kjy04_20221127 bf

To learn about British and American variants for the same sense 認識英式和美式英語之別


T : Thomas  J : Joe


 

J : Hello Thomas! So good to bump into you here. You know what? I was thinking of talking to you.

T : Hi Joe! I am glad too, but why did you say that?

J : Because I have got a couple of words I am not sure whether they should be considered British or American English words. Here I have got a short list… (showing the list on his phone)

T : (saying aloud): garbage; semester; store; cab; downtown; fall; lift; pants; sidewalk…Is that all?

J : There should be quite a few more, but those are not on my phone.

T : Actually, people like us functioning in English are using such American English words all the time, and the British counterparts as well, interchangeably, so to speak.

J : I see. Can you tell me the British equivalent for each?

T : Sure…(speaking smilingly)…rubbish for garbage; term for semester; shop for store; taxi for cab; town centre for downtown; autumn for fall; elevator for lift; trousers for pants; and pavement for sidewalk.

J : That’s another lesson for me today. Shall we go for lunch together?

 


 

J : 您好,Thomas!很高興在這裡碰到你。我正想找你談談。

T : Joe,你好!我也很高興遇上你,不過你為何想找我?

J : 因為我有幾個英文詞彙不肯定它們是英式英語,還是美式英語。我這裡有一個名單……(他拿出手機顯示該名單)

T :(放聲朗讀):garbage;semester;store;cab; downtown;fall;lift;pants;sidewalk……還有其他嗎?

J : 應該還有一些詞彙,不過我沒有紀錄在手機裡。

T : 實際上,像我們使用英語的人,經常使用那些美式英語,而與之有對應涵義的英式字詞,兩者可以交替使用

J : 原來如此。可以告訴我意思相對應的英式英語嗎﹖

T : 當然可以。(笑著說)……rubbish(垃圾)對應garbage; term(學期)對應semester;shop(商店)對應store; taxi(計程車)對應cab;town centre(市中心)對應downtown;autumn(秋天)對應fall;elevator(升降機) 對應 lift;trousers(長褲)對應 pants;and pavement(行人路)對應 sidewalk.

J : 今天又上了一課。不如我們一起吃午餐?