The term Motel is not used in the uk (as far as I know) there is no distinction between Motel and Hotel.
Wikipedia.
"The Travelodge brand was established by the original Travelodge Corporation's founder, Scott King, in 1939 with the opening of the chain's first motels in Southern California."
"Travelodge (UK) had since became a company in its own right and it has over 300 Travelodge hotels, mainly located beside motorways "
Washroom - Toilet I've heard the word "toilet" used more often in the US than "washroom", don't the brits use "WC" anyway?
Sofa - Settee
Soccer - Football
Flatbad Truck - Pickup Truck In the US a flatbed truck has a flat bed with no sides, and a "Pickup Truck" is something along the lines of a Toyota Hilux/Tacoma
Carry Out - Take-a-way Are you referring to "Take-out" food?
Motel - Hotel
Diner - Cafe Those two terms mean two different things in the US. A diner is a place where you can quickly get a complete lunch or dinner. Usually these places have a raised counter with barstools, in addition to small tables. A cafe is a place where you can go get a cup of coffee and perhaps a few light meal options.
Freeway - Mototway
Intersection - Junction In the US, an intersection is where two local roads cross. A junction is where two freeways or highways cross
Stove - Cooker
Pacifier - Dummy
Diapers - Nappies
Additionally in the US, a highway is a road that links towns together and has high speed limits (I believe 55mph is the default speed in California), but which turns into a local road with low speed limits (25~35mph) once it gets inside a town, and it intersects other roads just like any normal street. A freeway, on the other hand, is a dedicated road with slightly higher speed limits (65mph is the default in California, but more remote freeways have a 70mph limit). The only way a freeway connects to other roads is through on and off-ramps, which leads me into...
Wow interresting thread
Because I'm an "outsider" (I'm hungarian, not american/british), I dont always use the us, or the uk version, I mix them. I mean, sometimes i Use taxi, sometimes cab, etc. Maybe its because I was in an Irish kindergarden, but after, I was surrounded by americans. Keep it up, I'm interrested
Water Closet would have been a better phrase
Flatbed I will concede I was not 100% sure about
Take-a-Way is take out food
Cafe is a cafe in the UK. Greesy spoon cafe is an example where they surve you food.
Junction in UK is where motorway cross and it is also where local roads cross.
As a Brit and I ask "What is a Turnpike?"
"Taking piss out" rephrased to "Taking the piss" means (as BlitzR correctly saiid) means to poke fun at.
Taxi and Cab are used as much as each other in the US, however this is an interesting one Hackney Carrige - Taxi.
Also out of pure interest in the UK there are two types of taxi, Hackney Carriage that allowed to pick fares up from the street and private cabs that are only allowed a pick up at a designated location is there such a difference in the US.
The term Motel is not used in the uk (as far as I know) there is no distinction between Motel and Hotel.
Wikipedia.
"The Travelodge brand was established by the original Travelodge Corporation's founder, Scott King, in 1939 with the opening of the chain's first motels in Southern California."
"Travelodge (UK) had since became a company in its own right and it has over 300 Travelodge hotels, mainly located beside motorways "
They still have different meanings and hotel is used in US.
Wikipedia says this
Motels differed from hotels in their emphasis on largely anonymous interactions between owners and occupants, their location along highways (as opposed to urban cores), and their orientation to the outside (in contrast to hotels whose doors typically face an interior hallway).
A Bypass or Dual Carriageway are the more common terms but they won't be on par with a US highway. Only two lanes on each side and 70mph speed limit.
Heres some examples of UK roads to help
B or Unclassified road
A road
Dual Carriageway (these are actually A roads as well)
United States
In the United States, there is no consistent use of the term "constable" across the states, and use may vary even within a state. A constable may merely be an official responsible for service of process: such as summonses and subpoenas for people to appear in court in criminal and/or civil matters. Or, they may be fully empowered law enforcement officers. They may also have additional specialized duties unique to the office. In some states, a constable may be appointed by the judge of the court which he or she serves; in others the constable is an elected or appointed position at the village, precinct or township level of local government.
