dxboon
[Elite User]
12454
I love that phrase "boot" to mean the trunk of a car
It's just one of the many terms that separate American English and Australian English (or English spoken in other Commonwealth countries, I suppose). Some of my other favorite linguistic differences between our two versions of English:
- football vs. soccer -- football makes more sense to me here. After all, the entire sport is about kicking a ball...with your foot. In American football you only kick the ball a small percentage of the time during each game. Does anyone know the etymology of the word "soccer?"
- biscuits vs. cookies -- one of my favorite cookies in the world are Tim Tams, which I understand are a classic Australian treat. It is always fun to buy them at the import store and see that they are described as "chocolate biscuits" on the packaging. As an American (and particularly a Southerner), my first mental image upon reading the phrase "biscuit" is more like this:
(photo courtesy of flickr)
*giggle*
Daos
Custom plates...
as reported by AP (that's Associated Press not Audemars! LOL!) *DENVER – One Colorado woman's love for tofu has been judged X-rated by state officials. Kelly Coffman-Lee wanted to tell the world about her fondness for bean curd by picking certain letters ...
Mine isn't as funny, but I still find it entertaining...
Many years ago, I saw a license plate on a little red BMW that said "AU RVOIR" and I thought that was the best license plate I've ever seen. The car was a very clean red BMW, driven by an elderly lady, at a fairly high speed. The license plate was both fi...
there's a UK plate i would love on the right car.
its P57 CHO or PSYCHO. its available from the DVLA and would suit a number of cars, none of which i can afford. it also fits a small part of my personality. when we were showing our german Shorthaired Pointers (GSP's) my wife has K999 GSP. we regularly sa...
UK Laws Regarding Personalized License Plates
I understand that if you constantly renew your personalized license plate, you can actually keep the number forever. Thus, people who have come up with clever license plate numbers and phrases who aren't giving them up can actually sell their number plate...
Patrick, its a great system...
Patrick, its a great system we now have where you can buy unissued plates and pay a small fee annually if its not on a car. the only stipulation is that the car must be newer than the age the plate represents. P57CHO is up for sale for Offer in region of ...
I agree... Personalized plates shouldn't compromise on safety
I don't like to give away too much information about myself, especially on the road. So I would not want to advertise my age, sex, etc on my vehicle by a license plate. Also, women tend to buy feminine coloured cars, a security consultant would frown upon...
Of course, it may be a personal bias...
...but this one always brings a wry grin: (photo credit: frederik samuels dot com - it took ages to find it again, so please smile at least...). Cheers, pplater....
If you could see me now, Pplater...
...I'm smiling! Very funny plates indeed! Happy Friday already for you! Cheers, Daos
Thanks Daos...
If you're smiling, then it is indeed a 'Good Friday'. Cheers, pplater.
Not a number plate but …
… after seeing those ubiquitous signs “Baby on board” in the back windows of cars, I remember laughing out loud the first time I saw “Mother-in-law in boot”. Andrew
I love that phrase "boot" to mean the trunk of a car
It's just one of the many terms that separate American English and Australian English (or English spoken in other Commonwealth countries, I suppose). Some of my other favorite linguistic differences between our two versions of English: - football vs. socc...
To plagiarise...
..George Bernard Shaw, ours are 'two nations separated by a common language' ! The issue is compounded if we revert to English English. An English bully's servant is his fag; an Aussie smokes a fag; who knows how that must translate in the States? English...
I just snorted water out my nose, Pplater!
Ugh! My keyboard! I'm sending you the bill! LOL! Your rundown of our linguistic differences was hysterical. It is even better when I imagine you reciting these phrases in a thick Aussie accent! Cheers, Daos
Durex ?
I suppose with a little motivation either Durex could be used as a barrier contraceptive, but one is a little more difficult to remove than the other… A...
i've never heard of Durex...
i've never heard of Durex being used to tape things up. i use Duck tape or 'gaffer tape' as its often called. in fact coming from an age before HIV was publicised i dont remember using durex for much at all :) too much information. G
Graham, you're obviously younger...
...than the photos of your feet would suggest. ;-) Here's an old ad (or something) for your country's once-favourite adhesive tape: Obviously before your time though. If you find any, just be very careful how you use it.... Cheers, pplater....
Kevin, thats the first time...
Kevin, thats the first time i've ever seen or heard of it. i've only ever seen sellotape by 3M. i'll ask my mum and dad next time i phone them. best Graham
The Easter bunny…
Pleased you liked the Easter-themed Durex bunny. Here was another one I could have used. It may help with Patrick’s question as well, because I wasn’t sure how else to answer it in polite company. A...
