# Some vocabulary questions



## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Yes, there is an ulterior motive::icon_smile_wink: But just a bit of fun really.

1. Relatives or relations? (family)
2. Living room, sitting room, lounge or parlour?
3. Foreword or preface?
4. Veranda, terrace, or porch?
5. Air force, Raff or R.A.F? 
6. RM, Marines, Commandos or Royals?
7. Timetable or schedule?
8. Tube or underground
9. Miffy or Milly (a Milly is sometimes referred to a Tilly)? 
10. High C or Low C or RC?
11. Ascot or geyser 
12. Hoover or vacuum cleaner
13. Loo, lav, toilet, WC? 
14. into town, down to town, up to town, into the city?
15. a, saute potatoes or french fried potatoes?
b, pommes frites, chips, strips or french fries?
c, chips or crisps?
16. Rug or mat? 
17. bicycle, bike, pedalcycle or pushbike?
18. taxi or cab?
19. Summary, abstract, or outline?
20. Senior, superior or higher? 

Have fun...but be careful... :icon_smile_big:
Note: this has nothing to do with Br.Eng v Am.Eng nor does it have anything to so with pronunciation/dialects or grammar.


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

1.Relatives
2.Living room
3.Preface
4.Veranda
5.Air Force
6.Marines
7.Timetable
8.underground
9.Miffy
10.High C
11.Ascot
12.Vacuum cleaner
13.Toilet
14. Into town
15.A.french fried potatoes
B.French fries
C.Chips
16.Rug
17.Bicycle
18.Cab
19.Outline
20.Superior


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

hhmmm....interesting  After a few more I'll give my answers.


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> hhmmm....interesting  After a few more I'll give my answers.


I'll be honest, your reply is starting to make me a little bit scared.


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## Douglas Brisbane Gray (Jun 7, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Yes, there is an ulterior motive::icon_smile_wink: But just a bit of fun really.
> 
> 1. Relatives or relations? (family) rlelatives
> 2. Living room, sitting room, lounge or parlour? living room is where we watch telly the sitting room is the best room for visitors
> ...


Answered as best I can, AC is for Anglo Catholic though the 4th tradition in the Anglican communion.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Honestly, just a bit of class /cultural fun.......nothing sinister.....................................


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

I was trying to cover AC with High C, but I'll grant you that. 

Very interesting seeing the Scottish understanding of soe of those, where you say they are different things. 

More repsonses to you later. Don't want to give too much away........

Like your No. 5.....ya cheeky bugger!


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Yes, there is an ulterior motive::icon_smile_wink: But just a bit of fun really.
> 
> 1. Relatives
> 2. Living room
> ...


??=Would usually use another word or expression depending upon context.

Some I just didn't get like the Milly/Tilly thing.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Yes, there is an ulterior motive::icon_smile_wink: But just a bit of fun really.
> 
> 1. Relatives or relations? (family) Rellies
> 2. Living room, sitting room, lounge or parlour? lounge
> ...


There you are.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

hhhmmm...people, adding other words, for example loads of slang words for things e.g. for toilet, or RM, kind of defeats the purpose I had in mind for the exercise, which is why I didn't include slang words for each word rather the accepted options only. 

As for things being different Nos. 2 & 4 for example. Most dictionaries and good word guides list them as synonyms. And in my experience they are used synonymously.


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## David V (Sep 19, 2005)

1. Relatives or relations? (family)_ Folks_
2. Living room, sitting room, lounge or parlour? _Front Room_ or in Chicagoese: _Fronchroom_
3. Foreword or preface?_ Either_
4. Veranda, terrace, or porch? _you left off Stoop and Front Steps_
5. Air force, Raff or R.A.F? _Air Force_
6. RM, Marines, Commandos or Royals? _Marines_
7. Timetable or schedule? _Either_
8. Tube or underground _Subway, El_
9. Miffy or Milly (a Milly is sometimes referred to a Tilly)?_ Elmer_
10. High C or Low C or RC? _Episcopalian, Catholic_
11. Ascot or geyser 
12. Hoover or vacuum cleaner _Vacuum_
13. Loo, lav, toilet, WC? _John_
14. into town, down to town, up to town, into the city? _To town_
15. a, saute potatoes or french fried potatoes? 
b, pommes frites, chips, strips or french fries? 
c, chips or crisps? _Fries_
16. Rug or mat? _Rug _
17. bicycle, bike, pedalcycle or pushbike? _Bike_
18. taxi or cab? _Taxi or Cab_
19. Summary, abstract, or outline?_ They're Different things_
20. Senior, superior or higher? _Senior_


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

David V said:


> 4. Veranda, terrace, or porch? _you left off Stoop and Front Steps_


That's because they are 2 different things. I'll answer this one now then. 
Veranda, terrace, and porch are all acceptable synoynms in UK English for an recreational outdoor area of the house, can have a roof or not. Nothing to do with steps or front/back door entrances.