Historically, the office was the same as was in the United Kingdom and has existed since the colonial period. However, with the development of modern police forces in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the common law powers of constable have often been altered or removed by statute. Whereas, in the U.K., constables were transformed by law into police services, in the US, state and local police services were created in addition to constables. Perhaps because of this, the title "constable" is not used for police of any rank. The lowest rank in a police organization would be officer, deputy, patrolman, trooper, and historically, private, depending on the particular organization.
A constable may be assisted by deputy constables as sworn officers or constable's officers as civil staff, usually as process servers. In some states, villages or towns, an office with similar duties is marshal.
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Alabama
Constables are elected by precinct.
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Arizona and Arkansas
A constable is an elected officer of the county for the Justice of the Peace Court and must live in the precinct to which they are elected. They have similar powers and duties to sheriffs.
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California
Although the position is still legally provided for in state law, the few constables that remained on duty in the late 20th c even in very remote regions of the state were in practice eventually absorbed into sheriff, marshal, or police agencies many years ago. Constables as such had full police powers and carried out occasional to frequent patrol work in addition to their paper serving duties, and were typically attached to the old municipal or justice courts, and were either elected by popular vote or appointed by the area's presiding judge.
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Connecticut
There are two types of constables in Connecticut, appointed and elected. Appointed constables (special constables by statute) are criminal law enforcement officers hired by towns that don't have an organized police department.These constables work under a resident trooper and are fully certified police officers. Elected constables are civil process servers that are elected every two to four years by the town to serve all process directed to them within the town they are elected to.
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Delaware
Delaware has had a unique law enforcement position entitled "Constable". Transplanted from England to Delaware in the early colonial period, the constable?s main responsibilities were keeping the peace and serving the courts. Under the Duke of York?s government the constable was elected from one of four overseers of the town or parish. He had the responsibility to pursue and apprehend offenders and bring them before the Justice of the Peace, whip or punish offenders by order of the court, take bail for a person arrested, help to settle estates, and keep proper accounts of fines collected. The constables and eight overseers made the tax assessments, and the constable also collected taxes. If taxes were not paid, the constable was to value the delinquent?s property and seize it until taxes were paid or the property sold. In addition, the constable and two overseers held the town courts. The laws of William Penn provide little information on the duties of the constables except that they served warrants, attended courts, and furnished lists of taxables in their hundreds for the tax assessors.
Legislation relating to constables does not appear in the Delaware Laws until 1770. This act required constables at the end of their terms to return the names of three freeholders to the Court of General Sessions, who then appointed one to serve the next year. The Clerk of the Peace certified the appointment and delivered it to the sheriff who then notified the person of his appointment. At least one constable was appointed for each hundred, and appointees had to be residents of the hundred in which they served. After 1832 the Levy Court of each county appointed the constables, although the Governor could also fill appointments if Levy Court was in recess.
Later in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with the establishment of the Delaware State Police and municipal police forces; constables were appointed for specific concerns, institutions, or companies. The constable had a number of duties, many of which continue today. He executed all orders, warrants, and other process directed by any Justice of the Peace; ensured that the peace of the State be kept; arrested all persons committing riot, murder, theft, or breach of the peace, and carried them before a Justice of the Peace; attended elections to ensure that the peace be kept; and enforced the laws of the State.
Today, there is a Board of Examiners consisting of the Superintendent of the Delaware State Police, the Director of the New Castle County Police, the Attorney General, a representative from the Chiefs of Police Council, and a representative from the American Society of Industrial Security is responsible for reviewing applications for constables and delivering a list of approved applicants to the Governor.
To meet the qualifications of a constable, an applicant is required to be at least twenty-one years of age, meet the same minimum standards established by the Delaware Council on Police Training for part-time police officers, and may be required to receive additional training as directed by the Board of Examiners. Constables may exercise the same powers as peace officers and law enforcement officers in order to protect life and property and preserve peace and good order.
Constables are commissioned by the State as law enforcement officers, with powers of arrest, and may be employed by private corporations, civic associations, or governmental entities. Constables are currently appointed to the Bayhealth Medical Center, Christiana Care Health Systems, Justice of the Peace Courts, and Wilmington College.
