Ever travel to another place and hear some strange terms that turn out to be common every day things? Here’s a list of some of the more strange things that I’ve ran into.
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10. Chrissie
This is Christmas in Australia. It’s not too far off base, but just know that people aren’t all friends with a girl named Chrissie who comes around once a year, it’s just Christmas. My favorite time of the year is Christmas, so I guess we would be best friends in Australia.
9. Flat
While this word is not funny, when used as a place to live, it has a funny tone. But only if it unusual for you to say you live in a flat, right? This is an apartment in England, and one that most probably know with the influx of Hugh Grant movies that once invaded our country.
Frequently asked questions
It's all about language and culture! Every country has its own way of naming things based on history, tradition, and even humor. It's what makes travel so fascinating!
Oh, there are so many! I personally chuckled at how Australians call flip-flops 'thongs'. It still catches me off guard every time!
Absolutely! Just like we find some of their names funny, they're probably thinking, 'Why on earth do they call it that?' It's all about perspective!
That's a tough one! But I might have to give it to Iceland—those place names are tongue twisters! But honestly, every country has its own quirks!
Haha, yes! Some country names can sound funny to foreign ears, like Djibouti or Tuvalu. They have this unique ring to them, don't they?
8. Quid
This is slang for cash in England. To me this is one of the stranger ones. It sounds more like a sushi dish than anything to me. I guess it really isn’t any more strange than saying, “I earned some jack today.”
7. Cheers
This is thanks in England and Australia. Also, probably another one that most people know, but still something that I guarantee you will get sick of hearing if you travel to either of those countries. Just say thanks, guys. How hard is that?
6. Lorry
This is a delivery truck in England. Here’s another very strange one to me. Actually, it sounds like a persons name to me.
5. Lemonade
This is what they call Sprite in Australia. Weird. I sent this back in the first restaurant I ate in twice before I realized that I was going to have to get used to it. Here’s another weird thing about drinks in England, no free refills.
4. Fag
This is a cigarette in England, and it’s by far the meanest slang translation I’ve ever met. I don’t know who decided to go with that name, but they really should have rethought it. Of course, does anyone know where that word came from for someone who is, different…?
3. Loo
Another word I would think of as a man’s name, but not in England! This is the bathroom in England. Apparently this is a slang term derived from Waterloo. Go figure…
2. Queue
This means to line up in Australia. Arguably this is the strangest on the list. If every kind of music downloading software I’ve ever used didn’t call your list of current downloads a queue, I would have been totally lost about this.
1. Pram
This is what the English call a baby stroller. Apparently it’s short for the term perambulator, which means to walk around. It makes sense, but still the weirdest to me, although admittedly not by a long shot.
There are a lot of strange terms on this list, but maybe to you they aren’t strange at all? Have you encountered a stranger one, that you could put on this list?
Top Photo Credit: FreyaB
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