tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post116154573431878430..comments2024-03-16T00:21:43.240+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: local fauna expressions (part two)lynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-5580820998259370002012-07-29T19:42:42.078+01:002012-07-29T19:42:42.078+01:00A few AmE terms to add:
'to buffalo,' in ...A few AmE terms to add:<br /><br />'to buffalo,' in the sense of to confuse. This is not often used, even in AmE, but I lived near Buffalo, NY for a while, where the meaning was better known. There's even a wikipedia article on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo<br /><br />'chipmunk cheeks,' when your cheeks bulge out like a chipmunk's full of seeds.<br /><br />'to skunk' - you've already mentioned the general meaning of 'to skunk as in 'to defeat.' I just wanted to add that in cribbage it has the specific meaning of 'to beat by 31-60 points.' If you beat your opponent by 61 point so or more, you've double skunked him.Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14644859183662353936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-54473600644313742872008-07-07T01:37:00.000+01:002008-07-07T01:37:00.000+01:00Ferrets aren't particular to America, nor is the p...Ferrets aren't particular to America, nor is the phrase <I>ferret out</I>. First OED example of this is from 1607.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-11025020433619765282008-07-06T11:18:00.000+01:002008-07-06T11:18:00.000+01:00Late again, but what about "ferret(ing) out?" As i...Late again, but what about "ferret(ing) out?" As in mthe following headline, "Energy detectives ferret out simple, power-saving fixes"<BR/><BR/>Is that something used in BrE or just here in the US?BRIT!https://www.blogger.com/profile/11167446228520805073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-22046001291984619472008-05-07T04:17:00.000+01:002008-05-07T04:17:00.000+01:00Among Australian animal terms of note, there's "fl...Among Australian animal terms of note, there's "flying fox" in the sense of AmE "zip line", of which here is a photograph of one at my parents' place:<BR/>http://outerhoard.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/fox2.jpg<BR/>and then how about AuE "spider", which is the same as AmE "float" (i.e. what you get by pouring cola or other soft drink over ice cream in a glass).<BR/><BR/>A popular Australian political joke in the eighties (when Bob Hawke was Prime Minister and Andrew Peacock was leader of the Opposition) was Q: "Why is Parliament House like an avery?" A: "Because there's a Hawke, a Peacock, and a bunch of galahs".<BR/><BR/>Incidentally, our possums are much better than yours...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-73490334350365786302007-01-02T22:33:00.000+00:002007-01-02T22:33:00.000+00:00The red deer is in fact found in North America, bu...The red deer is in fact found in North America, but not by that name: it is called the elk, or sometimes the wapiti. (Technically they may or may not be separate species.) The red deer and the roe deer are the only two deer native to Great Britain -- all the others are imports from the Continent in historic times.<br /><br />The European elk, on the other hand, is the North American moose.John Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11452247999156925669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-38538240370866195032006-11-25T23:54:00.000+00:002006-11-25T23:54:00.000+00:00The University of Wisconsin mascot is the badger. ...The University of Wisconsin mascot is the badger. So, they're not unknown, and, yes, the phrase is used. <br /><br />I think someone raised turkey in the part 1 comments too. Fine example.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-70696700801732224242006-11-21T15:11:00.000+00:002006-11-21T15:11:00.000+00:00We badger people in the US too, even though we hav...We badger people in the US too, even though we haven't got the British badger. (I did find that there is an American badger that lives in the desert, but I don't think anybody's ever heard of it.)<br /><br />A really bad example of something is a turkey.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07014495748725364889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-40808130690923475692006-11-20T01:10:00.000+00:002006-11-20T01:10:00.000+00:00Hi - great blog. Maybe one more for the English si...Hi - great blog. Maybe one more for the English side of things is the verb 'to badger', meaning to constantly hassle someone over a matter, ie 'She keeps badgering me to mow the lawn'. Originally coined from the practice of badger baiting, which involved the teasing and harrying of badgers for sport or pleasure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1162368526858902292006-11-01T08:08:00.000+00:002006-11-01T08:08:00.000+00:00Stag party is most definitely found in AmE, but yo...