Again, also saying "they're different things" defeats the exercise. Summary,abstract & outline can all be used synonymopusly.

Nevermind. This isn't going to work. I'd hoped people would just pick one of the options or simply write n/a.


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

1. Relatives
2. Living room
3. Foreword or preface? - never use either
4. porch if covered, deck if not.
5. Air force
6. Marines
7. schedule
8. subway.
9. ?
10. ?
11. hot water faucet(?)
12. vacuum cleaner
13. bathroom or restroom 
14. any of the above
15. b,french fries
c, chips
16. Rug
17. bicycle or bike
18. taxi or cab - either
19. Summary, abstract, or outline - either
20. superior


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## Pentheos (Jun 30, 2008)

I don't use any of those words, so...


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

> 13. Loo, lav, toilet, WC?


I use the word "toilet"


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## turban1 (May 29, 2008)

*wordsalad*

2. Living room, sitting room, lounge or parlour? *drawing room*
3. Foreword or preface? *often 2 diff. things*
4. Veranda, terrace, or porch? *verandah not porch. terrace not same*
12. Hoover 
13. Loo,
14. into town, down to town, up to town, into the city?
15. pommes frites or chips

*going to bed. too many of these are not synonymous.*


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

CLOSED!


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## Pentheos (Jun 30, 2008)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> CLOSED!


Or shut?


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## Apatheticviews (Mar 21, 2010)

1. Relatives
2. Living room
3. Foreword
4. Porch
5. Air force (US) 
6. Marines (US)
7. Timetable or schedule (either, depends on context)
8. Subway or Metro
9. N/A 
10. N/A
11. N/A 
12. Vacuum 
13. Restroom, Bathroom, Head 
14. into town, 
15. French fries (it's implied they are potatoes in the US)
16. Rug (inside) or mat (outside) 
17. bicycle, bike
18. taxi or cab
19. Summary, outline?
20. Senior (no man is my superior though he may be higher or senior in position in grade or rank)


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## a tailor (May 16, 2005)

THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL.

CUSTOM [US] OR BESPOKE [UK].


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## JJR512 (May 18, 2010)

1. Relatives or relations? (family) Relatives.
2. Living room, sitting room, lounge or parlour? Living room. It is my belief that each of those four terms denotes rooms used for different purposes. For example, I believe that it is acceptable to watch television, or having children playing with toys, in a living room, but not in a sitting room. In fact I don't think there should even be a television in a sitting room in the first place. To my way of thinking, "living room" is also known to some people as a "family room".
3. Foreword or preface? Either.
4. Veranda, terrace, or porch? Porch in general, although again, I believe these are all slightly different things.
5. Air force, Raff or R.A.F? Air Force. (As an American, the others aren't even possibilities.)
6. RM, Marines, Commandos or Royals? Marines. (See previous note.)
7. Timetable or schedule? Usually schedule. If it's an actual table, such as table of when multiple running busses make stops at particular locations, I might refer to that as a timetable.
8. Tube or underground Neither; I'd say subway.
9. Miffy or Milly (a Milly is sometimes referred to a Tilly)? I have no idea what any of these are.
10. High C or Low C or RC? I have no idea what this means.
11. Ascot or geyser As far as I'm aware, an ascot is a type of neckwear, and a geyser is a water spring that shoots out of the ground.
12. Hoover or vacuum cleaner Vacuum cleaner (or just "vacuum"), even if it's a Hoover®.
13. Loo, lav, toilet, WC? Bathroom. In public, usually I'd say "restroom".
14. into town, down to town, up to town, into the city? If it's a town, then "into town". If it's a city, then "into the city". I will sometimes use terms like "up" (i.e., "going up to New York") for a place that's north of me, or "down" for a place to the south, or "over" for a place to the east or west.
15. a, saute potatoes or french fried potatoes? Sauteed potatoes and french fried potatoes are two different things, and I'll call either by its correct name.
b, pommes frites, chips, strips or french fries? French fries, or just fries.
c, chips or crisps? Chips.
16. Rug or mat? To me, a rug is a large floor covering but doesn't cover the entire floor, which would be carpeting. A rug can also be a smaller floor covering if it's more decorative in nature. A mat is a small floor covering that's more functional than decorative, such as if you're meant to wipe your feet on it, it's a mat.
17. bicycle, bike, pedalcycle or pushbike? Bicycle or bike. Usually just "bike" but frequently I'll say "bicycle" when I want to make it clear that I mean that and not a motorcycle, which can also be meant when someone says "bike".
18. taxi or cab? Either, probably with taxi being slightly more prevalent for me. Occasionally, but rarely, "taxicab".
19. Summary, abstract, or outline? To me these are all slightly different things, and I'll use whichever term I think applies best.
20. Senior, superior or higher? These also convey different meanings to me, and I'll use whichever one fits the situation best. If referring to comparing one person to myself, in terms of rank or class or status or something like that, then...hmm...If a person is at the same level as me, whether the same rank or status or whatever, but has been in that position longer, I might refer to that person as being more senior than me. I would also use senior to compare one person to another, i.e., "Between Captain Davis and Captain Douglas, Captain Davis is the senior officer." If that person is of a higher rank or status or whatever than me, I might refer to that person as either superior or higher; I guess they might be interchangeable in that sense. I might say things like, "He's the senior officer," or, "He's my superior officer," or "He's higher-ranked than me."

What do 9 and 10 refer to?


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## JJR512 (May 18, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> hhhmmm...people, adding other words, for example loads of slang words for things e.g. for toilet, or RM, kind of defeats the purpose I had in mind for the exercise, which is why I didn't include slang words for each word rather the accepted options only.
> 
> As for things being different Nos. 2 & 4 for example. Most dictionaries and good word guides list them as synonyms. And in my experience they are used synonymously.


Remember though that synonyms only have _similar_ meanings, not _identical_ meanings. Often the meanings are close enough that they can be used interchangeably in _many_ contexts, but not necessarily _all_ contexts.

From the Oxford English Dictionary:


> synonym
> 
> 1. Strictly, a word having the same sense as another (in the same language); but more usually, either or any of two or more words (in the same language) having the same general sense, but possessing each of them meanings which are not shared by the other or others, or having different shades of meaning or implications appropriate to different contexts: e.g. serpent, snake; ship, vessel; compassion, fellow-feeling, sympathy; enormous, excessive, immense; glad, happy, joyful, joyous; to kill, slay, slaughter; to grieve, mourn, lament, sorrow.


So some people might have never used a term like "veranda" while other people may have never used a term like "porch". Some people might not understand the difference and think they're all basically the same thing and they refer to all structures of this _general_ type with the same one of those words. But others might know and understand the differences between these three words (veranda, terrace, and porch) and might use them appropriately.



> veranda
> 
> 1.a An open portico or light roofed gallery extending along the front (and occas. other sides) of a dwelling or other building, freq. having a front of lattice-work, and erected chiefly as a protection or shelter from the sun or rain.





> terrace
> 
> 1.a A raised level place for walking, with a vertical or sloping front or sides faced with masonry, turf, or the like, and sometimes having a balustrade; esp. a raised walk in a garden, or a level surface formed in front of a house on naturally sloping ground, or on the bank of a river, as 'The Terrace' at the Palace of Westminster.





> porch
> 
> 1.a An exterior structure forming a covered approach to the entrance of a building; sometimes applied to an interior space serving as a vestibule.


So sorry if we're defeating your purpose but we didn't really know what your purpose is (and still don't). I think that most of us assumed you were asking which of these terms do we use when we're referring to the thing that any of these terms refer to. For example, with #13, I assumed you were asking what do I call a room that has a toilet and sink inside, and is the room where one goes to use those facilities to relieve oneself of one's bodily wastes, e.g. to urinate or defecate. Well I don't use _any_ of those terms for that room, I use either "bathroom" or "restroom" as I indicated. If you don't like my answer, then consider it blank. So some of us were telling you that we don't use any of the choices, here's what we do use when we're talking about the thing that those choices refer to.

*I might also point out that you didn't tell us not to provide our own terms, or not to provide situational examples. In fact you didn't give any instructions at all.*


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## David V (Sep 19, 2005)

Too" *Earl of Ormonde" centric.
*


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Yea, too many yanks answering that was the problem.......runs for cover!


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## McKay (Jun 13, 2005)

1. Relatives or relations? (family) -- Relatives
2. Living room, sitting room, lounge or parlour? -- Living Room
3. Foreword or preface? -- both; they're two different things
4. Veranda, terrace, or porch? -- veranda if closed and in the front of the house, otherwise porch
5. Air force, Raff or R.A.F? -- RAF
6. RM, Marines, Commandos or Royals? -- Royal Marines
7. Timetable or schedule? -- depends on the context; timetable for trains and buses
8. Tube or underground -- underground, but in Canada it would be Metro if in Montreal and subway elsewhere
9. Miffy or Milly (a Milly is sometimes referred to a Tilly)? -- no idea
10. High C or Low C or RC? -- no idea
11. Ascot or geyser -- also no idea
12. Hoover or vacuum cleaner -- vacuum cleaner, but hoover as a verb in metaphores
13. Loo, lav, toilet, WC? -- washroom
14. into town, down to town, up to town, into the city? -- into town
15. a, saute potatoes or french fried potatoes? -- french fried potatoes
b, pommes frites, chips, strips or french fries? -- french fries, or chips if in connection with fish
c, chips or crisps? -- chips
16. Rug or mat? -- depends on the material; mat if rubber or plastic, for example
17. bicycle, bike, pedalcycle or pushbike? -- Bicycle or bike, depending on the formality of the conversation
18. taxi or cab? --- taxi
19. Summary, abstract, or outline? -- abstract if an academic paper, summary otherwise
20. Senior, superior or higher? -- senior as an adjective, superior as a noun


