Say what?

Have you ever considered how very puzzling the English language can be? Aside from the fact there's Aussie English, British English, Canadian English and American English, the idioms both shared because of common literature and background and idioms unique to the various countries make things more difficult yet.

In the past four years I've spent time on the internet "talking" with new friends from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, and Canada. Just when I'm sure I have the communication skills down, one of them will pitch a new expression into the pot.

Today it was "knickers". For me, knickers calls up a vision of long-legged pantalets women wore in the 1800s. But overseas, knickers are what we in the States call panties. That's quite a different picture.

What do you suppose a budgie smuggler is?

I have it on good authority it's a very brief men's bathing suit...with emphasis on brief. Other words...bathers, thongs, trunk (car), bonnet (also car), petrol...

We no doubt also have puzzling words in our lexicon. Occasionally, someone will ask exactly what this word or that word means. So our shared common language is not so shared. And definitely not so common.

anny

http://goddessesofstorytelling.blogspot.com