Pray, elaborate...
I don't get the last one regarding the rooting and how promiscuous Aussies might root for the team and in the garage. Kindly elaborate.
Now I am worried…
When I said in my comment on the Fabrication de Montres Normandes Constant force escapement chronometer that “there is nothing like rooting for the underdog” , I am now a bit worried what people thought I meant. J A
No need to worry Andrew...
..those who know you..... .....errrrrrrr, know you. ;-) Cheers, pplater.
Andrew, i know it gets...
Andrew, i know it gets lonely in the outback so what you do in your private life is your business :) just my overtired humour verging on hysteria Graham
Mythconceptions …
Hi Graham, I am in the city, so it’s not so lonely, but I do wish those darn kangaroos and emus would stay off the road. It’s hard enough getting around town as it is. Just feeding a few more mythconceptions … A...
Andrew, myths, misconceptions ? you...
Andrew, myths, misconceptions ? you cant fool me. i watch neighbours everyday and i know its real life. all they need to do is drive 5 minutes from Ramsey street and they all get lost in the outback :) the only thing i cant figure out is where you get all...
They have their uses …
Those 10 most poisonous creatures just make life interesting. They keep you awake on your way to work; wouldn’t want to step on anything too nasty. A
JerryW, you know just what to say to a girl!
A little milk gravy on those drop biscuits, and we'd be ready to eat! You would NOT believe what passes for gravy in these parts! *shudder* Don't get me wrong, there are tons of good eats out here in LA, but a good, rich, white gravy is not easily found. ...
my darling Daos, i must...
my darling Daos, i must stress that it was us, the english who invented the english language and everything else is incorrect. football was played regularly by henry XIII so soccer is not what its called. the french language had a lot of influence on engl...
Driving in UK
Hi Graham, Last time my wife and I were driving in the UK, I almost had a heart attack on the highway. I was just driving along on a quiet day when I came upon the car in front of me. I scared the crap out of my wife when I yelled out "where the hell is t...
LOL!
Graham -- you are too funny! Happy Easter to you, as well! Yes, mostly sunny again here today (life is tough) and in the mid 60s (that's degrees Farenheit)! *giggle* Cheers, Daos
Daos, i do try to...
Daos, i do try to keep things lighthearted :) as a bit of a surprise it was basically sunny yesterday and today. i drove 300 miles in the end yesterday(sat) to get my new old seamaster 300 and then back to my old home town for my daughters 18th birthday. ...
My arteries are hardening just thinking about it …
Dear Daos, You resurfaced some suppressed memories of the breakfast options available in Florida (is that ‘south’ enough?) when I visited last year. Initially I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the biscuits in sausage gravy, but always keen to try local ...
Deep fried battered potato slices...
...sound good no matter what you call them! I suppose every country has regional food differences, and I would guess most people best love the foods they grew up eating. Your story about biscuits and gravy was funny. I suspect many international visitors ...
i recently saw a similar...
i recently saw a similar sign in a window which read 'yes, i do own the road'. it was on a suzuki grand vitara so a bit pathetic. more suited to a Hummer H2. G
Custom plates scare me a little
I worry that expressing myself in that medium, while attached to my car, may garner unwanted attention from someone who doesn't agree with me, doesn't like me, etc. That's one of the reasons I'd never put bumper stickers on my car either. Not that I don't...
My favorites are . . .
. . . "yznhymr", which as any Stooges fan will know is Curly's mantra, "go mota" which I saw several times at Dodger games back in the day (the owner would take the plate off the car and hoist it whenever Manny Mota came to bat), "dvsbrod", and my all-tim...
I loved the custom plates I had on my M5
A lot of times I stop at a traffic light and I look at my rear view mirror, I would see the husband and wife chatting with each other and raising their hands and looking at each other and then smiling. Usually one was explaining to the other the hand. I t...
That's a cool plate !!!
I saw a Honda S2000 with following plate: "240. HP" - it's a bit similar to yours ... What exactly does the hand mean ?? Just saying hello ? Cheers Filip
997
first generation, i haven't tried the new generation with improved engines that is just coming out
Steve Parrish ...
... a Brit had the coolest number plate i ever saw ... cruising on the E40 towards the Ferry in Ostend (in a pooring rain doing 120 kph, all other cars doing 60 at max) i saw an even bigger nutcase coming towards me in my rear-view mirror .... British bik...