Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
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Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
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Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#2The data suggest that over 80% of people in the UK know what 'pelmet' means.
I had to look it up, so the 80% number surprises me. Perhaps it's because I've always bought blinds instead of curtains, or maybe the sample isn't representative? Or maybe I just need to pay more attention...
Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#3The data suggest that over 80% of people in the UK know what 'pelmet' means. I had to look it up, so the 80% number surprises me. Perhaps it's because I've always bought blinds instead of curtains, or maybe the sample isn't representative? Or maybe I just need to pay more attention...
> The data suggest that over 80% of people in the UK know what 'pelmet' means
I think it's whether they recognise it as a real word or not, not if they understand the meaning. From the paper:
> For each vocabulary test, a random sample of 67 words and 33 nonwords was selected. For each letter string, participants had to indicate whether or not they knew the stimulus.
Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#4I was surprised that 'kebob' isn't a well-known word in the UK. I believe it's a 'kebab' in the UK, which seems so close.
As a Canadian I was disappointed to find my familiarities sided more on the US side than the UK. Now excuse me as I go look up 'gazump' ...
Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#5The data suggest that over 80% of people in the UK know what 'pelmet' means. I had to look it up, so the 80% number surprises me. Perhaps it's because I've always bought blinds instead of curtains, or maybe the sample isn't representative? Or maybe I just need to pay more attention...
> The data suggest that over 80% of people in the UK know what 'pelmet' means I think it's whether they recognise it as a real word or not, not if they understand the meaning. From the paper: > For each vocabulary test, a random sample of 67 words and 33 nonwords was selected. For each letter string, participants had to indicate whether or not they knew the stimulus.
You can see the original vocab test that provided the report data still available at http://vocabulary.ugent.be/
Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#6From the UK. Can confirm I know almost all of the UK words and none of the US words.
Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#7I was surprised that 'kebob' isn't a well-known word in the UK. I believe it's a 'kebab' in the UK, which seems so close. As a Canadian I was disappointed to find my familiarities sided more on the US side than the UK. Now excuse me as I go look up 'gazump' ...
Kerbside is listed as being unknown to americans so people do seem sensitive to spelling
Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#8As a Brit who lived in the US for roughly ten years, I knew most of them... which I guess is unsurprising. I didn't know albuterol, we called that ventolin when I was a kid. I also didn't know kwanza and manicotti, I guess those are due to the Italian and Jewish cultural influences in the US.
Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#9Seems the UK lacks good Mexican food!
Re: Words known better in the US than in the UK, and vice versa
#10I was surprised that 'kebob' isn't a well-known word in the UK. I believe it's a 'kebab' in the UK, which seems so close. As a Canadian I was disappointed to find my familiarities sided more on the US side than the UK. Now excuse me as I go look up 'gazump' ...
Kerbside is listed as being unknown to americans so people do seem sensitive to spelling
Makes me want to say "yes I am sensitive to spelling. Especially to misspelled words ;) " (especially as curb having the same origin as curve) but yeah, it's not hard to see what it means.