What I Mean When I Say …

I’m a Kiwi, through and through. My accent is very thick, I sometimes speak fast, and even though I’m conscious about  s l o w i n g  my speech down, I’m often misunderstood here in California. You’d think both Americans and New Zealander’s speak the same language … English. But, you couldn’t be further from the truth.

It’s often subtle words or phrases that trip me up. So here are a few of the words that I’ve recently stumbled on.

Are you ready? You’ll find the New Zealand words in “speech marks”, while the American equivalent is in italics.

California weather is usually warm, so during the last year I’ve generally worn “jandals” on my feet. American’s call these flip flops. It could be worse – Australian’s call them ‘thongs’. When I want to walk in mud or jump in puddles, I wear “gumboots” (rain boots).

New Zealanders call these Jandals.

And speaking of a “boot” that’s what I call the trunk of my car, while my “bonnet” is the hood. I use an “indicator” (turn signal/blinker) to change lanes when driving (although in reality, not many in California actually use one of these anyway) and I fill my car with “petrol” (gas). I drive over “judder bars” (speed bumps), park my car in a “car park” (parking lot) and walk on the “footpath” (sidewalk).

The twins no longer suck on a “dummy” (pacifier). And since they graduated from “nappies” (diapers), they use the “toilet” (potty).

Apparently you’re supposed to say ‘restroom’ at a restaurant and ‘bathroom’ in a home, when enquiring where the ‘facilities’ are in the USA. It’s all universal for Kiwis.

While we are on the subject, I sit on my “bum” or “bottom” and not my fanny. My “fanny” is a more polite name for my girlie bits, which is why anyone who is not American sniggers at the 80s fashion mistake that was the fanny pack, which Kiwis call a “bum bag“, by the way.

When you move out of home in NZ, you usually go “flatting” (move into a house/apartment – not sure what the US equivalent is) with a couple of “mates” (friends). These mates are referred to as “flatmates” (roommates).

You sell your second hand stuff at a “garage” (yard) sale.

When I do the “washing” (laundry) I hang my clothes up with a clothes “peg” (pin), although most Californians don’t have a clothes line and put their wet washing straight in the dryer. I dry my dishes with a “tea towel” (dish towel).

Kiwi’s holiday in their togs.

If I cut the front of my hair I’d have a “fringe” (bangs). When it gets cold, I wear a “jersey or jumper” (sweatshirt). When I’m hot, I’ll wear a “singlet” (sleeveless shirt/tank top) and wear my “togs” (swim suit) to the beach. I go on “holiday” (vacation) and while I’m away, I might go for a “tramp” (hike). Yes, we go “tramping” not hiking.

School gets confusing. Kiwis start their schooling in primary school (elementary), and we progress to “high school/college” (high school) as a teenager. If we study after school, New Zealanders go to “university” (college).

We draw or colour with “felts” or “felt tip pens” (markers).

Food is a whole other category…

I’ve already written a blog about American meat, even though I don’t even eat it.

If you get food to “take away”, it’s to go. I use a shopping “trolley” (cart) at the “supermarket” (grocery store). In Summer, Kiwi’s “barbecue“, we don’t grill.  When we “grill“, it’s the broiler setting on the oven.

An “iced coffee” in California is literally cold black coffee over ice. A Frappuccino is the blended cold milk coffee drink I’m actually after. I learnt that one the hard way! A mocha is the same, just pronounced differently . NZers say ‘mock-are’, while USA says ‘mow-car’ (as in to mow the lawns).

A “scone/savoury breaded thing” is a biscuit, while a New Zealand “biscuit” is a cookie. And, for the record,  I’d never put gravy on a either sort of biscuit, because that’s just weird.

I make a pie with “pastry” (pie crust),  and I add “capsicum” (bell pepper) to my “chickpea” (garbanzo bean) bake. But, I leave out the “coriander” (cilantro), because I’m not a fan.

A  New Zealand “hot dog” is kind of like a corn dog, while in the USA, a hot dog is an “American hot dog“. Yeah, read that again, very confusing.

In NZ we put “tomato sauce” on our hot “chips”, whereas in the States, you put ketchup on your fries (that one still trips me up). A “spring roll” is an egg roll and a “cheese toasted sandwich” (or cheese toastie) is a grilled cheese.

The kids eat fish “fingers” (sticks) or “crumbed” (breaded) fish.  If they’re good, they might get an “iceblock” (popsicle) or ice cream and “jelly” (jello) for dessert.

If we want to go a little sugar crazy we’ll have “lollies” (candy) or “candy floss” (cotton candy). Kidding, our kids have yet to try candy floss – I can imagine the sugar high now…

I need “icing sugar” (powdered sugar) to make “icing” (frosting) to “ice” (frost) a cake.

A “doughnut” in New Zealand is a sweet long bread roll, with whipped cream, jam and icing sugar, while American donuts are like a bagel, but sweet and glazed (or, on the rare occasion, all the colours of a rainbow).

The New Zealand Doughnut

I think that covers the bulk of lost in translation words that I’ve discovered over the past year. I haven’t even started on the phrases, we’ll save that for another post.

For those of you who know me, what have I said that you’ve laughed at, or required an explanation?

______________________

Don’t forget to follow the Jandals and Jet Planes Facebook Page, for more news, music, articles and images relating to kiwis living in Southern California. I also use the hashtag #kiwisincalifornia on Instagram, if you want to follow the madness there.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin