Words and their different meanings

Wait… That’s not what that means: English words that change by country

The English language can travel as far as humans do. In fact, it has been doing so for thousands of years. Words can contain more than one definition, and even more than two or three are sometimes accepted. The important matter is to understand each other, and that is not just a problem of words, but of context, place, and relationships. How many times has it happened to you to be using all the right words in a conversation and still end up completely confused? Let's look at some words that may have confused us on more than one occasion!

If you've ever dunked your biscuits in milk, you know exactly what comfort looks like. But ask for the same thing in London and watch the confusion unfold. In the UK, a biscuit is what we'd call a cookie. Ours? They'd call it a scone.

The word itself has a messy history. Before 1800, nobody could even agree on the spelling: bisket, bisquet, biscuit. It described a sweet baked treat made with flour, eggs, and sugar. "Bis" also means twice in Latin, because the original biscuit was bread baked twice to survive long journeys.

Nothing feels more American than grabbing a bag of chips on a vacation road trip, somewhere between a gas station and nowhere. But in London, the scenery is totally different. Order chips in a London pub and you'll get something closer to what we call French fries: hot, thick, and usually next to a piece of battered fish.

Here's the real twist: what the British call "crisps" is exactly what we call chips. The words essentially swapped sides of the Atlantic. The word itself traces back to simply "chipping" a potato into pieces. By the 1860s, fish and chips had become a British institution.

Tell a British person nice pants! And they will probably cover his mouth and start laughing, either from embarrassment or from amusement. In the UK, "pants" mean underwear. What we call pants, they call trousers. Consider yourself warned.

Back in the old days, both countries used the same word "pantaloons", borrowed from Pantalone, an old merchant character from Italian theater who wore long, baggy trousers. Americans shortened it to pants and kept the meaning. Over in Britain, they kept a more intimate definition. There is more: in modern British slang, calling something "pants" means it's terrible.

The meaning of jumper literally jumped from one piece of clothing to another. In the US, we call a jumper a sleeveless dress, often worn over a shirt. Many school uniform regulations include jumpers for girls. Instead, the UK version is different. There, "jumper" means a pullover, jacket, or sweater.

How many tasks did you table this week? Well, let’s table that issue for now; we'd better talk about this tomorrow. In this phrase, to table something means to postpone under consideration, but what if it meant the exact opposite? In fact, it does.

The American Heritage Dictionary lists two meanings for the phrase "on the table". The first one is the one already mentioned, and the second one is to put something up for discussion right now. Confusing to say the least, isn’t it?

No surprise that the UK and the Commonwealth use the definition we don’t use. Because why would it be simple?

One goes on a baby’s head, the other on a Lamborghini: both are called a bonnet. The important thing to know is that in both cases, something important is being covered. In America, a bonnet is a hat. The kind of hat that has a brim and a ribbon that ties under the chin.

We have all seen them on babies, on ladies, and on pioneers. Instead, in the UK, a bonnet is the hood of a car. That part that covers the engine. So, phrases like "pop the bonnet" have nothing to do with the cute accessory; it simply means opening the hood of a car.

The word trolley can mean very different things depending on where you are. It can be a little train or a streetcar in the USA, often used in street rides and city tours.

On the other hand, on the British side, a trolley is nothing more than a cart. Its most common use is for a shopping cart. So, "catch the trolley" and "grab the trolley" have completely different meanings. Does anyone have any idea about this one?

You probably heard "this song is a total banger" before. "Take on Me " by A-ha and "Funkytown" by Lipps inc are, with no doubt, total bangers. But what if I told you a banger can come with potatoes? In fact, bangers and mash is one of the most famous dishes in England. So the meaning must be different. Or rather, the word simply has more than one meaning. Banger can be a music hit for the Americans and a sausage for the British at the same time. You just have to be careful how and when you use this word.

If someone lives in a huge apartment in New York and has a fancy car, wears fancy clothes, and goes to fancy restaurants, you might think he’s a refined or classy person, and you will probably not be wrong. But, if I go on a trip to London, I will hear this word is rather used as a verb, not as an adjective. Why is that? Because the British use of this word is different. Fancy means to want or to desire something. "Fancy a cup of tea?" or " fancy going to the cinema?" So, in London, the real question is not to be fancy, but what you fancy doing.

So which came first: angry or crazy? We’ve reached the last word, and here is the story behind mad. In Britain, mad has always meant crazy, referring to someone suffering from madness, a serious mental illness. That meaning never left. Ask any British person today, and a mad person is still someone out of their mind. They also use mad to mean enthusiastic. Passionate. That is where "Jack is mad about Mary" comes from. He is not angry at her. He is completely gone for her.

