John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints
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American English to British English Dictionary - A
A And P
A chain of supermarkets. Hugh Wood and Stephen Whitelaw have both kindly send me email messages informing me that the company's original name was "The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company of Montvale, New Jersey" but Hugh tells me that it is now officially called just A and P. The company was formed in New York City in 1859, the first chain store in the USA.
A And W
A chain of fast food restaurants and an associated brand of root beer (root beer is a soft drink). Two visitors to my site have very kindly sent me explanations of how the company's name came about:
- The first explanation, which I initially received from Bill Rost, says that the company was formed in 1922 by Roy Allen and Frank Wright, who named it using the initials of their surnames. This information came from Ken Polsson's excellent web site which provides detailed information on the history of the A and W company together with photographs of a large collection of historic A and W mugs. I wrote to Ken and he confirms that this theory is correct. It is also consistent with the "History" section of the A & W official web site. However, Ken adds that there is some confusion since the two people who started A and W franchising in Canada (in 1956) were called Albert and Walter (their first names, presumably). Ken says that there are even pictures of their names in A and W restaurants in Canada from the 1950's/60's. He also remembers TV adverts from the late 70's featuring the "story" of how Albert and Walter got together to form A and W.
- According to the second explanation, which I received from David Burrow, the company was originally named "Atlantic and Western" and this was later abbreviated to A and W. I suspect that David is confusing A and W with the A and P supermarket chain (the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company), but I could of course be wrong.
AA
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- American Airlines
AAA
American Automobile Association. Always pronounced "Triple A" (saying "A, A, A" or "Treble A" is unlikely to be readily understood, I'm told).
The AAA publish a large of number of high quality guide books on the USA, possibly only available to their members, or through an affiliation between the AAA and the British AA (Automobile Association). Motoring organisations in other countries may also have similar associations with the AAA.
Many motels in the USA display signs proclaiming them to be AAA recommended, and/or offer a discount to AAA members. I don't know if such discounts are extended to members of motoring organisations in other countries with associations with the AAA.
AARP
American Association of Retired Persons. Many motels in the USA offer discounts to members of the AARP. Visitors from other countries can usually obtain a similar discount upon providing proof of their age.
AB
Alberta.
Abolitionist
A campaigner against slavery in the period leading up to its abolition after the American Civil War.
Aborigine
While most British people use the term Aborigine exclusively for the native people of Australia, the word can in fact refer to any indigenous people, and indeed is often used in North America to refer to Native Americans (North American Indians) and the Inuit (who are often incorrectly called Eskimos).
Above 500
See separate article.
ABQ
Airport code for Albuquerque International Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Absent
Additional meaning: "except for". For example: "Absent his horse, he could not see any animals." I have seen this usage in a fantasy novel, where it may be used to invoke an archaic mood. However, I have also seen it used in a recent computer and Internet related email newsletter originating from the USA, so it may well also be current usage there. I have never come across this usage in British English; nor does my British English dictionary list it.
AC, A.C. or A/C
- Air conditioning.
- Alternating current.
Acadia
See separate article.
Access
This word is often used just by itself to refer to access to a public facility such as a park, restaurant or motel for handicapped people in wheelchairs. For example, in a list of such facilities, "Access" with a Y or a tick indicates that a particular facility is accessible by people in wheelchairs.
ADA
The Americans with Disabilities Act.
Adobe
A mud-based construction material.
Adopt-a-Highway
In many parts of the USA "Adopt-a-Highway" signs indicate sections of roads which have been "adopted" by local citizens, businesses or other organisations, who ensure that their part of the highway is kept free of litter.
ADT
Atlantic Daylight Saving Time. A time zone in use in Eastern Canada.
AFB
Air Force Base.
Afghan
Sometimes used to refer to a knitted or crocheted woollen blanket or shawl.
AFL-CIO
American Federation of Labour - Congress of Industrial Organisations, an affiliation of sixty to seventy trade unions. From their web page: "We are teachers and teamsters, musicians and miners, firefighters and farm workers, bakers and bottlers, engineers and editors, pilots and public employees, doctors and nurses, carpenters and labourers and more." AFL-CIO is the largest labour organisation in the USA, with thirteen million members (as at October 1999). My thanks to Anne Stibor of Wisconsin and Patrick Carver of the University of Mississippi for their valuable contributions to this entry.
