US variants of UK English - a short list.

Steve W · Jun 10, 2007

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help me translate English English into American English, please. (My book is set in modern day New York, by the way.)

Could the word 'hoicked' be used in the narrative, or is that an alien word Americans would never use?

How about 'mollycoddled'? (Any alternatives would be most welcome.)

If someone has fallen and someone else offers assistance, can you say 'He heaved her up.' or does that mean he vomited her up?

From the word 'until' - do Americans generally use 'til or till, or doesn't it matter?

If a kitchen and living room have no dividing walls, we say it's 'open-plan' -- do Americans use this phrase?

Thanks for your time.

Cheers,
Steve

SpookyWriter · Jun 10, 2007

Steve W said:
Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help me translate English English into American English, please. (My book is set in modern day New York, by the way.)

Could the word 'hoicked' be used in the narrative, or is that an alien word Americans would never use?

I don't recognize it, so it's a word best translated to American English.

How about 'mollycoddled'? (Any alternatives would be most welcome.)

Babied. Mollycoddled is still used around parts of the states. I'm not sure it would in NYC.

If someone has fallen and someone else offers assistance, can you say 'He heaved her up.' or does that mean he vomited her up?

He lifted her. Heaved means barfed or vomited.

From the word 'until' - do Americans generally use 'til or till, or doesn't it matter?

Until is formal. In dialogue you may say "'till" and it'd be fine.

If a kitchen and living room have no dividing walls, we say it's 'open-plan' -- do Americans use this phrase?

Nope, open plan doesn't ring a bell. I think the scene would be a loft of some sort. Lofts are becoming popular in some parts of the states.

Thanks for your time.

Cheers,
Steve

Good luck

detante · Jun 10, 2007

I can't speak for others, but I've never seen the word hoicked, myself.

Mollycoddled is a word that Americans are familiar with, but it is an old-fashioned term. I think most folks would say "babied" instead.

I would understand what you meant by "He heaved her up." Although it makes her sound a bit hefty.

Until is the proper spelling. I would only use 'til or till as colloquial dialog.

Open-plan should be fine, although I think 'open floorplan' would be a more familiar phrase for Americans.

HTH

alleycat · Jun 10, 2007

Could the word 'hoicked' be used in the narrative, or is that an alien word Americans would never use?
[I've never used the word, or heard it in speech, as far as I know.]

How about 'mollycoddled'? (Any alternatives would be most welcome.)
[Alternates include pampered, spoiled, and, as detante mentioned, babied.]

If someone has fallen and someone else offers assistance, can you say 'He heaved her up.' or does that mean he vomited her up?
[I think it would sound odd to most Americans in that usage; "lifted her up" or "picked her up" would probably be better. Or you could say, "He heaved and lifted her up."]

From the word 'until' - do Americans generally use 'til or till, or doesn't it matter?
[We use both. I would probably just use "until" in writing, unless I really had a need to use "till".]

If a kitchen and living room have no dividing walls, we say it's 'open-plan' -- do Americans use this phrase? [It's sometime used when talking about the floor plan itself. "Great room" would be used to describe a large living, dining area. "Open to the living room" or "open to the kitchen" would be another way to say it.]

kristie911 · Jun 10, 2007

I, too, have never heard the word "hoicked" but I'm really curious to know what it means.

My only other comment is on the word until...I'm not sure the word "till" is correct either. If you're using "until" in speech it should be 'til. The word "till" written with two ll's means to turn the earth to get it ready for planting.

Other than that, I think you've gotten good advice. (I would, however, understand what you meant by "open plan" though "open floor plan" would probably be more recognizable in the US.

Good luck!

cletus · Jun 10, 2007

As an American living in England for the past 14 years, I'm fluent in both languages. I agree with what my native country-folk have said above.

I've also never heard of the word "hoicked". In what area of the country do they use it?

squalid · Jun 10, 2007

You might try jerked, wrenched, whisked and yank(ed) for hoicked, Yank is my choice.

Yes, I am.

BlueTexas · Jun 10, 2007

Steve W said:
Hi,

If someone has fallen and someone else offers assistance, can you say 'He heaved her up.' or does that mean he vomited her up?

From the word 'until' - do Americans generally use 'til or till, or doesn't it matter?

If a kitchen and living room have no dividing walls, we say it's 'open-plan' -- do Americans use this phrase?

Heaved would make sense to me as lifted.

'Til, I have to agree with people who said diaglogue. Till to me means cash till or turning up the earth.

Also, another vote for "open floor plan" vs. "open plan."

What does "hoicked" mean?

MissAimee · Jun 10, 2007

I agree with everybody also. I'm scratching my head on "hoicked".. Please tell us what it means then maybe we can give you a word that would work.

