I thought I spoke English, Part 2

When we first moved here a little over two years ago, the first entry I wrote in this Blog was "I thought I spoke English".  I mentioned some English words and phrases that I wasn't at all familiar with.  Since then, I've discovered a multitude of English words or phrases that have never made it into my American vocabulary.  Some of these I've learned by asking for the definition.  Other times I've learned by hazarding the wrong guess and making quite a fool of myself.

Case in point:  Pants, in English, mean underwear.  In England trousers are what Americans call pants. Recently I attended a church meeting for women one Saturday night and I wore trousers.  I was the only one there not wearing a skirt.  I felt a bit sheepish not having dressed properly and apologized to the women by telling them that I'm sorry for wearing pants (underwear) and that next time I wouldn't. The women laughed, the few men there turned bright red, and I was quickly told that I should always were pants and it was OK too that I was wearing trousers.  Oops! I learned that one the hard way.  I won't make that mistake twice.

So, how well do you know English (not American)?  Match up these common words and phrases with the correct definition.  The answers may surprise you. They are listed below.

1. Fly Tipping                A. steamed suet pudding with dried currents  and served with custard
2. Marigolds                  B. Band-Aid    
3. Blinkered                   C.   a difficult situation 
4. Pop your clogs          D.  "there you go" or "it's that simple"  
5. Kip                             E.   period
6. Waffle                         F. to talk on and on about nothing. 
7. Banger                       G.  a nap

8. Bob's your uncles       H. narrow minded

9. Bubble and Squeak     I. a dumpster

10. Travelers                   J.  a road crossing over another road (overpass)

11. Flyover                      K.  sneakers 

12. Full stop                    L. to die     

13. Identity parade         M. dish often made from the remains of the Sunday roast trimmings

14. Plaster                      N. the act of dumping waste or trash illegally

15. Rocket                      O.  a four door car (i.e. sedan)

16. Saloon                      P. Gypsies

17. Skip                          Q. green vegetable used in salads and sandwiches (arugula)

18. Spotted dick             R. a sausage 

19. Sticky wicket            S. Police line-up

20: Trainers                    T. rubber gloves

 

Answers:

1. Fly Tipping = (N) the act of dumping waste or trash illegally
2. Marigolds  = (T) yellow rubber gloves
3. Blinkered =  (H) narrow minded
4. Pop your clogs = (L) to die (It's not the same since poor old Harry popped his clogs.)
5. Kip  =  (G) a nap
6. Waffle =  (F) to talk on and on about nothing. (It is not something you eat. Americans often think that Brits waffle on about the weather) 

7. Banger =  (R) a sausage (from the tendency of sausages to burst during frying)
8. Bob's your uncle = (D) "there you go" or "it's that simple"
9. Bubble and Squeak =  (M) dish of cooked cabbage fried with cooked potatoes and other vegetables. Often made from the left-overs of the Sunday roast trimmings

10. Travelers = (P) Gypsies
11. Flyover =  (J) a road crossing over another road (overpass)
12. Full stop = (E) period (Full stop at the end of a sentence)
13. Identity parade = (S) police line-up
14. Plaster = (B) Band-Aid
15. Rocket = (Q)  green vegetable used in salads and sandwiches, (arugula)
16. Saloon = (O) a four door car (sedan)
17. Skip = (I) dumpster
18. Spotted dick =  (A) a steamed suet pudding containing currents and served with custard.
19. Sticky wicket = (C) a difficult situation
20: Trainers =  (K) sneakers

Has watching Downton Abbey and Sherlock rubbed off on you?  How well do you speak English? I'd love to hear how well you did. Let me know. 

Oxford Under Water

Oxford is under water!   This is the 4th time the Thames and Cherwell rivers have burst their banks in the 2 years we've lived here.  Both of the roads we take in to Oxford are flooded. It now takes about an hour to travel the 3 miles to town.  We have to drive such a convoluted way since the main roads to the south and to the west are flooded.  Thankfully our home and neighborhood are safe and dry even though we are only half a mile from the Thames.  

(Not my photo)  This is Abingdon Road, the road we take from Oxford to our village of Kennington. 

(Not my photo) This is Botley Road, the other spoke we can take to the west. 

(Not my photo)  These are the train tracks from Oxford to Didcot. This means no train service from Oxford to London.  

(Not my photo)  Again, this is Abingdon Road, the southern spoke out of Oxford and our road home.  This is the result of the Thames overflowing it's banks.

These are some of the athletic fields across from Magdalen College in Oxford.  This is the Cherwell that has overflowed it's banks.  

This is a city park near Magdalen College in Oxford

This is the bike path along the Thames that we ride into Oxford.  I took this photo two days ago at the Iffley locks and I've been told that the whole path is now underwater.  

This is the popular Isis Farmhouse Pub by the Iffley Locks and the 4th time in two years that it has been flooded

(Not my photo) This is the Kennington Road in front of John's office at Egrove Park -- another reason we can't drive into Oxford very easily.  This is the main road to our village.

(Not my photo) This is the entrance to the car park on Botley Road.  Sadly, a few cars are still in the lot. 

The latest update for Friday, January 10, 2014

• Botley Road and Abingdon Road are still shut and floods there have worsened in places

• Flood waters will continue to rise in Oxford overnight with river levels rising tomorrow morning

• Homes have been evacuated around Botley Road and residents in Abingdon Road are being       advised to prepare to leave their homes

• Bablock Hythe caravan park residents have also been rescued from their homes

I continue to be impressed with the British spirit.  When the crisis comes, they know how to band together, take care of one another, and roll up their sleeves and get to work. 

Note added on 17 January:  All the roads are open again and the water levels have gone down.  A neighbor who has lived here all of her life (78 years) pointed out to me the the old medieval parts of Oxford (most of the colleges) don't flood.  Back then, they knew what they were doing and left open land and meadows all around the colleges.  For example, Christchurch meadow floods each year but the actual college stays dry.  It's a good thing the colleges own all the open land and they won't built on that land because it is their flood insurance, as well as the playing fields for the students.  It is only the land that has been bought and developed by private developers in the  last 150 years (mostly on or around the flood plains) that floods.