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The other day, having coffee with some friends, I said, 'so, I went and got a Biro'......My friends went, whoa back up a minute, what's a Biro? So I explained, made a sideways fist and clicked my thumb up and down, then they got it. I must admit I haven't used that word in decades, it just popped out my mouth. Any other ex-pats come out with old words and flummox those around them?

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Good job you weren't in LA or San Francisco, they'd have all come outside with you .

The other day, having coffee with some friends, I said, 'so, I went and got a Biro'......My friends went, whoa back up a minute, what's a Biro? So I explained, made a sideways fist and clicked my thum

corsey't does

Good job you weren't in LA or San Francisco, they'd have all come outside with you .

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They would be a prelatrix.

katyjay. When in America once I mentioned the timescale 'fortnight'. What's a fortnight was the response.

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The other day, having coffee with some friends, I said, 'so, I went and got a Biro'......My friends went, whoa back up a minute, what's a Biro? So I explained, made a sideways fist and clicked my thumb up and down, then they got it. I must admit I haven't used that word in decades, it just popped out my mouth. Any other ex-pats come out with old words and flummox those around them?

It is said that we and the Americans are two nations separated by a common language.

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I wouldn't call "Nottinghamese" a common language.....LOL

England and America share another trait, regional accents, them on the right coast sound different than those of the left coast, and "dahn 'ere" where I live they sound a lot different to northeners.

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Same over here fernilee, it's a stove.

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Back in the early 70's there was a long running discussion in the letters of Motor magazine as to what the correct measurement of speed should be - my favorite: "Furlongs per fortnight". I regularly use it here - confuses the locals summat 'orrible it does!

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You might get a shock one day and say that to a retired surveyor Eric, he might come up with a chain a second..

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I think that's how a cricket pitch was set up, isn't 22 yds a chain????

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Yeah, but most folk know seconds! Chains/fortnight might be good though! However, you do have to be careful with Americans - they still understand measurements like bushel and peck!

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The other day, having coffee with some friends, I said, 'so, I went and got a Biro'......My friends went, whoa back up a minute, what's a Biro? So I explained, made a sideways fist and clicked my thumb up and down, then they got it. I must admit I haven't used that word in decades, it just popped out my mouth. Any other ex-pats come out with old words and flummox those around them?

Laszio Biro born in Hungary invented the ball-point pen.

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