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Divided by a Common Language: A Guide to British and American English | 
 enlarge | Author: Christopher E. Davies
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Category: Book
List Price: $10.95
Buy New: $1.99
You Save: $8.96 (82%)
New (36) Used (19) from $0.22
Avg. Customer Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 76065
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 248
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6 x 0.9
ISBN: 0618911626
Dewey Decimal Number: 420
EAN: 9780618911622
ASIN: 0618911626
Publication Date: September 26, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Puzzled by signs warning you to “mind the gap” in the London Underground? Wondering what will be on your plate if you order “toad in the hole” in a London cafe? In Divided by a Common Language, Christopher Davies explains these expressions and discusses the many differences in pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary between British and American English. He compares the customs, manners, and practical details of daily life in the United Kingdom and the United States, and American readers will enjoy his account of American culture as seen through an Englishman’s eyes. Davies tops it off with an amusing list of expressions that sound innocent enough in one country but make quite the opposite impression in the other. Two large glossaries help travelers translate from one variety of English to the other, and additional lists explain the distinctive words of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Divided by a Common Language is the ideal travel companion for both British visitors to the U.S. and American visitors to the U.K. It is also the perfect book for Britons interested in American culture and Americans enjoying British novels, movies, and television at home.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
 Some good research March 13, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Most books give a good translation between British and American English, but this book goes into a little more detail on the oprigins and reasons for the differences.
Mind the Gap! November 3, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Don't drop a clanger-make a big faux pas-when traveling in the U.K! This book is a terrific read for anyone planning a trip to Britain. Amusing and useful, I would recommend DIVIDED BY A COMMON LANGUAGE to anyone hoping to "say the right thing" from pubs to politics and television to travel. This book is a gem that will keep you in the know. Cheers!
TOP RATE September 13, 2005
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book was surprisingly funny. I expected a dry dictionary for referance and got a very well organized, pithy book that I read cover to cover just for the fun of it. I also plan to keep it for referance when I travel. Delightful and educational.
 A good, succint reference October 16, 2004
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
It's not the be all and end all but it's a good quick reference. If you're really serious you should get a different one to supplement this.
PS: to the person who referred to pumps as high-heeled shoes, that is not correct. It has nothing to do with the heels (think of men's dress pumps) just the fact that they slip on. A common mistake but one to clarify.
Good Yen, but Yang Required for Balance... July 21, 2004
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Excellent book, much of it in the style of a dictionary. Offers specific phrases to use as alternatives in both American and British cultures. Written by a Brit who now lives in Florida, so it's nice to see the still-British-influenced language he uses in his narrations. And it's written for use in both cultures, not just geared to travelers from Britain traveling in America or vice-versa.
I do think this book is perfect in combination with the book "Brit-think Ameri-think" by Jane Walmsley who is (as opposed to Davies) American born but now living in Britain. In her book, she offers the necessary complement to "Divided" by giving her readers a less technical, more anecdotal insight into the attitudes, habits and background of the two cultures (and she's humorous as well).
On its own, this book is very technically good.
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