More British-American words

BRITISH                          AMERICAN

Close (Scottish)                Alley or side street

Hogmanay (Scottish)         New Year's
Glen (Scottish)                  Valley
Burgh (Scottish)                Town (pronounced 'burrow')
Queue                               Line up (e.g. bus queue)
Stone                                14 pounds (used in weight, e.g. I weigh 10 stone)
Sleeping suit                       Pajamas
Punter                                Customer (often derogatory)
Oi                                      Hey!
Chuffed                              Happy
Nappy                               Diaper
Trousers                            Pants
Pants                                 Underwear
Candy floss                       Cotton candy
Cuppa                               Cup of tea
Bog, wc, toilet                    Bathroom/restroom
Naughts & Crosses            Tic tac toe

Cultural Matters: British Food

One of the joys of traveling is discovering new foods and treats. In Britain -- and especially Scotland -- there are plenty of opportunities. From snacks to meals to tea to desserts, we will discover all types of culinary delights. Below are few of the classic foods to expect while traveling in Great Britain.

Fish and Chips

The classic British meal. Usually made from cod (though sometimes other white-fleshed fish such as haddock or whiting), it is traditionally served wrapped in paper (newsprint in the past) with fries (chips in Britain). Although served in many pubs and restaurants, the best come from the traditional "chip shop", which are becoming increasingly rare to find.

Bangers and mash

My personal favorite, this dish is a pub staple. (The above was my lunch at the Queen's Head Pub back in June 2010 in Downe, England). Basically it is mashed potatoes, Cumberland sausages, and gravy.

Steak and Ale Pie

Cultural Matters: British television

To me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of travel is to immerse oneself into the culture before arriving at your destination. And for Britain, there are so many ways to do this – through books, magazines, radio (all BBC Radio programs are free on the web for Americans), films, and especially television. Much of British TV is available on DVD, Netflix, BBC America, or Youtube. The following are a few of the more popular shows currently enjoyed throughout Great Britain.

Preview of Winter 2010/11 Drama shows on BBC (including several from Scotland)

Winter BBC preview

Gavin and Stacey
This is a show about the romance between a young man (Gavin, played by Matthew Horne) from a middle class family in Essex (near London) and a working class girl (Stacey, played by Joana Page ) from Barry Island, Wales. Both sweet and darkly humorous, the show deals not only with their growing relationship, but the inevitable cultural clashes between their families and friends. Not only has this been a smash hit, but several Welsh slang terms (“Tidy”, Cracking,” and “What’s occurring?”) have become hip catch phrases in England. Rob Brydon (as Stacey's Welsh uncle Bryn), James Corden (as Gavin’s best friend Smithy) and Ruth Jones (as Stacey’s best friend Nessa) have become cult heroes, complete with a number 1 hit song last Spring. The show just completed its third (and final) season this past year. (In Britain, a season is called a series, and usually run from 6 to 13 shows). The first two seasons have been released in the U.S. on DVD.

Doctor Who
While the U.S. may have Star Trek and Star Wars, the British have Doctor Who, which in terms of longevity and fandom (if not always in budget or special effects) has us Yanks beat in spades. The cult show originally ran on the BBC (Britain’s premiere television channel) from 1963 to 1989, it was then revived in 2005 (and is still going strong) with better effects, larger budgets, and has become even more popular. The basic premise is that The Doctor (the title is in fact a question, as no one knows his real name) is a Time Lord, and pops around the universe in different time periods in his Tardis (disguised as a old English Police Call Box, several of which we will see in Edinburgh) to “fix” things. Along the way, he picks up companions and fights off enemies such as the Cybermen or the Daleks. And if mortally wounded, can regenerate into someone else (a nifty trick whenever they need to change actors.) One recent performer to play The Doctor was Scottish actor David Tennant (pictured above), who just ended his run on New Years Day 2010. This past year, Scottish writer and producer Stephen Moffat has taken over. Any American hoping to fit in with Scotland’s pop culture should know their Doctor Who.

Clip 1: His Name is the Doctor

Clip 2: The Lonely Angel (Doctor Who tribute video)

Clip 3: The very first opening theme (1963)

Life on Mars (followed by sequel Ashes to Ashes)
Named after a David Bowie song (as was its sequel), this police drama is about a police officer, Sam Tyler, (played by John Simm) who gets hit by a car in 2006 then wakes ups in 1973. In a world without cell phones, computers, DNA or the internet, he has to maneuver his way around Manchester’s police station while pleasing his boss, the wonderfully political incorrect Gene Hunt (played by Philip Glenister). A fun show, with a sequel that takes place in the eighties.

Clip 1: First 3 minutes of first show

Clip 2: Funny moments from Life on Mars

Clip 3: Ashes to Ashes intro

What to Expect in Scotland

We fly out of Atlanta en route to Scotland on 14 May, 2011. We arrive at Heathrow in London, the world's busiest airport, and then take a shorter flight into Edinburgh, Scotland’s political and cultural capital. Using the local bus system, we will make our way to Herald House Hotel in Edinburgh, where will we spend the next six nights. While it may not be the most fashionable hotel in the city, you can't beat its location, which is just off the Royal Mile in historic Edinburgh. Each room has its own bathroom, television, safe, and internet connections (for a small fee). More images of Herald House can be found here.

