American Phrases That Confuse the British
The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw supposedly described England and America as “two countries separated by the same language.” Whether Shaw actually said it or not (the evidence is inconclusive), the observation remains true. Despite sharing the same linguistic roots — and far more similarities than differences — the English
spoken on either side of the Atlantic does sometimes differ in delightfully baffling ways. For Americans in the United Kingdom, hearing the British casually say phrases such as “bits and bobs,” “Bob’s your uncle,” and “bog standard” can be both amusing and confusing. Likewise, plenty of American phrases leave Brits...