Another type of constable, the "Code Enforcement Constable", can be appointed by any county or municipal chief executive officer to enforce all ordinances pertaining to building, housing, sanitation, or public health codes.
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Georgia
In Georgia, state law permits counties to establish constables as officers appointed by the Chief Magistrate Judge of the county's Magistrate Court, who serve at the pleasure of the Chief Magistrate.
The powers and duties of constables include: attending all regular sessions of Magistrate Court; collecting and paying money owed to the court; executing and returning all warrants, summonses, executions, and other processes directed to them by the magistrate court; and other duties. However, unlike police officers and sheriffs, constables can only make arrests with a warrant or at the direction of and in the presence of a judge.
Georgia code Title 15, Chapter 10, Sections 100 through 104 defines the roles, powers, and duties of constables.[1]
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Kentucky
Constables in Kentucky are elected from each magistrate district in the state. In theory, constables have the same countywide police authority as the county sheriff. However, since judicial reform in the 1970's that stripped county magistrates of their judicial authority and eliminated Justice of the Peace courts (which the magistrates presided over) and municipal Police Courts, the actual authority of constables has been reduced. Security and paper service for the District Courts, which replaced the above mentioned courts, is provided by the sheriff's office of their particular county in the same manner as is provided for the long standing Circuit Courts. These services were traditionally provided by the constables in Justice of the Peace Courts.
In reality, the authority of constables in Kentucky varies from county to county. This authority is usually determined by either the County Judge/Executive and/or the county Fiscal Court (the county legislative authority). Some counties allow constables to patrol their county and act with full police authority. These counties often provide uniforms and patrol vehicles and sometimes even allow the constable to appoint deputy constables. Others give limited authority to their constables, such as assisting the sheriff with paper service or acting as school resource officers. In this situation, uniforms and vehicles may or may not be provided by the county. However, when a patrol car is not provided in these situations, the county will often allow the constable to display a blue light on their personal vehicle when acting in an official capacity. In addition, there are some counties in Kentucky where the constable is not allowed to act in the capacity of a peace officer. This includes making arrest or displaying a blue light on their vehicle.
When given the authority to act as a peace officer, constables and deputy constables, like municipal police, sheriffs and sheriff's deputies, must be trained through the Kentucky Department of Justice Law Enforement Training Center at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond or (if the constable/deputy is a former state trooper) the Kentucky State Police Academy in Frankfort.
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Maine
Constables have all of the powers and duties of police officers once they have completed training required by the state.
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Massachusetts
Constables are elected or appointed by towns and cities. They have statutory powers of arrest for certain offences connected to gambling, cruelty to animals, prostitution, defiling water supplies, restricting entry to medical facilities, etc. Constables can and usually do serve civil process, and also enforce capias arrest warrants.
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Michigan
Upon gaining statehood, constables continued to be appointed at the county level as had been done when Michigan was a territory. The Constitution of 1850, however, required that each township elect at least one but not more than four constables. With few exceptions cities also elected constables by ward. In addition to serving the justice courts of their county, "constables have always been peace officers ... in the territory of their constituents." However their role was vastly altered upon adoption of the Constitution of 1963 when their office was deleted as was the office of justice of the peace. They were not named as officers of the new District Court. And by the end of the 1970s their election was no longer statutorily mandated. COLES certification became required if they were to perform general peace officer duties. As of 2005 there are no elected city constables and less than 10% of Michigan's 1242 townships continue to elect constables.
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Mississippi
In Mississippi, constables are law enforement officers elected from single-member districts in each county. Mississippi law provides for one constable per Justice Court district in the county, from a minimum of two such districts in counties with less than 35,001 people, to a maximum of five districts in counties with more than 150,000 people.
By law, constables keep and preserve the peace within the county; advise justice court judges or other officers of all riots, routs, unlawful assemblies, and violations of the penal laws; execute and return all processes directed to them by any county, chancery or circuit court (not just the Justice Courts); and attend the justices' courts of their districts.
All counties are required to provide their constables with at least two complete uniforms, some type of motor vehicle identification which clearly indicates that the motor vehicle is being used by a constable in his official capacity, and a blue flashing light for use on official duty. Other than standard fees for attending court, serving processes, etc., state law does not otherwise require counties to pay or otherwise compensate constables for their jobs.
