While searching for the differences between burritos and enchilasas, I came across this fascinating page on British vs American English. (And, for those curious, “An enchilada is usually open at both ends and is covered with sauce, so it would be served on a plate. A burrito is completely closed up, and is often wrapped in foil even at a place where you could eat it there, and is a little more portable.”)
Though most of the site is setup like a dictionary (an English-to-English dictionary, natch), some of the most interesting bits are from the words, phrases and abbreviations section. My favorite description is the probably this one for “hunting”:
Hunting
British English: Posh fools on horseback pursuing harmless animals with dogs while dressed up in ridiculous costumes. [Perceptive readers might possibly detect a slight prejudice in the author here :) ]
American English: People shooting large and dangerous wild animals, usually with rifles, while dressed normally and on foot.
The entry for Bed & Breakfast was also surprisingly insightful:
Bed and Breakfast
British English: Relatively inexpensive accommodation of a generally unpretentious nature provided in private homes.
American English: Very expensive accommodation provided in fairly luxurious private homes.
I found it really interesting to learn about my own country through the eyes of someone looking inside from afar.
(PS The Dow ended at a new 15-month high! Now if only the jobs would follow..)
I wouldn’t exactly call wearing camo and hunter’s orange “dressed normally.”
And B&Bs are not always ‘very expensive’. In fact, they can be cheaper and a lot more pleasant than a hotel. Particulary in Salem, MA and Grove City, PA.
me being english, i no that we hav those complete wankers who dress up in red and ride horses but the hight majority of the population think they r twats