Lost in translation
Discussion
Classic.
Reminds me of my Dad's story of when we were in the states.
He'd recently transferred to the US office and in his first couple of days was familiarising himself with everything and everyone, obtaining supplies etc.
His secretary was VERY offended when asked if she had any rubbers...
Very different meaning in the US and the UK. One is a pencil eraser, the other is a condom
Reminds me of my Dad's story of when we were in the states.
He'd recently transferred to the US office and in his first couple of days was familiarising himself with everything and everyone, obtaining supplies etc.
His secretary was VERY offended when asked if she had any rubbers...
Very different meaning in the US and the UK. One is a pencil eraser, the other is a condom
TheLemming said:
His secretary was VERY offended when asked if she had any rubbers...
Yep, and at an old company I worked for they had a smoking area outside. The look on the face of the American visitor was a treat - when it was explained to him that they could pop down the stairs and have a cigarette but to watch out for the "fag buts" outside....
He quickly realised and everything was fine, but makes a damn fine gag even now....
Yes, I did that too whilst on the phone to an American company about 10 years ago. I was describing the size of the embedded controller we were trying to run our code on as "about the size of a fag packet".
A colleague who was listening in said "
Jon! Americans!" and I twigged and clarified what I had just said. 
A colleague who was listening in said "
Jon! Americans!" and I twigged and clarified what I had just said. Oh, and while I remember. I work for a Finnish company and when having a conference call about sales, my boss kept going on about "slippery".... didnt have a clue what he was talking about. He kept saying things like "we are having major slippery" and "this slippery is causing major headaches".... eventually stopped him and figured out he meant slipage.... Ah, the penny drops...
Had a mate who was out in Detroit quite a few years ago working on a GM project. When the job he was on needed a 3" rubber bung (grommet). He went to the storeman & asked if he had a bung about 3" in diamerter. The storeman nearly decked him as he thought he was reffering to his anus. It was only the quick thinking of his supervisor that stopped a trip to ER (A & E) when he said he was English.
nothing but I tell you I know 
Plotloss said:
Try walking into a somewhat rough pub south of I20 in Atlanta (murder capital of the world pre 1996) and asking if they have a 'fag machine'
My old lecturer recounted the story of when he played semi-pro tennis and they got off the coach when they reached the US and piled into a bar and he exclaimed "I really need a fag"
I recall sitting with my buddies in my (then) local and overhearing a conversation between two old blokes on the next table:
"And, you know, he gave me a beautiful cock - I'll show you!"
We all turned to look - whereupon he got up and walked out the room, to return, a minute or so later - with a pigeon.
"And, you know, he gave me a beautiful cock - I'll show you!"
We all turned to look - whereupon he got up and walked out the room, to return, a minute or so later - with a pigeon.
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