<I>Stag party</I> is most definitely found in AmE, but you're right about <I>hen night</I>. I discussed it <A HREF="http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/2006/06/hen-nights.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1162312581868143762006-10-31T16:36:00.000+00:002006-10-31T16:36:00.000+00:00Oops! Having always heard the term "bachelor party...Oops! Having always heard the term "bachelor party" rather than "stag party" here, I'd assumed that the latter wasn't used in the US. The equivalent expression "Hen party" (AmE = bachelorette party) doesn't seem to be understood at all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1162250353823769782006-10-30T23:19:00.000+00:002006-10-30T23:19:00.000+00:00We do say stag in the US--at least, I've heard the...We do say <I>stag</I> in the US--at least, I've heard the term in the deery (and huntery) part of the country that I'm from, the_sybil. But I see in the <I>American Heritage</I> that <I>stag</I> is particularly applied to the red deer--which is what you find in the UK, rather than the white-tail more commonly found in the US. So you're probably right that <I>buck</I> is more common. That makes <I>stag party</I> a funny term, in that it's used in the US although the animal is found in the UK. <BR/><BR/>Nice to see you here, Jo!lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1162248805626889562006-10-30T22:53:00.000+00:002006-10-30T22:53:00.000+00:00Hi Lynne,Thought I'd check out your blog, there's ...Hi Lynne,<BR/>Thought I'd check out your blog, there's some really interesting things on here. My favourite local fauna expression is the australian 'mad as a cut snake' when talking about someone being very angry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1162227707689746382006-10-30T17:01:00.000+00:002006-10-30T17:01:00.000+00:00Given that male deer in the US tend to be referred...Given that male deer in the US tend to be referred to as "bucks", rather than "stags" (unless I've misunderstood something here - not lived in the US for too long) does the phrase "stag night/party" qualify?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1162052991834560482006-10-28T17:29:00.000+01:002006-10-28T17:29:00.000+01:00Bill--I have found skunked/skunky beer/wine on UK ...Bill--I have found <I>skunked/skunky beer/wine</I> on UK websites too--but I imagine it's primarily used by beer/wine connoisseurs here.<BR/><BR/>Dan--thanks for the Texan animals. In the UK, one does hear <I>like a deer (caught) in headlights</I>, but more common is <I>like rabbit (caught) in headlights</I>. U.N.K.L.E. had a song called 'Rabbit in Your Headlights' (nearly 10 years ago now--my god, I am old), with a disturbing/moving <A HREF="http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2681521" REL="nofollow">video</A>.<BR/><BR/>Anonymous, I'm afraid you've missed the point! We're looking for animals that are native to these countries (preferably one and not the other). We'll get into exotic animals and livestock another day!lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161989367267074612006-10-27T23:49:00.000+01:002006-10-27T23:49:00.000+01:00How about "to have a tiger by the tail"? It's used...How about "to have a tiger by the tail"? It's used in AmE to describe a tricky situation that can't be escaped easily. Is that used elsewhere also?<BR/>We also have "taking the bull by the horns."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161968462986813722006-10-27T18:01:00.000+01:002006-10-27T18:01:00.000+01:00I really enjoy your blog; it's fascinating to read...I really enjoy your blog; it's fascinating to read the British expressions.<BR/><BR/>Here are some from Texas:<BR/><BR/>"rolled/curled up like an armadillo": When threatened, they often curl up into a little armored ball.<BR/>"fast as a roadrunner": They really do skitter across the highways; unlike armadillos, you don't see them often as roadkill.<BR/><BR/>And in Britain, do they say someone looks "like a deer (caught) in headlights"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161922651278861002006-10-27T05:17:00.000+01:002006-10-27T05:17:00.000+01:00I'd consider 'skunked beer' to be home brew that h...I'd consider 'skunked beer' to be home brew that had been late-hopped with a big bag o' weed.<BR/><BR/>It has happened!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161797810886140052006-10-25T18:36:00.000+01:002006-10-25T18:36:00.000+01:00In the U.S., sometimes people will refer to "skunk...In the U.S., sometimes people will refer to "skunked" beer -- beer that has been left in bright lights or in the sun. <BR/><BR/>http://www.weeklydig.com/eats_drinks/articles/skunked_beer<BR/><BR/>Great blog, always fun to read! