US / UK Dictionary Translations

Posted by accountingweb on Nov 8 2010 1205 printer friendly

It has been said for some time that the US and UK are two nations divided by a common language. This is true.

With that in mind, listed below are some of the common phrases we as a firm often hear confused.

If you know of others, I would welcome them.

US	UK
accounts payable	creditors/bought ledger
accounts receivable	sales ledger/debtors
aisle	gangway
antenna	aerial (radio/TV)
bathrobe	dressing-gown
bobbie pin	hair grip/kirby grip
business suit	lounge suit
candy	sweets
cell phone	mobile phone
check	bill
checking account	bank current account
cilantro	coriander
cookie	biscuit
cotton candy	candyfloss
dead end	cul-de-sac
diapers	nappies
dungarees/jeans	jeans
eggplant	aubergine
elevator	lift
eraser	rubber
escalator	escalator
fall	autumn
fanny pack	bum bag
fender	bumper
financial statements	accounts
freeway	motorway
gas	petrol
glasses	spectacles
hood	bonnet (car)
income statement	profit/loss account
incorporated	limited (company)
instalment plan	hire purchase
intersection	junction
Inventory	stock
janitor	caretaker/porter
license plate	number plate
line	queue
math	maths
mouse pad	mouse mat
pants	trousers
parking lot	car park
period	full stop (punctuation)
plaza	circus
pull-off	lay-by
realtor	estate agent
rest-room	toilet
revenue	turnover
Sales Tax (similar, but different from VAT)	VAT (Value Added Tax)
sidewalk	pavement
smoked herring	kipper
squash	marrow
station wagon	estate car
stocks	shares
stroller	pushchair
subway	underground Railway
suspenders	braces
sweater	jumper
tic-tac-toe	noughts and crosses
trailer	caravan
trailer truck/semi trailer	articulated lorry
trunk	boot
underground passage	subway
underwear	pants
vacation	holiday
zucchini	courgette

If you know of others, I would welcome them.

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