Vocabulary

"Americans have different ways of saying things.  They say 'elevator,' we say 'lift.'  They say 'president,' we say 'stupid psychopathic git.'" Alexi Sayle, Comedian

Ye Olde Words...

Differences in Meaning... Often, American English and British English differ widely in terms of meaning.  While the word may be spelled the same way in both countries, the object or context that the word refers to may not be the same.  So, in a conversation between an American and an Englishman, both sides may believe that they are communicating--when, in fact--they're not.  (Note:  Could this be the reason why Benny Hill wasn't funny all the time?) On his web site, Mike Etherington, a "Brit" who came to live in Austin, Texas stated that "having lived in Texas for two years, it still amazed me how often I was misunderstood."  The following examples are from Etherington's web site http://www.effingpot.com/.  (Note:  If you like his web site, try his book!)

You call this a raise.  Not a common occurrence in either place, sadly!

Rise

Rubber

In England, you would never hesitate to borrow an old rubber from a good friend, or even a stranger, for that matter.  They would probably have one on the end of their pencil.  Most kids chew their rubbers then break them into pieces and throw them at each other.  You call it an eraser!  This caused me immense embarrassment the first time I tried to borrow one.