Once we settle in, students will have a brief on-site orientation and neighborhood tour. Dinner will be at Deacon Brodie’s Tavern located on the Royal Mile. We will also take a ghost tour before calling it a night.

 

Over the next several days, we will visit the sites of Edinburgh and the surrounding area. In Edinburgh, these will include the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle, Mary King’s Close, Holyrood Palace, John Knox House, the University of Edinburgh, Surgeon’s Hall Museum, the Scottish Storytelling Center, the Walter Scott Memorial, and the National Scotland Museum. 

We will intersperse those sites with day trips in the surrounding area. First up will be Stirling and its historic castle – a site made famous by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce in their struggles for Scottish independence against England. This struggle was made known to most Americans through the popular film, Braveheart. The next trip will be to Falkirk, just North of Edinburgh to visit the Falkirk Wheel and remains on Antonine Wall -- the Roman wall. Finally we will take a full-day tour through the Scottish Highlands. Sites will include Glencoe (site of an infamous 17^th Century massacre), Loch Ness (believed by many to house a prehistoric dinosaur), Ben Nevis, and the Monadhlaith Mountains.

Since we will have some free-time in Edinburgh, students may want to consider purchasing an Edinburgh Pass, which gets you into several sites including the Edinburgh Zoo, the Camera Obscura, the Whiskey Experience, 3-D Loch Ness Experience, Insect World, Hidden Gardens, Edinburgh Dungeon, and more.

We will then jump aboard a ScotRail train en route to Glasgow, Scotland’s other major city, where will stay for four nights at the Euro Hostel. While there will tour the historic homes, museums, and visit Robert Burns Cottage. The last day or two will be open days, which will allow students to explore the city, other parts of Scotland, or perhaps even parts of England on their own.

On 25 May, we will take the bus to Glasgow International Airport and fly home to Atlanta.

Cultural Matters: British versus American culture (the comedian's viewpoint)

Two funny videos about American and British culture. The first, by British comedian Ricky Gervais, from the David Letterman Show, is about American stereotypes of the British:
Video 1

The second is John Cleese (of Monty Python) on the differences between American and British football:
Video 2

Some Common British-American words

Although too much has probably been made of the differences between English words in the U.S. versus Great Britain -- playwright George Bernard Shaw once famously said that Britain and the USA were "two countries separated by a common language" -- there are some differences that any American traveler should be aware of. (Although generally, thanks to movies and TV, they will know what you mean even when you may not know what they mean.) I have listed a few common British words below in no particular order followed by the American equivalent.

ENGLISH                        AMERICAN

Pound                               The main currency; like our dollar.

Quid                                 Slang for the Pound  "Can I borrow five quid?"

Wayout                             Exit

Hire                                  Rent

Football                             Soccer

Takeaway                          Take-out (as in pizza)

Carpark                             Parking lot

Petrol                                Gas, Fuel

En suite                             Hotel room with private bath

VAT                                  Value Added Tax (sales tax) 

Chemist                             Pharmacist

Motorway                          Highway

Single carriageway            Two-lane road

Dual carriageway              Four-lane road

High street                        Main street

Give way                          Yield

Lorry                                Pick-up truck

Single-ticket                      One way

Return ticket                      Round trip

Toilet                                Bathroom, restroom

WC (Watercloset)             Bathroom, restroom

Mate                                Friend, pal, buddy

Telly                                 Television

Boot                                 Trunk

Bonnet                             Hood

Trainers                            Tennis shoes, sneakers

Trousers                           Pants

Jumper                            Pullover (sweater)

Kit                                  Uniform

Posh                               Expensive, overly fancy

Tube                               Subway

Biscuits                           Cookies

Scones                           Biscuits (sort of)

Crisps                            Chips

Chips                             Fries

Jacket potato                 Baked potato

Jam                                Jelly

Sweets                           Candy

Wind up                         Tease
Take the Piss                  Tease

Fag                                Cigarette

Hoover                          Vacuum cleaner or to vacuum

Letter box                      Mail box

Cultural matters: British Candy

Although not everyone is a fan of British food, most agree that Britain showcases some of the best candy around, especially for chocolate lovers. Sweeter and milkier than most American chocolate (many British claim that Hershey chocolate has a sour aftertaste), sweets (as candy is often referred to) is a regular feature of English life. The two biggest producers are Nestle and Cadbury UK (which was started by John Cadbury in 1824. Just this year -- 2010 -- Cadbury was taken over by the American company Kraft.)

Curly Wurly
My personal all-time favorite. Started in 1971, it's chocolate covered caramel.

Flake
A crumbly milk chocolate bar. Has an odd mouth-feel at first, but quite addictive.

Wispa (Cadbury) and Aero (Nestle)
Crunchy aerated chocolate.

Crunchie
Going back to 1929, this a honey-combed crunchy chocolate bar.

Yorkies
Named for York, England where it began in 1976, this is a large chocolate bar.

Smarties
A slightly larger version of American M&Ms.

Chomp
Chewy chocolate bar.

Dairy Milk
The classic English chocolate bar.

Jelly Babies
The classic English candy. Basically Gummi Bears.