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

slow news day, this seems like a fun thread...here goes...

*1. Relatives or relations? *-Relatives, or Familia, or just The Fam (depending on my level of formality)
*2. Living room, sitting room, lounge or parlour?*- Living Room...I have a separate parlor, but that's the designated smoking area of the house
*3. Foreword or preface?*-preface
*4. Veranda, terrace, or porch?*-porch, although when I visit my dad, he calls it a veranda and I catch myself doing the same thing in his company.
*5. Air force, Raff or R.A.F? *-Air Force
*6. RM, Marines, Commandos or Royals?*-Marines
*7. Timetable or schedule?*-Schedule
*8. Tube or underground*-BART
*9. Miffy or Milly (a Milly is sometimes referred to a Tilly)?*-:icon_scratch: I used to go out with a girl named Milly (she actually spelled it Milli) she was um...not exactly wife material...
*10. High C or Low C or RC?*-:icon_scratch: RC like the cola??? I prefer Pepsi...LoL
*11. Ascot or geyser*-Ascot, but I'm not old/rich enough to wear one without feeling incredibly self conscious
*12. Hoover or vacuum cleaner*- Dyson
*13. Loo, lav, toilet, WC?*-Lav
*14. into town, down to town, up to town, into the city?*- to the city
*15. a, saute potatoes or french fried potatoes?*-Fries
*b, pommes frites, chips, strips or french fries?*-depends on what restaurant I'm in (although I'm not familiar with calling them strips)
*c, chips or crisps?*-Chips (although I do think crisps sounds cooler, but I think people would look at me funny if I called them that)
*16. Rug or mat?*- Rug inside, mat outside
*17. bicycle, bike, pedalcycle or pushbike?*-Bike
*18. taxi or cab?*-Taxi
*19. Summary, abstract, or outline?*-Summary
*20. Senior, superior or higher?*-Senior

all jokes aside...could somebody please tell me what Milly's and RC's are???


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## harvey_birdman (Mar 10, 2008)

The miffy/milly thing is something to do with putting milk into tea, although I forget the specifics.

Hi C, Lo C or RC means High Church, Low church or Roman Catholicism.


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Yea, too many yanks answering that was the problem.......runs for cover!


In this case, I'll reserve my answers for a yankee-centric thread. :icon_smile_big:


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## Hyacinth (Feb 4, 2007)

Anxiously awaiting definition of Miffy/Milly/Tiffy ...


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

Hyacinth said:


> Anxiously awaiting definition of Miffy/Milly/Tiffy ...


Milk In First

Milk In Last / Tea In First

Confused people who pour their tea and milk at the same time are called MILFs.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

1. Relatives.
2. Den. This is the South. We've never used our 'living room.'
3. Preface.
4. Porch.
5. Air Force.
6. Marines.
7. Schedule.
8. Subway or Metro.
9. ?
10. RC. With a Moon Pie.
11. Neither.
12. Vacuum cleaner,
13. Toilet.
14. Into town.
15. a, French Fries.
b, French Fries.
c, Chips.
16. Rug.
17. Bike.
18. Cab.
19. Summary.
20. Senior.


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## JJR512 (May 18, 2010)

DougNZ said:


> Milk In First
> 
> Milk In Last / Tea In First
> 
> Confused people who pour their tea and milk at the same time are called MILFs.


Ah...In America, MILF has an entirely different meaning. It refers to an attractive woman who is old enough to have had children. Although even a 16-y/o or younger female could have children, the specific intent of the term is to refer to women who are past the age of "young beauty". The term itself stands for Mother I'd Love to Fornicate (With). Actually...the F stands for something else with a very similar meaning...you get the idea.

On the subject of milk, personally, I think it goes in first. I believe tempered milk tastes better than scalded milk. But that's just me, and I recognize that not everyone is as rational as I am.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

DougNZ said:


> Milk In First
> 
> Milk In Last / Tea In First
> 
> Confused people who pour their tea and milk at the same time are called MILFs.


MILF's?


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