Divided by a Common Language

By Paul Broekman

Crisps are chips, chips are fries & tomato sauce is ketchup.

A Bike is a motorbike, a cycle is a bike.

Plastic or paper? When in a supermarket this is not a reference to your proposed method of payment but to the material of the bag you would like your shopping placed into.

Pavement is road, sidewalk is pavement.

A Pontoon is a recreational boat built on buoyant tubes, a dock is a pontoon.

A Wrench is a spanner, a spanner is a type of wrench.

Cider. Dont ask for it even if its on the drinks menu. Just ask for an ‘Angry Orchard’ which seems the most popular cider. If you ask for cider you’re likely to end up with flavoured sparkling water.


Pants are trousers, boxers are pants. Always make sure you know what you are taking off.

A van is a truck, a truck is a lorry. An RV could be a motorhome or a 5th wheel or a travel trailer or a toy hauler.

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