translation?

you would have thought by me coming to an "english speaking" country (quotes are meant loosely) that it would be easier to understand everyone, but at times it gets a bit difficult. Here's a small Scottish to American dictionary....just a few words that mean completely different things!

"tea" - it's not the kind you drink, its what you eat after dinner and before bed. A little, almost midnight snack. I tend to have either an ice cream bar from the shop downstairs or tea (the kind your drink) and toast or bisquits. Also, bisquits over here are small cookies.

"pants" - it's what we'd call underwear. I got confused and slightly embarrassed the other day when i was talking to a girl at work who said she needed to go shopping for new pants, and i said, "oh, i just bought these (pointing to my new jeans) the other day! You should get them!" She looked at me a bit confused, and then made fun of that difference.

"jumper" - it has nothing to do with skydiving, but everything to do with a cozy, warm, sweater.

"skint" - it's a word I'll soon come to know full and well if i continue shopping as much as i do, but it means you're out of money, poor, broke, bust, got no dough, and all those other ways of saying we have NO MONEY!

"cheers" - this one's a bit confusing, because although it is said when you're out with your mates (friends), clinking your pints together with enthusiasm and glee, it also means "thank you". And what's even more confusing is that most of the time people say "Cheers! Thanks!" together, at the same time! We, back in the states, would never say "Thanks! Thanks!" It's just odd...but don't think i haven't caught on and begun to say it. ;)

"fag" - known to us as a derogatory term for someone who's gay, but over here, it's a cigarette. It's soo weird to hear someone say "I'm going outside for a fag." It takes a second to register.

and for fun...or just to make me sound like a real idiot when i say them over here, here's some words that mean the same, but are pronounced completely differently!

herbs - there's no silent "h" here people. Everyone on this side of the pond says HERbs. Why do we say it with a silent "h" anyways?
vanilla - vanilller
tomato - we say "toe-may-toe", you say toe-mah-toe"
caramel - we prounce it Car-mull, they say Car-a-mell. Their way is probally right.

Hope that gives you all something to laugh about. :)