Tag: British English

  • Australian English vs British English vs American English

    Anyone who thinks English is English when travelling is in for a surprise. Not only is there spelling differences, there are whole word differences and phrase differences. Here is a sample of some of the differences:

    Australian English British English American English
    a bag of sugar, flour etc a bag of sugar, flour etc a pack of sugar, flour etc
    Aluminium Aluminium Aluminum
    autumn autumn fall
    backpack knapsack rucksack
    Barman / Bartender Barman Bartender
    Bath Bath Bathtub
    bill (at resturant) bill (at resturant) check (at resturant)
    biscuit biscuit cookie
    Bonnet (of car) Bonnet (of car) hood
    Boot (or car) Boot (of car) trunk
    bottle shop off-licence liquor store
    Camp bed Camp bed Cot
    Candy floss Candy Floss Cotton Candy
    car park car park parking lot
    Caravan Caravan Trailer
    chemist chemist drug store
    cheque cheque check
    Chips Crisps Chips
    chips / potatoe chips chips french fries
    city centre city centre downtown
    clothes shop clothes shop clothing store
    Cobweb Cobweb Spider web
    colour colour color
    Corn Maize Corn
    Cot Crib Crib
    Dial tone Dialing tone Dial tone
    dinner jacket dinner jacket tuxedo
    do the dishes do the dishes do the washing up
    Doll’s house Doll’s house Doll house
    Draught Draught Draft
    Draughts (game) Draughts (game) Checkers
    dressing gown dressing gown robe
    Eggplant Aubergine Eggplant
    First floor First floor Second floor
    flat flat appartment
    football Australian Rules football Australian rules football
    freeway motorway highway
    fully booked fully booked booked up
    garden garden yard
    gridiron gridiron football
    Ground floor Ground floor First floor
    g-string thong thong
    Guard (on train) Guard (on train) Conductor
    Herb Herb Curb
    high school secondary school high school
    Hockey Hockey Field Hockey
    holiday holiday vacation
    Jelly Jelly Jello
    Jewellery Jewellery Jewelry
    Kerosene Paraffin Kerosene
    Lift Lift Elevator
    Manoeuvre Manoeuvre Maneuver
    Mark (for exam) Mark (for exam) Grade
    maths maths math
    Mince (meat) Mince (meat) Ground beef
    mobile mobile phone cell phone
    Moustache Moustache Mustache
    nappy nappy diaper
    neighbour neighbour neighbor
    pantyhose tights pantyhose
    Pay rise Pay rise Raise
    Pedestrian crossing Pedestrian crossing Crosswalk
    petrol petrol gas
    petrol station petrol station gas station
    Postcode Postcode Zip code
    Pram Pram Baby carriage
    primary school primary school elementary school
    queue queue line
    recess break recess
    rubbish rubbish carbage / trash
    runners trainers sneekers
    shop shop store / shop
    shop assistant shop assistant sales clerk
    singlett vest undershirt
    soccer football soccer
    subway subway underpass
    Suspenders Braces Suspenders
    sweets sweets candy
    takeaway takeaway take out
    thong flip-flop (worn on feet) flip-flop (worn on feet)
    tick (✔) tick (✔) check (✔)
    timetable timetable schedule
    toilet toilet restroom
    torch torch flashlight
    trousers (for a male) trousers pants
    TV program TV programme TV program
    underground underground subway
    waistcoat waistcoat vest
    wardrobe wardrobe closet
    zip zip zipper
    Zucchini Courgette Zucchini
    Undies men or women knickers men or women panties
    Underdacks men’s knickers men’s panties
    dacks trousers pants
    gday good day good day
    bottler very good / excellent very good / excellent
    Rubber Rubber Eraser
    Pissed Pissed Drunk
    Angry Angry Pissed
    Bum Bottom/Bum Fanny
    Dummy Dummy Pacifier
    Bucks party Bachelor party Stag night
    knickers knickers panties
    prang car accident car wreck
    arvo afternoon afternoon
    plonk cheap wine cheap wine
    drongo idiot idiot
    to gander to have a look to have a look
    grog alcohol liquor
    berko angry angry
    jocks men’s knickers men’s panties