Many years ago, I attended an American college in London. Many of the students from the US were totally baffled and perplexed by British slang or alternate meanings for the same words. Common ones:
In a B&B: "What time would you liked to be knocked up?" Translation for those on this side of the Atlantic: "What time would like to be awakened?"
"My Dogs are barking." Translation: "My feet are aching."
One of the best in my opinion was watching their faces when asked for a "Got a fag?" Translation: "Got a cigarette?"
But the all time best anecdote was what happened one morning boarding the Tube (Underground/Metro/Subway) in a huge hurray with a group of fellow students. It was rush hour, packed trains and we were running late, and arrived at the station as this particular train was almost ready to leave. We all rushed for different doors, just as the doors began to close. Right behind me was the equivalent of a SWI/West Ender - but from Boston's Beacon Hill. She was so proper it was almost comical. When the doors almost closed as she was halfway into the train car, she announced into a very quiet car "Darn! Almost got my fanny caught in the door!" She was met by dead silent, followed quickly by a collective gasp, followed by uproarious laughter. She grabbed me by my coat lapels and demanded to know what she'd said. LOL...so into the now verrrrrrry quiet car, I explained, that in the UK, the fanny is not your backside, its the front. To which she turned almost purple with mortification and the car once again broke out in laughter.
Ahhhhhhhh yes....great fun.
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