From our Free-Lance Correspondent

Indian English to American English 

Language can be a tricky matter when two words have very different meanings to folks who, presumably, speak the same language. Here is a guide to help keep folks out of trouble! 

We welcome additions to this list which should be sent to : webmaster@murthy.com

	In India	In the U.S.
	accelerate the car	step on the gas
	aerial (T.V.)	antenna
	air hostess	flight attendant
	all year	also, year-round
	anti-clockwise	counter-clockwise
	at weekends	on weekends
	Autumn	also, Fall
	bag, handbag	also, purse or pocketbook
	bank holiday	also, state or federal holidays
	barrister	trial lawyer
	basin	bowl  [a basin in the U.S. is usually a bathroom sink]
	bath	shower [a bath is when one fills a tub and sits to wash]
	behind	also, in back of, after, following
	bell pepper	also, green pepper
	beverages	also, drinks
	bill	check (restaurant) [bill is correct for most other things]
	biscuits (sweets)	cookies
	biscuits (salt)	crackers
	block of flats	apartment house / building / complex
	bonnet	hood of a car or trunk lid
	bookstall	newstand
	boost, a raise	a raise, pay increase or hike
	brinjal	eggplant
	brown bread	also, whole wheat bread
	bucket	also, a pail
	bun	also, a sweet roll
	cabin	office [a small, primitive house in the mountains or lakeside; or one's quarters onboard ship]
	camp bed	cot, roll-away
	Can you give me a lift?	also, Can you give me a ride?
	canteen or mess	cafeteria  [camping or army-type water container]
	car accelerator	also, gas pedal or gas
	car bonnet	hood
	car park	parking lot
	caravan	trailer
	card punch	key punch
	carrier bag	shopping bag
	cashier	store cashier, bank teller
	charge call	collect call
	chemist	druggist or pharmacist
	cheque	check
	cinema	also, movie theatre or movie house
	clever	smart, bright
	clothes to be washed	laundry
	coach	bus
	colony	neighborhood
	condom	also, rubber
	confectionary or icing	confectioner's sugar or powdered sugar
	coolers	sunglasses or shades
	cooling glasses	sunglasses or shades
	coriander leaves	cilantro
	cotton	thread  [cotton is the fiber or cotton balls]
	creche	nursery or daycare  [creche is a Christmas nativity]
	curd	yogurt  [curd is in cottage cheese or sour milk]
	current account	checking account
	curriculum vitae or bio-data	curriculum vitae or resume
	departmental store	grocery store or supermarket
	deposit account	savings account in a bank
	dialled	dialed
	diary (record)	journal (entry)
	dickey, car boot	trunk [a dickey is a false shirt collar, as worn under a sweater or jacket]
	dispatch goods	to ship goods
	dispensary	drug store or pharmacy
	district	county
	doctor	also, physician
	draught	draft
	dress circle	mezzanine (in theatre)
	driver (car)	also, chauffer (especially of a limousine)
	dry grapes	raisins
	dustbin	trashcan
	earth wire	ground wire
	electric powerpoint	outlet or wall socket
	electricity	also, power
	engaged (phone line)	busy
	ex-serviceman	veteran, vet
	expensive stores	also, up-scale stores
	flats	apartments  [flats are shoes w/out high heels]
	football	soccer
	fridge	also, refrigerator  [in some parts of the U.S., it is sometimes still called an 'ice box']
	frock	dress
	full stop	period
	gang	mob
	garage	also, shop, or service station if it also sells gas
	goods	freight
	goods wagon	freight car
	gramophone	phonograph, turntable, or record player
	greens (keerai)	spinach
	grey	gray
	ground floor	also, first floor
	half sleeves	short sleeves
	hand book	pocketbook or purse
	high street	main street
	highway	freeway, expressway, interstate
	hoarding	billboard
	home work	also, assignment
	hotel (to eat)	restaurant
	hotel (to stay)	could also be a motel, an inn, a "bed & breakfast" (or B&B)