Agent
Any employee of a company who deals with the general public in a sales, inquiry or complaints context.
Aggie
A nickname (possibly official) for Texas A & M University. (Thanks to Brian Daly of Mobile, Alabama for this entry.)
AIM
American Indian Movement.
Airside
That part of an airport beyond security, where the departure and arrival gates are located. At some airports the airside or airsides are one or more separate satellite terminal buildings, usually reached from the main terminal building by means of a shuttle mini-train system.
AK
Alaska.
AKA
Alias. From "Also Known As".
AL
Alabama.
Alaskan Pollock
See Pollock
Aleut
A native of the Aleutian Islands.
All Your Base Are Belong To Us
An expression used to proclaim victory over the opposition in a humorous manner in a game, etc. It apparently comes from a poor translation in a Japanese video game called "Zero Wing".
All-American Roads
See separate article.
Alleghenies
See separate article.
Alligator Pear
Avocado pear.
Allowance
Pocket money given to children by their parents. According to USA Today 12-Oct-01, 4 to 12 year-olds in the USA receive on average $21 a week and teenagers receive on average over $50 a week.
Aloha State
Hawaii.
Alumni
Former students of a university. Lisa Fournier of Columbus, Ohio, kindly informs me that an "alumnus" is an individual male graduate and an "alumna" is an individual female graduate.
AM
Amplitude Modulation (as in British English). However, since there are no Long Wave public radio broadcasts in the USA, AM is often used as a synonym for Medium Wave.
AMA
American Medical Association.
AMC
American Movie Channel. A television channel.
America and American
Many people use the word "America" to mean the USA and the word "American" to mean someone from the USA. However, the word "America" really means all the countries of both the North American and South American continents.
Many Canadians argue, with considerable logic, that since they live in North America they should also be called Americans. By the same logic one should of course also include the inhabitants of all the other countries of North and South America. However, agreeing to this means employing a tortuous form of words such as "citizen of the USA" every time you need the more restrictive meaning.
In addition, many Canadians object strongly when anyone is led to believe they are from the USA, in the same way as people from Scotland object to being called English.
To add further to the debate, there is perhaps an argument for restricting the word "American" to refer to Native Americans.
Many people use the term "North America" to mean only the USA and Canada. However, Mexico and the countries of Central America which lie to the north of the Panama Canal should also be included.
On this web site I have tried to avoid the use of the potentially confusing words and phrases such "America", "American", "North America" and "North American" as much as possible. However, alphabetical order being what it is, in the next three definitions I have no choice....
America's Dairyland
Wisconsin.
America's Main Street
Route 66. See separate article.
American (cheese)
See separate article.
American Plan
A term used in very expensive hotels in America, meaning that all meals are included, i.e. full board.
Some motels in the USA and Canada offer free continental breakfasts but otherwise no meals are included.
See also European Plan and Modified American Plan.
Ameslan
American Sign Language (for the deaf). Pronounced "am-ers-lan". Sometimes spelt with capital letters. Also abbreviated ASL.
AMS
Airport code for Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands (included here for convenience).
Amtrak
The US National Railroad Passenger Corporation, which operates all long-distance passenger railway services in the USA. Amtrak was created by Congress in 1971 and can be described as being a quasi-public corporation. Amtrak owns the rolling stock (the locomotives and carriages) and in most cases pays the individual railroad companies for the use of their track and facilities such as signalling and stations. In addition, Amtrak owns the track between Boston (Massachusetts), New York City and Washington DC. Amtrak receives subsidies of hundreds of millions of dollars per year from the US federal government. Many shorter and commuter passenger railway services are not operated by Amtrak but by other companies, and in addition there are quite a large number of privately run tourist, preserved and scenic railway lines.
Anasazi
The Anasazi were the ancient Native American people who at one stage in their development built and lived in the cliff dwellings such as those found as Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado and at many other archaeological sites in the Desert Southwest of the United States. Since they left no written records, very little is known about the Anasazi, not even the name they gave themselves. The name Anasazi is from the Navajo Indian language and means "ancient ones".
ANC
Airport code for Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska.