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161779130944546892006-10-25T13:25:00.000+01:002006-10-25T13:25:00.000+01:00AmE is like BrE (and unlike French) in that regard...AmE is like BrE (and unlike French) in that regard. We can also say <I>f... like bunnies</I><BR/><BR/>On that topic, I'd recommend a song by the Magnetic Fields called 'Let's Pretend We're Bunny Rabbits'. They lyrics are <A HREF="http://www.lyricsdownload.com/magnetic-fields-let-s-pretend-we-re-bunny-rabbits-lyrics.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161739054158379622006-10-25T02:17:00.000+01:002006-10-25T02:17:00.000+01:00The BrE expression rabbit or rabbit on is rhyming ...The BrE expression <B>rabbit</B> or <B>rabbit on</B> is rhyming slang for <I>talk</I> (rabbit and pork).<BR/><BR/>All this rabbiting on about rabbits prompts me to mention a saying which is both a local fauna expression and a metaphor for sexual activity. Whether this phrase is known in AmE, and what it means if it is, I have no idea; but there is an interesting comparison between BrE and French here.<BR/><BR/>To a BrE speaker, the expression to <B>f... like a rabbit</B> means to do it frequently, whereas to those of the Francophone persuasion, the equivalent expression in French means to do it in a matter of seconds from start to finish.<BR/><BR/>Just thought I'd mention that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161731981168182172006-10-25T00:19:00.000+01:002006-10-25T00:19:00.000+01:00Oh, and Sharon, on the flora use of skunk--I didn'...Oh, and Sharon, on the flora use of <I>skunk</I>--I didn't include that because it's used in both dialects. <BR/><BR/>There isn't a good AmE word for <I>shagging</I>. But then we have a nice set of <A HREF="http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/2006/10/running-bases.html" REL="nofollow">baseball metaphors</A> that BrE doesn't have! It's (BrE) <B>swings and roundabouts</B>.<BR/><BR/><B>Rabbit on</B> is a great BrE expession (though not a strictly British animal), and <B>haring off</B> is another good example. People don't talk about hares so much in AmE.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161731174076519192006-10-25T00:06:00.000+01:002006-10-25T00:06:00.000+01:00Thanks for all the additions. Amta's right about ...Thanks for all the additions. Amta's right about the Candlemas connection. As for the other expressions, I didn't do squirrels or ducks because they're found in both countries--even if the expressions aren't. Was going for both ways. But I should be ashamed of missing <I>turkey</I>.<BR/><BR/>I knew the Australians would have more to add!lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161730141008181882006-10-24T23:49:00.000+01:002006-10-24T23:49:00.000+01:00I think that "haring off" is unlikely in AmE. If ...I think that "haring off" is unlikely in AmE. If I understand British correspondents correctly, this seems to connote somewhat random action. In AmE, one might "rabbit off" (run away, often in fear), which doesn't seem to have the same connotations.<BR/><BR/>Also, a quick Google search seems to indicate that in BrE one might "rabbit on". I've not heard this one in the wild, so to speak, but from context it seems to mean something like "excessive volubility".Doug Sundsethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01848091504066560951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161729589902578802006-10-24T23:39:00.000+01:002006-10-24T23:39:00.000+01:00Galah? No, they only use that on Home and Away and...Galah? No, they only use that on <I>Home and Away</I> and is therefore specifically designed for the British audience (like Foster's). <BR/>I'd use 'turkey' more often that 'galah' to be honest, but that could be due to the ubiquity of American culture in Australia. <I>Sigh</I><BR/>On expression comes to mind in AusE, although it's both figurative and literal at the same time. <I>Flat out like a lizard drinking</I> refers to being 'flat out' as in 'busy'.<BR/>If anyone's lived in the NT or north QLD in recent years, they might agree that <I>flat as a cane toad</I> is as appropriate as the Hedgehog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1161729145516102542006-10-24T23:32:00.000+01:002006-10-24T23:32:00.000+01:00I suppose you know that perhaps the most common us...I suppose you know that perhaps the most common use of 'skunk' in Britain these days has nothing to do with fauna and more to do with flora (of the illegal kind)...?<BR/><BR/>And even if it's a bit off topic, murray's comment does have me wondering if there is an AmE equivalent of 'shagging', with all its teenage/common as muck connotations.Sharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05651973319804848661noreply@blogger.com