Mississippi code Title 19 Chapter 19 defines the roles, powers, and duties of constables.[2]
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Nevada
The constable is an elected peace officer. They are primarily process servers; the Nevada statutes define their responsibilities and fees.
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New Jersey
A constable is considered a "peace officer" with very limited police authority. Their duties are mainly confined to the enforcement, and processing of civil law.
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New York
Constables serve at the pleasure of the local towns and villages, usually in a civil aspect for the courts. However, constables are considered law enforcement officers under New York State law. Their powers can be limited by each jurisdiction.
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Ohio
The appointment of constables is authorized by the Ohio Revised Code, which defines several roles for them. Constables serve as police officers of some small towns and townships, or as officers of some minor courts. A "special constable" may also be appointed by a municipal court judge for a renewable one-year term upon application by any three "freeholders" (landowners) of the county, who are then responsible for paying the special constable.
Duly-sworn Ohio constables are considered "peace officers" under Ohio law, as are sheriffs, municipal police officers, state park rangers, Highway Patrol officers, etc., and have full law-enforcement authority within their jurisdictions. With some exceptions, constables must post bonds and undergo police training. They are required to serve court papers when so ordered, and to apprehend and bring to justice any lawbreakers or fugitives, suppress riots or unlawful assemblies, enforce state law and generally keep the peace.
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Pennsylvania
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the office of constable is mandated in the state constitution. All constables in Pennsylvania are elected Officers of the Court, as are all state court officers in the state system. Pennsylvania constables, although elected or appointed at the local government level, receive no government funding. Pennsylvania constables have a fee scale prepared by the state for services rendered. Although elected or appointed for a 6-year term, they are not considered employees of the Commonwealth or any government body. They must provide everything for their office at their own expense (including vehicle, all equipment, office rent, liability insurance, etc). Despite the lack of funding, Pennsylvania constables still possess the police power of arrest for any felony or breach of peace on view. Similar to a citizens arrest. However, if a person is in a vehicle when they commit an offense, the constable in Pennsylvania cannot make a traffic stop, due to a Supreme Court decision (case law). The issue of pursuit is being pressed for review. New laws covering fees are being prepared as of early 2006. The vast majority of Pennsylvania's Constables only work as poll watchers during elections.
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Tennessee
Constable is an elected position with full power of arrest and is a state peace officer. The Tennessee constitution allows county voters to abolish the position in some counties, mainly if left unfilled for some time.
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Texas
Texas constables are elected officials, similar to a sheriff, who are responsible for providing services for their precinct justice of the peace, but also for his county, and the state district courts. They have full law enforcement authority throughout their respective counties and the state. Most constable offices have only one or two persons, but in the major metropolitan counties with four or more precincts, they may have over a hundred persons. Texas contains over 1,300 constable offices employing over 3,500 persons. The Texas constable is also listed as a unique independent local police agency on the United States Department of Justice's Uniform Crime Reports.
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Vermont
Constables are generally elected by the town. They are charged with service of process; the destruction of unlicensed or dangerous dogs or wolf-hybrids, and of injured deer; removal of disorderly people from town meeting; collection of taxes, when no tax collector is elected; and other duties. Constables have full law enforcement authority unless the town votes to either remove the authority or require training before such authority is exercised. Cities and villages may also have constables. Their duties and method of selection are governed by the corporation's charter.
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West Virginia
David F. Green of Davy, West Virginia was the last person to hold the elected office of Constable in West Virginia.
Nothing is really consistant in the US because the population is made up of several different immigrant groups. Each brought their own language and words.
I mentioned the difference between a highway and a freeway in my post above. An interstate freeway is supposed to be one that crosses state lines (hence the name), but in practice they are just freeways that get extra funding from the federal government (normally the state pays for streets and highways), which is why Hawaii can have an interstate, and why there's one in Texas which doesn't cross any state lines.
If we're going to go in-depth about the US's highway systems, we'll be in for a loooooooooong thread. Some people go crazy over this stuff, like they do for trains. There are highway and interstate enthusiasts. Just look at how long the Wikipedia article for I-80 is.