Deleted member 42 · Jun 10, 2007

Steve W said:
Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help me translate English English into American English, please. (My book is set in modern day New York, by the way.)

Could the word 'hoicked' be used in the narrative, or is that an alien word Americans would never use?

How about 'mollycoddled'? (Any alternatives would be most welcome.)

I'm going to point you to a really nifty resource: The American Heritage Dictionary.

It's a dictionary, with usage notes, that's updated about every five years, and is very much a dictionary of American English as used in daily life.

Jamesaritchie · Jun 10, 2007

hoicked

"Hoicked" mean "lift," doesn't it? Sort of like "hoisted."

Definitely not a word average Americans would know.

Have you tried setting your spellcheck program to American English?

At any rate, you can find some very long lists of American/English variations online.

Stijn Hommes · Jun 11, 2007

I never heard of 'hoicked' in neither variety of English. Mollycoddled is definitely British.

travelgal · Jun 11, 2007

I've lived in London for three years and have never heard of 'hoicked'. It means 'to vomit'?

waylander · Jun 11, 2007

travelgal said:
I've lived in London for three years and have never heard of 'hoicked'. It means 'to vomit'?

Mr Ritchie (as ever) has it correct.
It means lifted or hoisted, more particularly in an undignified or awkward manner

akiwiguy · Jun 11, 2007

waylander said:
Mr Ritchie (as ever) has it correct.
It means lifted or hoisted, more particularly in an undignified or awkward manner

Well, there you go. In NZ hoicked means to spit (I presume it's the same spelling). I mean a pretty indignified, deliberately get plegm in your mouth, and spit. I've never heard a word that sounds the same but with a different meaning.

Hey, sorry if it's jumping across the thread, but can I ask one of Americans that seemed to cause some confusion once when I was chatting on the web...

If I said I was pissed, would you take that to mean "angry" or "drunk"? Here if I was angry I'd tend to say pissed off, and pissed usually would mean a bit drunk (though it is increasingly used as angry, but not nearly so common).

cletus · Jun 11, 2007

Both pissed and pissed off would be taken as meaning angry by most Americans.

My favourite instance of personal confusion was when I was still in the Air Force, but had been stationed here for 5 years and already picked up the lingo. I was reading the minutes from the Base Advisory Council meeting and saw that somebody complained about the grass cutters nicking cars. I immediately thought "Why don't they report it to the police instead of the Base Advisory Council?"

Nick is British slang for stealing (and also, oddly, for being caught).

Pagey's_Girl · Jun 11, 2007

One of the funniest bits I've heard concerning the many uses of "pissed" was in a book where the writer (it was a memoir, not a novel) was relating a tale told by a British friend who was using the word in all three of its non-bodily-functional uses - "Well, by then he was pretty pissed (drunk) and he went looking for his wife, and he was quite pissed (angry) when he realized that she had pissed off (left) with the other bloke..."

Such a versatile word...

jerrymouse · Jun 11, 2007

to americans traveling in the uk
diesel is the what brits call gasoline

kristie911 · Jun 11, 2007

I've heard the word 'pissed' used to mean drunk but if I heard someone say it, I would immediately think he was intoxicated. I always say I'm pissed or pissed off when I'm angry.

I, did however, know that nick meant to steal, though people around here don't use it that way. If I read it in a book, I would probably understand what the writer meant but it would be much clearer if they just said stole.

I thought you all spoke English over there?

C.bronco · Jun 11, 2007

"Open plan" rooms are often called "great rooms." As said above, "open floor plan" also works.

CaroGirl · Jun 11, 2007

We say "open concept" but I don't live in America.

dobiwon · Jun 11, 2007

I'll agree with most of the others from America as far as "hoicked" (never heard of it), "heaved" (not heard of it in the context of helping up), and "until" (a more formal way of saying 'til). I also agree that the US equivalent of "open-plan" is "open floor plan".

However, I think "mollycoddled" is a perfectly good term. In my mind there is a slight distinction between it and pampered, spoiled, or babied, all of which are slightly different from each other. Mollycoddling involves aspects of all three, plus an additional piece of protecting from the harshness of reality.

janetbellinger · Jun 11, 2007

In Canada,
hoicked is horked
mollycoddled still in use with some people
open plan would be open concept
heaved up would mean vomit
knocked up would mean get pregnant lol

CaroGirl · Jun 11, 2007

janetbellinger said:
In Canada,
hoicked is horked...

Oh! Well, "horked" I do know. ick.

Vomaxx · Jun 11, 2007

One telling difference is the British use of "whilst" where Americans would use "while".

US variants of UK English - a short list.

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