Top Gear Lingo Americanized

Ymk · March 26th, 2008, 03:51 AM

I know a decent portion of members here are located in the US, so here's a thread regarding the terms used on the show that don't quite match up when spoken across the pond. And I don't mean manufacturer regional differences (E.G. Toyota Hilux vs Toyota Tundra).

For example:

British - American

"Oh cock" = "Oh shit"
"Zed" = "Zee"
"Pillock" = "Idiot"
"Blast" = "Damn"

"Hon-dar" = "Hon-da"
"Nis-sin" = "Nis-san"
"Pry-us" = "Pree-us"
"Murchee-a-lago" = "Mur-seal-ah-go"
"Gay-ardo" = "Guh-lardo"
"Impret-zuh" = "Impreh-za"

Not to say either one is correct or incorrect, but just to point out things that American viewers may cock their head at upon hearing. Also for reference I come from California, so your pronounciation may differ.

timbuktu · March 26th, 2008, 04:46 AM

Name - British - American
Hyundai - Hay-un-die - Hundai

As an aside, anything Italian, French or Spanish is brutalized on either side of the Atlantic.

3Colin · March 26th, 2008, 05:06 AM

It's properly Romanized as "Hyeon-de," which is Korean for "modern." That's irrelevant though...

timbuktu · March 26th, 2008, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Colin

It's properly Romanized as "Hyeon-de," which is Korean for "modern." That's irrelevant though...

Yes, I know, I'm Korean-American. =D I used to pronounce it properly but it confused people so now I refer to it as "Hundai" as well. Its like properly pronouncing "Porsche": it just confuses people.

deltableh · March 26th, 2008, 06:11 AM

I'm American, but I still know it should be said properly gay-ar-do

edkwon · March 26th, 2008, 07:13 AM

its' like listening to ppl pronouncing 'gyro' wrong

http://www3.hpu.edu/kalamalama/archive/2703/Current%20Webphotos/p10gyro.gif

Shawn · March 26th, 2008, 07:42 AM

Yup, and it's not Mur-chee-a-lago either... it's not an Italian word.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deltableh

I'm American, but I still know it should be said properly gay-ar-do

phuckingduck · March 26th, 2008, 07:46 AM

I hope that no American who speaks English natively has troubles watching this show images/smilies/stig.gif

Shawn · March 26th, 2008, 07:52 AM

^ I agree. Some of the expressions and slangs are different for the British, but you get what most of them mean when used in context.

Final Daihatsu · March 26th, 2008, 07:52 AM

What's the American for "Rubbish"?

Blayde · March 26th, 2008, 07:53 AM

Shawn · March 26th, 2008, 07:54 AM

^ Or crap if you wanna be polite.

scathing · March 26th, 2008, 08:31 AM

"Chelsea Tractor" - SUV driven by "soccer mums" that only see the wilderness in the travel magazines bought by the owner

stiggie · March 26th, 2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edkwon

its' like listening to ppl pronouncing 'gyro' wrong

Is the correct pronunciation "jai-row"? Because here in Australia we pronounce it "kebab". images/smilies/lol.gif

teeb · March 26th, 2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiggie

Is the correct pronunciation "jai-row"? Because here in Australia we pronounce it "kebab". images/smilies/lol.gif

It appears to be a meat-based wrap...

upyourego · March 26th, 2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teeb

It appears to be a meat-based wrap...

Yeah it looks like a Kebab to me as well.

Quadrax · March 26th, 2008, 12:44 PM

I think the doner kebab is the turkish version.
Then you have the arabic schwarma and the greek gyros or yiros or sometimes souvlaki.
The felafel is good if you are too piss-weak to eat animals.

scathing · March 26th, 2008, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quadrax

The felafel is good if you are too piss-weak to eat animals.

I was on the booze one night and ordered a felafel kebab (since I was with a mate who's vegetarian) with chicken (since I am not).

It tasted remarkably good....and I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with the bottle of wine, half a bottle of dessert wine, and however many beers I had prior.

James May's Hair · March 26th, 2008, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ymk

I know a decent portion of members here are located in the US, so here's a thread regarding the terms used on the show that don't quite match up when spoken across the pond. And I don't mean manufacturer regional differences (E.G. Toyota Hilux vs Toyota Tundra).

For example:

English - American

"Oh cock" = "Oh shit"
"Zed" = "Zee"
"Pillock" = "Idiot"
"Blast" = "Damn"

"Hon-da" = "Hon-da"
"Nis-san" = "Nis-san"
"Pry-us" = "Pree-us"
"Murchee-a-lago" = "Mur-seal-ah-go"
"Guy-ardo" = "Guh-lardo"
"Impret-za" = "Impreh-za"

Not to say either one is correct or incorrect, but just to point out things that American viewers may cock their head at upon hearing. Also for reference I come from California, so your pronunciation may differ.

I think you got a few of the English ones wrong - I've made corrections in bold (open for discussion, of course).

