MARY T. WAGNER
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • FINNIGAN THE CIRCUS CAT
  • BOOKS
  • SHORT STORIES
  • BLOG
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • PRESS

Test your British to American detective skills!

3/31/2023

1 Comment

 
Picture
​Now that I've written "Of Bairns and Wheelie Bins: An American guide to what those British detectives are saying on the telly," I find myself watching episodes of some British mystery that I've newly discovered with occasional bursts of joy, thinking "I know what that means!!" It definitely helps to move the plot along when I don't have to scratch my head and wonder what just went on because I didn't know some of the lingo. 

So play along with me, and test your "British to American" interpretive skills! Answers at the bottom, in tiny type...

1.  Barney  a) a big and annoying purple dinosaur  b) a now defunct New York City luxury department store  c) a heated argument  d) Andy Griffith's sidekick in Mayberry

2.  Chivvy   a) a salad green  b) a street game of cards  c) a scrum of rugby players  d) to prod someone to do something they don't want to

3.  Grass   a) marijuana  b) the green stuff in a lawn  c) a picnic  d) to snitch

4.  Kip   a) a pickled herring  b) the stuff you bring to the gym  c) a children's game  d) sleep

5.  Shopped   a) went bargain hunting  b) sold at a rummage sale  c) discarded  d)  informed on to the police

6.  Clobber   a) something Moe, Larry and Curly did a lot of in the Three Stooges  b) a clotted cream that goes well with strawberry tarts  c) an internet dating profile  d) a collection of personal stuff

​7.  Twigged   a) went bird watching  b) a muscle cramp  c) had a flash of understanding  d) stood up a date

8.  Skinful   a) a leather bota bag b) a wine bottle  c) a blistering argument  d) enough alcohol to get you drunk

9.  Caravan   a) a truck convoy  b) to travel together while hiking  c) a gypsy wagon  d) an RV

10.  Grafter   a) a grifter  b) someone who works very hard  c) a tree surgeon  d) a surgeon that does heart transplants

11.  Bespoke   a) engaged to be married  b) the last round in a debate  c) custom tailored  d) offer accepted on a house

Answers:  1.C; 2.D; 3.D; 4.D; 5.D; 6.D; 7.C; 8.D; 9.D; 10.B, 11.C

1 Comment
Willie Wine.
4/1/2023 04:31:18 am

Some of the alternative choices are quite funny....
But..I love the American accent, especially the
phrases....Such as.....
A Piece of Cake. ...
It's Not Rocket Science. ...
Shoot the Breeze. ...
Break a Leg. ...
Ballpark Figure. ...
For the Birds. ...
Behind the Eight Ball. ...
Monday-Morning Quarterback...

And if you wanna chat like an American....

Ask about their day...
So how's your morning going? ...
You could talk about something you really want to try. ...
Learn about their background. ...
Talk about the weather...

And American words the Brits don't understand.....
Bangs...
Crosswalk...
Mad...
Pacifier...
Pants...
Pissed...
Take a rain check...
The 411...

And so it goes on...Have forward the Amazon link
Mary...on to about twenty on my contact list.......! :O).
🥂🍾☃️🎊🎉😘❤🥂🍾☃️🎊🎉😘❤🥂🍾☃️

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    December 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    August 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    Categories

    All
    Adapation
    Coronavirus
    Country Roads
    Covid19
    Families
    Farms
    Gratitude
    Love
    Nature
    Old Farmhouses
    Pandemic
    Personal Growth
    Quarantine
    Relationships
    Resilience
    Safer At Home
    Shelter In Place
    Social Distance
    Social Distancing
    The Road Less Traveled

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly