[Wikipedia-l] Re: Re: Re: Wikipedia English English

[Phil Boswell]

"Rowan Collins" <rowan.collins at gmail.com> 
wrote in message news:9f02ca4c050922054468d07f8a at mail.gmail.com...
On 21/09/05, Mark Williamson 
<node.ue at gmail.com> wrote:
[snip]
> > "note" vs "bill" -- "bill" would probably not be understood in the UK,
> > but referring to them as notes would be understood in the US.
> So, it's a difference. "Bill" would in fact be likely to be understood
> as "request for payment" - what is known in the US as a "check".
> > "bill" vs "check" -- uhh... we use both.
> In the UK, a "bill" is never a banknote, and a "check" is never
> anything to do with money. We have "cheques", which are the things you
> write on and sign to pay for something, but that's something different
> again.

To be fair, we do have "Mr Check Please!", but he's fictional, so he doesn't 
count :-)

> > "pedestrian crossing" vs "crosswalk" -- we use both here.
> And "crosswalk" would mean absolutely nothing to a Brit. As wouldn't,
> I would hazard to guess, a "pelican crossing" to you.


How about trying to distinguish between these:
a.. Zebra crossing
a.. Pelican crossing
a.. Puffin crossing
a.. Toucan crossing
a.. Pegasus crossing
(no, I'm not joking, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian_crossing )
-- 
Phil
[[en:User:Phil Boswell]]