英美大不同 – Nonplussed

雖然大家說的都是英語，美國人跟英國人的用語會有所不同，同樣的字眼在兩地的意思也可以截然不同。所以有時候用字要很小心，不然會鬧出一些誤會吧？

Nonplussed算是一個很明顯的例子。在美國，nonplussed是用來形容一些人崩泰山而面色不變，對事情一點也不驚訝。但是在英式英語（或者是說在美國以外的地方吧？），這個字的意思卻是剛剛相反，用來形容驚慌失措，不知道該如何反應的樣子。

結果明明是同一個字，對英美兩國的人來說感覺卻完全不一樣呢～

Even though the British and Americans both speak English, the words they use tend to be pretty different. In fact, some words end up having vastly different meanings on both sides of the pond. That’s why it’s important to be careful with your words, or else you’ll end up with a misunderstanding!

One rather striking example is “nonplussed". In America, “nonplussed" is used to describe how some people could keep their cool in the middle of a disaster, or are simply not surprised when hearing the news. However, in British English (or perhaps in anywhere not called America?), the word’s meaning is actually the polar opposite; it’s used to describe someone being surprised and at a loss of how to react.

In the end, although the word is the same, it paints a much different picture depending on who you ask!

英美大不同 – 鬆餅

說到pancakes這個字，大家想到的會是甜品店賣的鬆餅吧？晶瑩剔透的楓糖漿倒在暖呼呼軟綿綿的鬆餅上，再搭配各種水果跟冰淇淋…光用想的肚子就開始餓了啦！

但是如果你在英國點一道pancake，服務生送來的卻不是那回事：你得到的是薄薄的一塊，好像法式可麗餅的東西。原來英國人弄pancake不像美國人，他們不會下膨鬆劑，所以麵糊不會經過發酵，煎出來的自然就會薄薄的啦～傳統上這種鬆餅會搭配砂糖跟檸檬汁，但是路邊攤也會賣把不同配料捲起來的版本。

至於美式那種厚一點的鬆餅呢？蘇格蘭的鬆餅就是像美式的，所以想吃到就要點Scotch pancake或者Drop scone了！（不過Scotch pancake沒有美式鬆餅那麼大塊啦）

Pancake Day則是天主教國家的傳統節日之一，除了英國之外一些歐洲國家也會慶祝的。（但是只有英國跟它的家族（？）會叫Pancake Day，別的國家會有自己的叫法）天主教徒在復活節前日之前的40天（也就是四旬期）守齋，牛奶，雞蛋之類的食物都不能吃。
但是四旬期快要來了，家裡儲藏了的食物該怎麼辦？丟了好像很浪費，結果大家都決定在四旬期前一天把這些食物通通拿出來用掉，吃進了肚子自然就不算浪費啦（喂
英國人在這時候會弄一大堆鬆餅，所以這個節日也叫作Pancake Day了

話說Pancake Day在英國也有另外一個活動，就是Pancake Race！相傳有一位家庭主婦弄鬆餅太入神，居然忘了參加教會彌撒…結果她只好拿著平底鍋衝到教堂去，還要不斷把鬆餅翻轉避免弄焦。所以在Pancake Race中，一眾參賽者都要拿著平底鍋，邊跑邊翻鬆餅。雖然傳統上只有女生才能參賽，但是男生也可以的…只是要打扮成家庭主婦那樣才行！

可惡，現在搞得連我也想吃了…（自作自受了吧？）

When you think of pancakes, you’ll probably think of those sold in dessert parlours, right? Glistening maple syrup poured over warm, fluffy pancakes, topped with fruit and ice-cream…just imagining it makes your stomach growl!

But if you ask for a pancake in the UK, what the waiter’ll bring in is something entirely different: You’ll get something thin and flat, almost like a French crepe. In fact, the British make pancakes differently. Unlike the Americans, they do not add any raising agents so the batter is left unleavened, therefore the pancakes end up very thin and flat. Traditionally those pancakes are eaten with sugar and lemon juice, but street vendors also sell pancakes wrapped around different toppings.

What about the thicker American-style pancakes? The Scottish make pancakes similar to the Americans, so you’d be looking for “Scotch pancakes" or “Drop scones"! (Scotch pancakes aren’t as large as American pancakes though)

As for Pancake Day, it’s a traditional holiday in Catholic countries, and is celebrated not only by the British but also by other European countries. (However, only the UK and its family (?) call it Pancake Day, other countries have their own names) During the 40 days before Easter Sunday (this period is also known as Lent), Catholics fast or absolve themselves of certain types of food such as milk and eggs.
But what can you do when Lent’s round the corner but there’s still food stored at home? Throwing it away seems wasteful, so people decided to spend all their stored food on the day before Lent. It’s not really wasteful if the food’s being eaten, right?The British will make a lot of pancakes to celebrate, therefore this day is known as Pancake Day.

Speaking of which, there’s a special activity in Pancake Day known as the Pancake Race! Apparently there was this housewife who was so focused in making pancakes, she forgot to join the church service…She ended up having to rush to the church while holding her frying pan, constantly flipping the pancake to prevent it from being burnt. Therefore, participants in the Pancake Race also have to hold a frying pan and run while flipping a pancake. Traditionally only girls are allowed to participate, but it’s alright for boys to join in too…as long as they dress up as housewives!

Curses, now I want some… (I brought this upon myself didn’t I?)

 

英美大不同 – 足球

足球是數一數二的熱門運動之一，在有些國家中甚至可以稱為國民運動，那麼足球的英文是怎樣說的呢？

你也許會說這不是常識嗎？用足玩的球當然是叫football嘛！這麼簡單還用問？！

 

嗯，你說得對，在大部分的地方足球的叫法就是足＋球這麼直接，但是football在美國指的卻是另外一種運動。American Football（美式足球）不是用腳而是用手玩的，球的外型說是球形倒不如說像橄欖，玩法也跟一般人所指的足球差很遠…

那麼我們知道的足球在美國是怎樣叫？Soccer啦～（日本的叫法也是跟美國那樣的呢）

至於為什麼美國偏要這樣叫呢？聽說是因為他們早已經把美式足球稱為football，為了把兩者分開就用了足球的別稱soccer了，而soccer這字是來足球全名Association Football的Association部分

雖然因為世界盃的關係，足球在美國愈來愈受歡迎，但是美國的NO 1球類運動應該還是美式足球吧！

Football is one of the most popular sports activities in the world, to the point that some countries consider it their signature sports. But did you know that “Football" is not the only word used when talking about this sport?

Sure you’d probably wonder, what else would you call it? It’s a ball you play with your foot, of course it’s going to be called “Football" right?

 

Well you’re not wrong, so that’s why for most countries “Football" (or at least something just as straightforward) is the word to use…..except for America that is. To the US, “Football" means American football, a game played with hands instead of feet, with a ball that isn’t even ball-shaped.

So how do the Americans call “Football" as we know it? Soccer! (Japan’s term for it also comes from them too)

Why even use a different term again? Turns out the Americans already used “Football" to refer to American Football before the other kind of football took root in US soil, so they used football’s alternative name “Soccer" instead. As for where “Soccer" comes from, it’s the shortened form of “Association Football".

Although soccer is getting more popular in the US thanks to the World Cup, American Football probably still reigns supreme as the number one sports over there!

 

英美大不同 – 薯條

說到薯條／士豆條的英文名稱大家都會想到某個藍藍路的French Fries了吧？
那你知不知道在英國，薯條有不一樣的名字嗎？

原來在英式英文裡，薯條叫chips，就跟大家印象中薯片的叫法potato chips那樣！
那麼薯片在英國怎樣叫？Potato crisps囉～

話說漫畫裡提到的fish and chips（炸魚薯條）是很經典的英國食物呢（雖然對我來說有點不太健康就是了）

British and American: Which is which!

When we talk about fast food we often think of french fries from places like McDonald’s, but did you know that the British call “french fries" differently?

In British English, they’re called chips just like how you call “potato chips"!
So how do they call -those- chips then? Potato crisps, of course!

By the way, the “fish and chips" mentioned in the comic is a pretty classic English food too (although it’s probably a tad unhealthy to me)