	identity card	identification or ID card
	ill	also, sick or unwell
	jacket	also, coat
	jumble sale	garage or yard sale, rummage sale
	karnews/ukapillai	curry leaves
	kiosk	also stall or booth
	lady's finger	okra  [lady fingers are small sponge cakes]
	lamp post	also, street light
	lawyer	also, attorney
	leather shoes	also, dress shoes
	level crossing	railroad crossing
	lift	elevator
	line of open shops	strip mall or shopping center
	lorry	truck
	lucky dip	grab bag
	main city area	downtown, sometimes uptown
	mate	friend  [one's mate is one's spouse]
	minerals soft drink	soda, soft drink, pop, drink
	money note	bill (as in a one-dollar bill)
	moped	also, mini-bike or scooter
	motion picture	movie, film
	motorway	speedway
	multi story	high-rise
	nappy	diaper
	neckerchief	scarf
	news proprietor	publisher
	nice	also, cool
	nightdress	night gown
	note pad	also, scratch pad or tablet
	number plate	license plate
	omelette	sometimes, omelet
	operation theatre	operating room (in a hospital)
	ordinary	also, normal, plain or regular
	ordinary call	station to station call
	ordinary share	common stock
	over size or outsize	extra large or "big & tall" (men), women's sizes (women)
	overbridge, flyover	overpass
	pack of cards	deck of cards
	paisa	penny or a cent
	past performance	also, track record
	pavement	sidewalk
	perks	also, fringe or employment benefits
	personal call	person-to-person call
	petrol	gas
	petrol bunk or station	gas station or service station
	pizza	(pronounced pee' - tza)
	plot of land	lot
	policeman	also, cop
	porter	doorman
	post	mail
	post box	mailbox
	postal code or pin code	ZIP code
	perambulator or pram	baby carriage (when they lie down), stroller (when they sit)
	provision, vegetable store	grocery store or green-grocer
	provision store man	grocer
	public school	private school  [public school is paid for by taxes and open to all residents]
	punctured tire	flat tire
	purse	wallet
	put the phone down	hang up or disconnect
	race course	race track or "the track"
	railtrack	railroad, railroad track
	reduced price	sale
	return ticket	round-trip ticket
	rubber	eraser  [a rubber in the U.S. is a condom]
	Saccrine	artificial sweetener
	sanitary towel	sanitary napkin or pad
	shop	also, store or boutique
	shop assistant	sales clerk
	shopping complex	mall
	signal	also, light or traffic light
	single ticket	one-way ticket
	sleep in the afternoon	nap
	soft drink	soda, sometimes drink or pop
	solicitor	lawyer
	spectacles	glasses
	sports shoes	sneakers, athletic shoes, running shoes, etc.
	stand in queue	stand or wait in line, or wait on line
	stone	also, rock
	suitcase(s)	also, luggage, baggage or one bag
	sweet, toffee, chocolates, lollies	candy
	switchboard	power-strip  [switchboard is for a telephone operator]
	tap	also, faucet
	taxi	also, cab
	telegram	also, wire
	telephone call	also, a call or phone call
	telephone call box	public or pay phone
	telephone call without a charge	toll-free call (or 800- number)
	telephone dialing code	area code
	telephone is engaged	line is busy
	timber	also, lumber
	tin	can
	toilet, bathroom	in public, a restroom; in a home, bathroom
	tomato sauce	ketchup, or catsup [tomato sauce is not as sweet]
	torch	flashlight  [torch is a flame on a handle]
	trade union	labor union
	tram	also, streetcar
	trolley	also, streetcar
	trousers	also, pants or slacks
	trunk telephone call	long distance call
	under bridge	under-pass
	vacuum flask	thermos
	waist coat	vest
	washing items	toilet articles or toiletries
	windscreen	windshield
	yoghurt or curd	yogurt
	zero	also, "O" as in the English alphabet

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