Divided by a Common Language

Rating:
Summary: The only true British-American dictionary
Review: "Divided by a Common Language" is really the only true British-American dictionary I have come across. It gives direct comparisons of words and expressions, which is what one wants in a reference book. I have recently been teaching in the UK, and I can vouch that both the British and American terms are current. Davies has made this book more than just a dictionary however. There is a plethora of information here. Tidbits of information on various topics, such as the reason the British drive on the left, and the origin of the dollar sign, make this book good reading. Recommended reading for all travelers.

Rating:
Summary: Essential
Review: "England and America are two countries divided by a common language."
-George Bernard Shaw, quoted on the Table of Contents

Christopher Davies has written a dictionary to bridge the divide. He begins by explaining: "... Most English speaking people are unaware of the vast differences between British and American English. This book is designed to enlighten the reader about these differences, and briefly explain how these differences came about. ... An estimated 4,000 words in everyday use in Britain, have a different meaning or are used differently in the U.S."(p.1)

This reader is not a linguist nor lexicographer, but I do read a lot. I have noticed, when reading British books, that my mid-western USA mind is sometimes totally befuddled. This handy-dandy British English-American English Dictionary is a great companion and fun to read! Written with wit and humor (or is that humour?) it also illuminates how the differences came to be:

"The early settlers in the U.S. had no verbal contact with the folk they left behind in England, and the division of the language began. Over the years many Europeans settled in the U.S., bringing their languages with them. English remained the dominant language in America, though German was widely spoken in the 1800's. There were numerous French colonies, and New York was originally a Dutch settlement, called New Amsterdam. Each language left its mark on spoken English [this reviewer would here note that Native languages also enhance American English] ...
Noah Webster, the well known American lexicographer, forecast in 1789 that eventually American English would be as different from British English as Dutch, Danish and Swedish are from German, or from each other." p. 1-2

But with improved transportation and communication, British and American English have remained close enough to cause confusion. In addition to essential cross lexicons, "Rules of the Road," and cartoons with Uncle Sam speak vs. John Bull speak, Mr. Davies provides useful sections on words and phrases with different connotations that can get one in big trouble on the other side of the "pond."

And, finally, God Bless the Canadians, who have their own section in the book and an absolutely charming way of pronouncing the "out" sound. Eh? Listen to Peter Jennings.

Rating:
Summary: The only true British-American dictionary
Review: "Divided by a Common Language" is really the only true British-American dictionary I have come across. It gives direct comparisons of words and expressions, which is what one wants in a reference book. I have recently been teaching in the UK, and I can vouch that both the British and American terms are current. Davies has made this book more than just a dictionary however. There is a plethora of information here. Tidbits of information on various topics, such as the reason the British drive on the left, and the origin of the dollar sign, make this book good reading. Recommended reading for all travelers.

Rating:
Summary: Fancy some Spotted Dick off the sweet trolley, Guv?
Review: Above all, DIVIDED BY A COMMON LANGUAGE is a book primarily of lists. So, it's probably not one you'll actually read from cover to cover unless you're an Anglophile like me.

This volume by Chris Davies is not very long at 194 paperbacked pages. In roughly the first third, Chris writes short commentaries on a number of topics that serve to illustrate the differences in language and life styles between the US and UK: tips for the tourist (airport, hotel), practical information (automobiles, gas/petrol), technical information (plumbing, electricity), institutions/services (postal system, banks, currency, restaurants, bars, museums, theaters, school, government, shops, food, clothing), customs and etiquette, driving terminology (roads, road terms), punctuation, spelling, and idioms and expressions. These topics are sometimes accompanied by short lists of terms, provided in US and UK equivalents, to further illustrate whatever point he's making. Within a single topic, as under "customs and etiquette", his choice of sub-topics seems rather eclectic: phone manners, common conversational courtesy, church attendance, drive-ins and drive-throughs, utility bills, valet parking, window screens, air-conditioning, soda fountains, healthcare, sports, folklore monsters, and public and legal holidays.

The majority of the book's pages comprise two long lists: a British-American lexicon, and an American-British lexicon.

I suppose DIVIDED BY A COMMON LANGUAGE has a practical use, especially if you're a Yank visiting England for the first time, or a Brit going the other way, and you prefer to learn from printed material. I might have used such a reference before the first of my dozen trips across The Pond. (However, I'd rather learn by just immersing myself in the experience of being there.) For me, the principal merit of this book lies in its entertainment value, and the sheer delight of having my memories of England stimulated by the words and expressions one encounters there. Some of my favorites are: catseyes (reflecting highway lane markers), ice lolly (popsicle), full stop (period), dodgy (risky), crisps (potato chips), elevenses (morning tea break), plonk (cheap wine), The Tube (London subway), have a natter (shoot the breeze), bang on (right on), pull your socks up (try harder), spend a penny (use the bathroom), and wonky (unstable).[....]So, take a recce on (check out) this book. Perhaps when you're next in some remote English village, e.g. Twitchen, Splatt, Droop, Gweek, Upper Dicker, Briantspuddle or Barton In The Beans, and someone asks if you'd like some Spotted Dick, you'll know that it's a dessert and not an S.T.D. (That's Subscriber Trunk Dialling.)

Rating:
Summary: Helpful British Travel and Reading Guide for Americans
Review: Any American who wants to get past what you can learn about British words and phrases in a dictionary will benefit from this book.

