Here’s an updated list including some from that link and a few other
contributions:
ENGLISH AMERICAN
bonnet hood
hood convertible top
boot trunk
wing fender
side light parking light
headlamp headlight
near side left side
off side right side
wing valence fender skirt
spat fender skirt
nave plate hub cap
spanner wrench
windscreen windshield
petrol gas
top high gear
bottom low gear
sidescreen side curtain
silencer muffler
scuttle firewall
breaking parting out
demister defroster
dipper switch dimmer switch
gearbox transmission
propellor shaft drive shaft
revolution counter tachometer
spinners knock-offs
voltage stabilizer voltage regulator–
Bruce Cunningham’s web site: http://www.together.net/~bcunning/
“Nearest the king, nearest the widdie (gallows).” (Scottish proverb)
What is interesting to me about the list of words you are preparing is their
relationship with Australian usage. We (down under) are in an unusual
situation where our language derives mostly from the Queen’s English, but
our home car industry was influenced mostly by the American model (GM and
Ford). Therefore we have “bonnets” and “boots”, but we also have
“headlights” and “hub caps”. In addition to this there are a few
expressions here that are different to any on your list: for example instead
of a “spinner” I would say a “knock-on” (in this country a “knock off” is a
cheap copy of something). Similarly we have “wreckers” rather than
“breakers” or “parters out.” :-), etc.
regards Jon Garde.
PS. To be consistent, your list of translations should state “side lamp” as
the English equivalent of “parking light” - a “side light” would actually be
a side window in the car: like a “quarter light” or an “electically heated
back light!” (a rear windshield with integral defroster). Lamps are lights
Jon
Fascinating
In Canada, we also have automobile wreckers and wrecking yards. I wonder if
this is a Yank useage we share or if we arrived at it independently.
To paraphrase Shaw, several great people divided by a common language.
Bill----- Original Message -----
From: Garde, Jon JonG@ise.canberra.edu.au
To: ‘JL - XK’ xk@jag-lovers.org
Sent: April 5, 1999 1:17 PM
Subject: re: [xk] update to speaking English
Dear Bruce,
What is interesting to me about the list of words you are preparing is
their
relationship with Australian usage. We (down under) are in an unusual
situation where our language derives mostly from the Queen’s English, but
our home car industry was influenced mostly by the American model (GM and
Ford).
we have “wreckers” rather than
“breakers” or “parters out.” :-), etc.