Anglophone
Someone whose first language is English. This is also a valid word in British English but is included here since you may come across it in Canada, especially in the Province of Québec. Someone whose first language is French is called a Francophone.
Ante Up
- To increase the stakes in a game or a conflict.
- I think this expression can also mean to make a payment (to pay up) but possibly only when some risk is involved.
See also Pony Up.
Antebellum
Pre Civil War. An adjective often used to describe pre Civil War mansions in the South. Pedantically, the word can be used to refer to the period before any war, but in general US usage it is always taken to mean before the Civil War.
Antenna
Aerial (radio aerial, television aerial, etc).
Anthony, Susan B., Dollar
See Susan B. Anthony Dollar
Anti-Trust Laws
The laws in the USA intended to reduce the extent to which monopolies abuse their customers and use their power to restrict competition. Such cases are instigated by state and federal governments. The case many years ago against the AT and T telephone company and the current case against Microsoft are good examples. The US legal system is significantly more pro-consumer and pro-competition that that in Britain; in Britain the chairmen of monopolies buy their way into the House of Lords.
Apartment
What the British would call a flat - a self-contained set of rooms on one floor used for accommodation purposes, within a larger building. An apartment block is a block of flats.
Appalachia
See separate article.
Appetiser
Starter, the first course of a meal.
AR
Arkansas (the state). Pronounced "ark an saw" or "ark an sore" (the final s is silent).
Arby's, Hardee's, Harley's, Harvey's and RV's
See separate article.
Area Code
Telephone dialling code, equivalent to the British STD code. Each three digit area code can apply to an entire state or province, part of a state or province, a city, or part of a very large city. A few area codes are reserved for special numbers, such as 800 for toll-free numbers. A map of area codes is included in many road atlases, for example the one published by Rand McNally.
Armoire
Cupboard.
Arnold, Benedict
A "Benedict Arnold" is a traitor - from the name of the famous traitor of the American War of Independence. See separate article.
Arroyo
A gulch, a rocky ravine or a watercourse which is usually dry except after recent rain. The word comes from Spanish.
Art Gallery
Some shops which sell paintings describe themselves as being "art galleries". These establishments tend to offer mass-produced paintings to tourists.
Arvey
Maybe not "arvey" but RV.
See also Arby's, Hardee's, Harley's, Harvey's and RV's.
ASAP
As soon as possible. Usually pronounced as individual letters (A-S-A-P), occasionally as if it were a word (asap). This abbreviation is now in fairly common use in Britain but is included here for completeness.
Aspen
A type of tree. A member of the poplar family.
Asphalt
Tarmac or similar road surface.
AST
Atlantic Standard Time. A time zone in use in Eastern Canada.
At
Often used when stating sporting fixtures, for example "Los Angeles at Chicago", meaning that Los Angeles are playing away and Chicago are at home. The away team is always specified first in sporting fixtures in the USA, the opposite to Britain. I don't think the terms home and away are understood in the USA.
Attached Home
A term rarely used to describe a semi-detached house.
ATC
Air Traffic Control.
Athlete
The word "athlete" has a much wider meaning in the USA and Canada than in the UK, encompassing participants in most other sports such as American football, baseball and basketball. It probably doesn't extent as far as darts, snooker and pool players, though.
ATL
Airport code for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia.
Atlantic, Atlantic Time, Atlantic Standard Time, Atlantic Daylight Saving Time, AST, ADT
A time zone in use in Eastern Canada.
ATM
Automatic Teller Machine, i.e. a cash dispenser. While the abbreviation ATM is used in both Britain and the USA/Canada, it is far more commonly used and understood in the USA/Canada, to the virtual exclusion of the colloquialisms such as cash dispenser or "hole in the wall machine" that are used in Britain.
ATSF
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.
Attorney
Lawyer.
ATV
All terrain vehicle.
Audubon
See separate article.
Auto
- Car. The word "car" is also used universally.
- Automatic.
- Automatic gearbox (on a car).
Automobile
Car. The word "car" is also used universally.
AZ
Arizona.
Numbers
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
American English to British English Dictionary
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As with all the other pages on this personal web site, all the information on this page is solely the opinion of the author, who has no connection whatsoever with any of the companies and organisations mentioned other than as an actual or potential customer.
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Most recently modified 15-Jan-08