any serviettes? (No clue) ya, dont know about this one
Where is the bathroom? (No clue) Who the [censored] didnt know what a bathroom is....maybe they DIDNT KNOW WHERE IT WAS

Is there no bank machine here? Its called an ATM
Actual answer..."What is a no bank machine?"

Any other good ones you've come across?

[/ QUOTE ]

Patrick del Poker Grande

09-30-2005, 04:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Seriously, ask an AMERICAN next time and not one of our illegal immigrants from Central America.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes. Also, I say "pop" and people understand me. They usually laugh at me, though. I refuse to say 'soda'.

Hal 2000

09-30-2005, 04:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What's a serviette?

[/ QUOTE ]

imported_The Vibesman

09-30-2005, 04:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Where is the bathroom? (No clue)

Is there no bank machine here?
Actual answer..."What is a no bank machine?"

Any other good ones you've come across?

[/ QUOTE ]

Where are you that people don't know what a bathroom or bank machine is??? Did you count the teeth?

krimson

09-30-2005, 04:30 PM

"Could I get a root beer?"

krimson

09-30-2005, 04:34 PM

This is funny, but off topic sort of. As we were driving back from the US last trip my gf got a drink at a gas station and when she got in the car she noticed the label said in big lettering:

"Now with less than 5% real juice!"

I [censored] you not. As if this is something they actually advertise as a selling point on a drink!

PoBoy321

09-30-2005, 04:38 PM

Some of this might just be regional terminology within the US. Like, I don't say 'pop' or 'bank machine' and definitely not 'serviette,' but I know what they are. I say soda, ATM and napkin. I guess some people who weren't used to the terms could get caught off guard though.

captZEEbo1

09-30-2005, 04:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What kind of pop do you have? (No clue)
Where is the bathroom? (No clue)

[/ QUOTE ]
I call bullshit, or you have some horrible accent somehow that americans can't understand.

RunDownHouse

09-30-2005, 04:46 PM

If they couldn't tell you where the bathroom was, try asking in English next time, not French.

ethan

09-30-2005, 04:47 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's a serviette?

[/ QUOTE ]

A French word for napkin.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's like the French have a different word for everything.

BoogerFace

09-30-2005, 05:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's a serviette?

[/ QUOTE ]

A French word for napkin.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's like the French have a different word for everything.

[/ QUOTE ]

This explains it all. A quebecois frog goes to VT and tries to mix it up with guys in plaid flannel shirts at the Mobil station off the highway.

"AHOHHONO! No straws for my pop? Where is the no bank machines? Where is the bathrooms? I will have to pees in the ashtray in the car and wipe with a serviette! Maird!"

HopeydaFish

09-30-2005, 05:21 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Where is the bathroom? (No clue)

Is there no bank machine here?
Actual answer..."What is a no bank machine?"

Any other good ones you've come across?

[/ QUOTE ]

Where are you that people don't know what a bathroom or bank machine is??? Did you count the teeth?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was in Buffalo a couple of years ago and I asked the cab driver to stop at the nearest bank machine. He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. I had to think a few seconds before I remembered that they always call bank machines "ATMs" on American TV. When I told him I wanted an ATM he snarled at me "Why didn't you say that in the first place?!"

Using the word "serviette" to describe a "napkin" is a bit much. That's something my grandmother would do.

Patrick del Poker Grande

09-30-2005, 05:22 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's a serviette?

[/ QUOTE ]

A French word for napkin.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's like the French have a different word for everything.

[/ QUOTE ]

This explains it all. A quebecois frog goes to VT and tries to mix it up with guys in plaid flannel shirts at the Mobil station off the highway.

"AHOHHONO! No straws for my pop? Where is the no bank machines? Where is the bathrooms? I will have to pees in the ashtray in the car and wipe with a serviette! Maird!"

[/ QUOTE ]
BIMO

09-30-2005, 05:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's a serviette?

[/ QUOTE ]

A French word for napkin.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's like the French have a different word for everything.

[/ QUOTE ]

This explains it all. A quebecois frog goes to VT and tries to mix it up with guys in plaid flannel shirts at the Mobil station off the highway.

[/ QUOTE ]

You silly. When ever did Vermont have Olympics? Quebec have Olympics. ha ha

Vermont, is that Englisch name? NO, Verd Mont is Green Mountain in French. You name you states for French words. ha ha

jedi

09-30-2005, 06:00 PM

[ QUOTE ]

I was in Buffalo a couple of years ago and I asked the cab driver to stop at the nearest bank machine. He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. I had to think a few seconds before I remembered that they always call bank machines "ATMs" on American TV. When I told him I wanted an ATM he snarled at me "Why didn't you say that in the first place?!"

Using the word "serviette" to describe a "napkin" is a bit much. That's something my grandmother would do.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what is a serviette, though it might have taken me an extra second to figure it out. Bank machine and pop should be really easy, though I don't use those words myself. I swear, as the world gets smaller, it seems like people just stick to their own thing and have no comprehension that people do things differently in other parts of the state/country/world.

mslif

09-30-2005, 06:01 PM

SheetWise

09-30-2005, 06:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Yes. Also, I say "pop" and people understand me. They usually laugh at me, though. I refuse to say 'soda'.

[/ QUOTE ]
Just say soda-pop. Everyone will know what you mean, unless you dress like Liberace.

bobman0330

09-30-2005, 06:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
You silly. When ever did Vermont have Olympics? Quebec have Olympics. ha ha

Vermont, is that Englisch name? NO, Verd Mont is Green Mountain in French. You name you states for French words. ohn ohn ohn (or however you transcribe that superior French snigger... certainly not "ha ha")

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

haakee

09-30-2005, 07:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Where is the bathroom? (No clue)

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't believe this.

haakee

09-30-2005, 07:12 PM

Lots of people in the U.S. don't know what "pop" is. It takes every bone in my body to not make fun of somebody who uses the term "pop" for soda.

El Barto

09-30-2005, 08:01 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Lots of people in the U.S. don't know what "pop" is. It takes every bone in my body to not make fun of somebody who uses the term "pop" for soda.

[/ QUOTE ]

We have had entire threads on this topic. LINK (http://archiveserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1421498&an=&page=&vc=1)

Note, we map out the US, but ignore Canada. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

stabn

09-30-2005, 08:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Lots of people in the U.S. don't know what "pop" is. It takes every bone in my body to not make fun of somebody who uses the term "pop" for soda.

[/ QUOTE ]

My bay area x girlfriend still makes fun of me because i use the word pop. This is 6 years after the first time she heard me use it.

stabn

09-30-2005, 08:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yes. Also, I say "pop" and people understand me. They usually laugh at me, though. I refuse to say 'soda'.

[/ QUOTE ]
Just say soda-pop. Everyone will know what you mean, unless you dress like Liberace.

[/ QUOTE ]

Both pop and soda are bettr than soda-pop. If you are going to say soda-pop you might as well say coke when you want to order a dr. pepper.

stabn

09-30-2005, 08:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Do you have any serviettes? (No clue)

[/ QUOTE ]

I would not have known this because i do not speak french. The rest you listed are trivial and wound be understood by 90% of americans. Most likely they simply didn't feel like telling you.