WELL, WHAT IS IT? I was recently, today, reminded how much difference it can mean to use the correct term when speaking with a professional. Now, I mean a professional in a specific field. For instance, if I want to talk about fiberglass I should be very specific. Well, how about fiberglass to cover a model? OH? You mean "glass cloth"! Yup! Now, that brings me to this point. Is it a rope or a line? Is it a gun or weapon?Is it Memorex.......? You get the idea. Here, I am speaking of the difference between a TUBE and a LINE. Do you know? Have you always just "thought" or used the same term for one or more DIFFERENT things? No, I'm not talking about the difference between your wife and girlfriend! A tube is rigid and a line flexible. Just being relaxed, talking about fishing, having a cool one, the subject came up when I was talking to a pro, a manufacturer, of tubing. I think we all have called one the other. You know, "that plastic tubing stuff I need for an air line". See what I mean! And he thought I was the educated one! Just thought I would bring this up so the next time you might be speaking with the one in the know, you won't call your wife by your girlfriend's name, or!?!?!?!?!?! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This could go on for ever:

Boot or Trunk

Bumper or Fender

Hood or Bonnet

Interstae or Motorway

Add as you wish.

Mike

Forgot: Hoover or Vacuum cleaner.

Trunk, Boot, or Deck lid. (from air cooled VW guys)

Forklift or tow motor

Location is everything. So, you will run into people all the time who call things a different name.

Americans should never talk about their fanny packs if visiting the UK :-)

Driveway or Parkway?

facecloth or flannel
flash light or torch
bob

Boat or ship
Engine or motor

Bag or Sack

Soda or Pop

Those aren't equivalent. A boat is any marine vessel that can be put on a ship and an engine produces its power internally from some type of combustion or expansion while a motor (electric) receives its power from an external source...

That might get something started...

Bob

Sure Bob
That's why US Naval Aviators call a aircraft carrier a "BOAT". guess it done to pi$$ off the brown shoe navy..(Airdales were issued black shoes)
Semper Fi
Joe
Happy Thanksgiving

Here's one from Oz... You guys over there in the US refer to your restaurant account as a "check"...over here they would not know what the hell you are talking about 'cos we ask for the "bill". In the US you pay for your "check" with a "bill"....over here we pay our "bill" with a "cheque"....the whole thing got me so confused when I was last over in the US that I was tempted to just do a "runner" and not worry about the "bill" or the "check"!!

By the way, over here "doing a runner" means taking off without paying for your meal, not that I have ever done that!

I had to laugh when I would ring the concierge in the US hotels. If I spoke normally (for me), the poor guy on the phone could not understand a thing I was saying! If, however, I bunged on my very average American accent, instant results! Gotta laugh at these things, don't you?

Craig.

Why do you Drive on the Parkway, but Park in the Driveway?

+1
In Canada, you use a cheque to pay a bill. It was so confusing when I moved to the states and found it the other way around. And my spell check doesn't even understand "cheque", what's up with that?

As for doing a runner, in Canada you'd wear "running shoes" but the States, it's "sneakers".

Regards,

Jim

If we're going down that road then:

If nothing sticks to teflon, how does teflon stick to the pan?

Uf 7/11 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the door?

Why do we "take a crap" when really we're leaving it there?

If buttered toast always lands buttered side down and a cat always lands on its feet, what would happen if you tied a piece of buttered toast on the back of a cat and dropped it?

If you are driving at the speed of light and you turn on your headlights, do they do anything?

Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?

Why is it that when you transport something by car, it's called shipment but when you transport something by ship it's called cargo?

Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?

Why do you need a driver's license to buy liquor when you can't drink and drive?

If a book about failures doesn't sell, is it a success?

Damn it, now I got soda in my keyboard! [sm=thumbs_up.gif]

Exactly Joe!

Everybody wears black shoes these days, but "brown shoes" is still used - mostly by the old farts...

Bob

British smokers visiting the US beware: Declaring that you "Could murder a fag" after a meal will get odd reactions...........

Andy

That all depends on what state you in at the time.

In California it will probably get you arrested.

In Mississippi someone will probably hand you a weapon.

OK...I'll bite. I knew they weren't the same but I figured it would take a "Navy puke" to point out the obvious.

Go Army!

Very simple just speak the Queens English and then we should all understand

I don't know about of alot of these things, but the butter on the cats back and drop the cat.... The cat will hover !!!!! I know this to be true because I've done it !!!!!! Danmnest thing I've ever seen !!!!! I've made some money with that one !!!![sm=tongue_smile.gif]

Danno

im really glad im not the only one with a twisted sense of humor-if im havin a bad day all i have to do is come here,read a couple threads and im good to go!

In Canada we fly TURBINES. In the USA they pronounce it TURBINS, like the towels you wear on your head. Do they drive COMBINS through their fields also or COMBINES????

hey budy!u makin funa theway we all say stuff in this here countrie!?

Actually, airdales are "brown shoes".