Divided by a Common Language helped me overcome long-term misunderstandings about what I had been reading in English books. Some British words have an ordinary meaning in American English that is quite different from their British meaning. For example, the British "marrow" is a "large zucchini." For decades, I have been expecting to find beef marrow on my plate in England because of that misreading. I also thought that the British "paraffin" meant a petroleum-based wax as it does in the U.S., whereas it means "kerosene" in the U.K. In reading about someone going for paraffin in novels, I have been wondering what on earth they were going to make with all that wax. If you read this book, you will probably find your own examples of where you thought you knew what was going on . . . but really didn't. I suggest that you start with the British/American Lexicon to learn the most words with the least effort.

The book also has a useful section on British and American phrases, that should help you avoid inadvertently saying what will be perceived as vulgarities across the pond. For example, refer to "retrieving and returning baseballs" rather than "shagging flies" (make your own guess as to what that means, but it isn't nice).

In the vein of the potential for humorous miscommunications, there are a number of cartoons that show what John Bull and Uncle Sam are thinking about when the same word or phrase is said. "My wife loves pot plants, Sam" conjures up John Bull thinking about potted flowers while Uncle Sam imagines a garden full of marijuana plants.

I found four weaknesses in the book that you should be aware of. First, the food equivalents aren't really very precise in some cases. So you may get some surprises. A scone and a biscuit are described as the same, which most of us would argue they are not. A burrito is described as meat and salad in a tortilla, while most would agree that it is as likely to have beans and cheese with sauce as it is to have meat and salad. Second, the book mostly focuses on the contemporary British language so it is less helpful than it might be if you are reading older British books. Third, the U.K. words more represent the usages of English people than they do on what you will encounter in Scotland or Wales. Fourth, some U.K. terms described here are actually in common usage (at least in the northeast and in California, the areas I know best) in the United States. "Pins and needles" is the way many Americans would describe the feeling of blood circulation returning to an limb that has gone numb, but is described as a British term here.

I don't feel competent to review how helpful this book would be to a British person, so I will skip that perspective.

The book covers how the languages came to diverge, tips for tourists, detailed information about important daily subjects (cars, telephones, plumbing, electricity, food, shopping, schools, sights, and measurements), etiquette, driving terminology, pronunciation, spelling, "what not to say," idioms and expressions, and a U.K.-U.S. and a U.S.-U.K. lexicon. There's also some information about Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and South African variations.

Good luck in explaining yourself to those in the U.K.

Rating:
Summary: What a stitch!
Review: Davies has the British American differences all sewn up in "Divided by a Common Language". I found his word translations to be fairly accurate and current. The book had me in stitches. I was surprised how many pronunciation and spelling differences there are. Lots of good information in this book.

Rating:
Summary: Good yen, but yang required for balance...
Review: Excellent book, much of it in the style of a dictionary. Offers specific phrases to use as alternatives in both American and British cultures. Written by a Brit who now lives in Florida, so it's nice to see the still-British-influenced language he uses in his narrations. And it's written for use in both cultures, not just geared to travels from Britain traveling in America or vice-versa.

I do think this book is perfect in combination with the book "Brit-think Ameri-think" by Jane Walmsley who is (as opposed to Davies) American born but now living in Britain. In her book, she offers the necessary complement to "Divided" by giving her readers a less technical, more anecdotal insight into the attitudes, habits and background of the two cultures (and she's humorous as well).

On its own, this book is very technically good.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but not 100% accurate
Review: I am an American and I have a very good friend from London. Recently my friend came to visit America, and while he was here I pulled out my copy of this book to see what he thought. While many of the terms were accurate, there were a significant number of entries that were outdated, completely off the mark, or close but not quite applied correctly. I handed my friend a red pen and he proceeded to rewrite some entries. He commented several times that the author "must have never been to England or spoken with actual English people" as there were so many phrases with inaccurate UK definitions or usages.

We did like the pronounciation comparison charts, though, and had a good time saying each of the words and comparing pronounciations. And making fun of the other person where necessary.

Overall I'd say, it's a good reference for an overall picture, but if you plan on incorporating any of the phrases into your vocabulary, have it checked by a native first.

Rating:
Summary: A good, succint reference
Review: It's not the be all and end all but it's a good quick reference. If you're really serious you should get a different one to supplement this.

PS: to the person who referred to pumps as high-heeled shoes, that is not correct. It has nothing to do with the heels (think of men's dress pumps) just the fact that they slip on. A common mistake but one to clarify.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for travellers.
Review: Taking his cue from George Bernard Shaw's, "England and America are two countries divided by a common language", Christopher Davies, of Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia and the U.S., has penned, "Divided By A Common Language" with the subtitle, "A British/American Dictionary Plus, published by Mayflower Press. Divided, there's that word again, into sixteen sections interspersed with humorous illustrations, Davies takes us an historical, as well as practical, journey, even pointing out the differences between American and British plumbing! In the vocabulary portions we find the U.S. word "diaper" translated into "nappy", (familiar to watchers of British TV, ie, telly, shows).The U.S. slang "shut up" becomes "belt up" in the U.K. The examples are numerous and sometimes funny, sometimes surprising. In the restaurant section I was intrigued with "spotted dick" which is a suet or sponge pudding with currants. Also "bubble & squeak" which is a fried mashed potatoes and veggies patty. The handsome red, white and blue cover sports the two countries' flags, tempting you to sample its contents. Do, you won't be disappointed. A must-read for transatlantic travellers plus those who just love words and their derivations. Davies has appeared on many television shows and his book has been showcased on nationwide PBS channels and featured in the British publication Union Jack. Buy it--you'll like it! I await, with anticipation, the sequel.

Iris Forrest, Editor Ageless Press, Sarasota, Florida