Also, I can't resist this one:

Fucking idiot - George W. Bush

toyota · March 26th, 2008, 03:27 PM

Americanised.

hahah sorry

March 26th, 2008, 03:51 AM	#1
Ymk Joined: Mar 10th, 2007 Last Online: November 11th, 2008 Posts: 38 Rep Power: 0	Top Gear Lingo Americanized I know a decent portion of members here are located in the US, so here's a thread regarding the terms used on the show that don't quite match up when spoken across the pond. And I don't mean manufacturer regional differences (E.G. Toyota Hilux vs Toyota Tundra). For example: British - American "Oh cock" = "Oh shit" "Zed" = "Zee" "Pillock" = "Idiot" "Blast" = "Damn" "Hon-dar" = "Hon-da" "Nis-sin" = "Nis-san" "Pry-us" = "Pree-us" "Murchee-a-lago" = "Mur-seal-ah-go" "Gay-ardo" = "Guh-lardo" "Impret-zuh" = "Impreh-za" Not to say either one is correct or incorrect, but just to point out things that American viewers may cock their head at upon hearing. Also for reference I come from California, so your pronounciation may differ.

March 26th, 2008, 07:46 AM	#8
phuckingduck is awesome! Joined: Mar 1st, 2007 Last Online: 06:41 AM Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 1,433 Car: '03 Volvo S60 AWD Rep Power: 25	I hope that no American who speaks English natively has troubles watching this show __________________ 14:43 +PhuckingDuck • so you wont eat Josh's meat? 14:43 %SolitudeSeraph • I don't like the taste/texture

March 26th, 2008, 07:52 AM	#10
Final Daihatsu Joined: Mar 4th, 2007 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Israel Age: 16 Posts: 1,053 Car: Giant Iguana / Driving school Mitsubishi Carisma LFS Status: Rep Power: 19	What's the American for "Rubbish"? __________________ O o /¯/ \| ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯ ¯ \| IMA FIRIN' MAH LAZER! \| BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! \| ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯ ¯ \_\

March 26th, 2008, 07:53 AM	#11
Blayde Joined: Dec 20th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Bahrain Posts: 2,006 Car: '02 Nissan X-Trail, '06 Honda Civic EXi Rep Power: 58	^ BS __________________ Some say he migrated when fuel hit 4 pounds per gallon and that he can make 'special price' for you. All we know is, he's the Stig's Arab cousin; Al-Stig!

March 26th, 2008, 03:27 PM	#20
toyota Joined: Mar 26th, 2008 Last Online: July 28th, 2008 Location: northern california Posts: 23 Car: 2002 civic lx ~special edition~ Rep Power: 0	Americanised. hahah sorry __________________ I'd put my dog in it

March 26th, 2008, 04:46 AM	#2
timbuktu Joined: Feb 18th, 2007 Last Online: December 15th, 2008 Posts: 21 Rep Power: 0	Name - British - American Hyundai - Hay-un-die - Hundai As an aside, anything Italian, French or Spanish is brutalized on either side of the Atlantic.

March 26th, 2008, 05:06 AM	#3
3Colin Joined: Jun 28th, 2005 Last Online: 06:39 AM Location: Markham or Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Posts: 339 Car: Subaru Legacy Rep Power: 0	It's properly Romanized as "Hyeon-de," which is Korean for "modern." That's irrelevant though...

March 26th, 2008, 06:11 AM	#5
deltableh Joined: Nov 5th, 2007 Last Online: January 3rd, 2009 Age: 22 Posts: 208 Car: 2008 Subaru Impreza 2.5i 5-door Rep Power: 7	I'm American, but I still know it should be said properly gay-ar-do

March 26th, 2008, 07:13 AM	#6
edkwon Joined: Nov 21st, 2006 Last Online: 06:51 AM Location: Lil Osaka Posts: 2,353 Car: Legacy GT Spec B '07 Rep Power: 22	its' like listening to ppl pronouncing 'gyro' wrong

March 26th, 2008, 07:52 AM	#9
Shawn Lexus? Oh shi- Joined: May 26th, 2005 Last Online: 07:59 AM Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,795 Car: IS250 RWD Rep Power: 93	^ I agree. Some of the expressions and slangs are different for the British, but you get what most of them mean when used in context.

March 26th, 2008, 07:54 AM	#12
Shawn Lexus? Oh shi- Joined: May 26th, 2005 Last Online: 07:59 AM Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,795 Car: IS250 RWD Rep Power: 93	^ Or crap if you wanna be polite.

March 26th, 2008, 08:31 AM	#13
scathing Joined: Nov 24th, 2007 Last Online: December 17th, 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 304 Car: Datsun Rep Power: 8	"Chelsea Tractor" - SUV driven by "soccer mums" that only see the wilderness in the travel magazines bought by the owner

March 26th, 2008, 12:44 PM	#17
Quadrax Joined: Jan 1st, 2008 Last Online: August 7th, 2008 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 535 Car: Jap crap Rep Power: 21	I think the doner kebab is the turkish version. Then you have the arabic schwarma and the greek gyros or yiros or sometimes souvlaki. The felafel is good if you are too piss-weak to eat animals.

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