Can the same language mean different things in different cultures?

Is it difficult for someone English to be friends with an American? Can there be misunderstandings due to words having very different meanings on each side of the pond? It seems like it is relatively easy to insult an American with absolutely no intent whatsoever? Anyone experienced this? What did you do to remedy the situation?

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bookerdana · M

If a brit says he knocked up your girlfriend its generally OK 😀

Lauren19 · 26-30, F

@bookerdana Explain?

bookerdana · M

@Lauren19 Means knocked on your door,woke up..in the States it means impregnate,usually out of wedlock

Lauren19 · 26-30, F

@bookerdana I've definitely heard it used to describe the latter, in England. Must've crept over the pond somehow, that one!

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

@bookerdana Only in the North of England; where I come from in the south where we have been able to afford alarm clocks for many generations to say that your girlfriend had been knocked up has meant that she's pregnant for as long as I can remember and I'm 67.

Scribbles · 36-40, F

@bookerdana I didn't know that it meant knocking on someone's door/waking someone up in the UK. that's funny. 🤣

jackcros · 70-79, M

@ninalanyon Alarm clock, you were lucky, we had to make do with t’ knocker up woman throwing stones at t’windows to wake us up for t’mill.

bookerdana · M

@Scribbles I kinda like the Brit version 😌