US Lexicon

Last update:
1-Dec-2004
©1996-2006
Mike Todd

Where it's not obvious: BE = British English, AE=American English and

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AAA
	American Automobile Association (or "Triple-A") The US equivalent of the AA or RAC in the UK. Membership has several advantages, not least of which is a range of travel discounts. If you're an AA or RAC member and you're in the US booking hotels, motels, rental cars or even bus and plane journeys, ask if an AAA discount is available. If an AAA discount is available, you may be able to take advantage if you have your membership card to hand (or even if you don't!)
AARP
	American Association of Retired Persons This is a national organisation which represents the retired men and women of America, and many locations (hotels, car rentals etc) give discounts to AARP members. Even if you're not a member, but are of retirement age, it's well worth asking if you can get a "senior citizen's discount", which is surprisingly common.
Acetaminophen
	Paracetamol If you ask for Paracetamol in the US you're likely to get a very strange look. It's just not known. That's because the US uses a different contraction of the chemical name, namely Acetaminophen, most widely available as Tylenol, although also available in own-brand versions in many stores. The chemical name is N-Acetyl-p-aminophenol, from which we get (Para) N-Acetyl-p-aminophenol and the US gets N-Acetyl-p-aminophenol and the brand name N-Acetyl-p-aminophenol. As a result, the two medications are identical. Some would have you believe that the American version has an additive to prevent overdose, but this is a very dangerous myth ... it doesn't.
Adopt-a-highway
	If you've ever wondered why American interstates and other major highways look so clear of litter, it's because of the Adopt-a-Highway scheme, whereby a local organisation (such as a business or social group) arranges to keep a section of the highway clear of litter.
Affirmative Action
	Positive Discrimination (sometimes known as "reverse discrimination") Giving women or minorities a greater opportunity for employment or education is affirmative action. It has been used, within the terms of the 1964 Civil Right's Act, and the 1868 14th Amendment ("nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws") to help compensate for discrimination in the past. However, various legal challenges have been made and affirmative action is getting less common.
Aggie
	A student at an agricultural college (specifically, the Texas A&M college). The aggie is frequently the subject of jokes denigrating their intelligence.
Air Force One
	The US President's Plane The US President has a number of planes which he can use for travelling on official business. None of them is specifically Air Force One, and in fact any plane on which the President is flying is designated as Air Force One. The Vice President's plane is Air Forice Two, and for security reasons the President and Vice President never travel in the same plane (or other vehicle for that matter).
Aluminum
	Aluminium This element was originally named alumium by Sir Humphrey Davey, who then changed it to aluminum. The i was added later in Britain and Europe to make it fit it with sodium, potassium and so on, but the US stuck with the original spelling
Alumnus (plural: Alumni)
	College graduate In fact, anyone who has attended college or high school
America (song)
	A patriotic song, more commonly called "My Country 'Tis of Thee", which is the first line. It was written by Rev. Samuel Francis Smith in 1832, and is sung to the same tune as God Save the King, the British National Anthem. This tune had been in use in America for many years prior to its discover by Smith, but its use was later decried for being British. For more details on the history, see The History of the song America.
America the Beautiful (song)
	Also sometimes known as America, America. A national "hymn", with words written by poet and teacher, Katherine Lee Bates, during her travels through the Rocky Mountains in 1893. The tune is an 1882 tune by Samuel Ward. For more information, see The History of America the Beautiful.
American Cheese
	Traditionally, American Cheese is basically a mild cheddar style cheese. However, it is usually cheddar-style cheese blended with, for instance, Colby cheese, and has a slightly higher water content than other cheeses.
American plan
	Full-board The term indicates that that the hotel room includes the room plus at least breakfast and dinner (and sometimes also lunch).
Antsy
	Jittery or nervous Perhaps the origin is ants in his pants
Ante Bellum
	Before the Civil War (1861) Often used to describe old American houses
Antenna
	Aerial
Apartment
	Flat Strictly speaking, a flat is an apartment on a single level and so the BE word isn't a direct replacement for apartment. In fact, BE has used the word apartment since the 17th century to mean a part of a house or building set aside for use by a person or family.
Area Code
	Dialling Code 3-digit code which is added to the front of the local phone number in the same way that the UK STD Codes are used. For many states, a single area code covers the entire state, but the heavily populated states are broken down into several area codes. America is running out of numbers, and so there is an ongoing reorganisation of area codes with new codes being introduced. This means that in many parts of the US, you now have to dial the full number (with area code) even for local numbers.
Ascot
	Cravat
Ass
	Bottom or Arse Not quite as vulgar as the BE arse
Attorney
	Lawyer, Barrister or Solicitor. Although now mainly an American term, attorney is old BE and means someone who is appointed to act on behalf of someone else. The British expression power of attorney represents this use. In the US it is generally applied to anyone who is appointed to act in a legal capacity on behalf of someone.
Auto-teller
	Cash machine, ATM If you're visiting the US and run out of cash, you might consider using an ATM to get some dollars with your UK cash-card. In general, provided that you have a PIN and a card that has the Cirrus or Maestro logos on them, then you should be able to use it. But it's worth checking with your bank before you go. Also, be warned that there is often a fee for getting cash from them.