Using mad to mean angry? That is actually on us. It is an Americanism. Somewhere along the way, Americans took the word and redirected it straight toward anger. And we never looked back.

Harm-free cooking

10 basic principles of bromatology everyone should know

Image: Araf Ibne Alam

How do you preserve and handle your food? Do you think your kitchen hygiene is good enough to avoid food poisoning from cross-contamination? Even if you are very careful about the safety of your food and the cleanliness of the surfaces you use for storage and cooking, we assure you that there are some generally overlooked threats you should pay attention to. In this article, we’ll go through 10 bromatological tips you probably didn't know. Get ready to learn how to take better care of yourself and your family!

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In the United States, supermarkets keep eggs in the refrigerator, but did you know that in most countries, you can find them right on the shelves, next to snacks or cans of beans? The truth is, eggs should be kept refrigerated to extend their shelf life as long as possible.

This standard practice must be replicated at home. You should always preserve your eggs in the fridge and, ideally, in a closed container to prevent other foods from being contaminated by bacteria. Can eggs be left out on the counter? Yes, but they will last a lot less and can eventually be dangerous.

Image: Hayley Ryczek

Do you know how to tell if a chicken is safe enough to eat? Here are some tips: Make sure the meat has a firm texture, no unpleasant odor, bright color, and no secretions. If you see a soft, sticky film or a greenish color, it should be discarded immediately.

If the piece meets the above requirements but you still think you should give it a wash before cooking, think again. It sounds counterintuitive, but believe us, if you wash a chicken, you are not getting rid of bacteria; on the contrary. When you clean it in the sink, the water splashes will infect everything around it, causing cross-contamination. If you think it’s dirty, it is best to wipe it with a damp paper napkin. Also, always use a cutting board exclusively reserved for chicken meat.

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Dairy products are the most sensitive to temperature changes and should always be handled with care. They must be kept in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days before consumption. Also, respect the expiration date and follow the instructions indicated on the package.

When cooking, avoid exposing dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and butter to room temperature for more than 15 minutes.

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Did you know that ground meats represent one of the greatest health risks? During mincing, bacteria transfer from the meat surface to the interior, making it more difficult to reach the necessary temperature to kill germs.

For this reason, you shouldn’t eat burgers or other preparations with undercooked minced meat. In fact, it is recommended that children under 5 years of age avoid eating any type of minced meat, regardless of how it is cooked. Contaminated ground meats can lead to a serious illness called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, which causes acute kidney damage that requires hospitalization and can even be fatal.

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Batch cooking often saves us from having to prepare a meal from scratch when we come home tired from work. However, we must take some precautions. For example, you should never store hot food in the refrigerator, as it can raise the temperature of the rest of the food.

It is important to cool your soups and stews thoroughly if you are planning to store them in the fridge. If you want to speed things up, you can transfer your preparation to a shallow pan or use an ice bath to cool it quicker. Remember not to leave the food out for too long, though, as it can ferment and bring other problems. This is essential, especially for large portions.

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When cooking, it is always important to have a basic knowledge of food safety to avoid food poisoning. We can all agree that homemade mayo is much better than store-bought. However, you should take some precautions if you want to prepare it at home.

Fresh, raw eggs, even those with clean, uncracked shells, may contain bacteria called Salmonella that can cause various illnesses. To prevent these microorganisms from being transferred to the preparation, you can pasteurize the eggs beforehand. You only have to heat them in hot water, and after reaching 140ºF, the salmonella will die.

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Food should always be thawed properly to avoid contamination or damage to the product or tissues. The correct way of defrosting food is to place it in the fridge, not leave it out on the counter. Yes, it will certainly take longer, but this will prevent bacteria from forming.

This method requires planning ahead, but it is much safer than any other. Also, remember that food should be placed on a tray or platter to prevent contaminating other foods from the liquids released from thawing.

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Do you have a yogurt in the fridge that has been out of date for a couple of days, but you think it might be okay to eat? How about that piece of cheese or sliced bread with some green patches that look easy to just scrape away? If you are about to eat something that smells, looks, or tastes "weird", it is always best to throw it away.

We usually feel guilty discarding food because of how much it costs, but it is always best to avoid unnecessary risks.

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Did you know beer and soft drink cans can be covered with fungi and bacteria? Usually, storage and transportation centers are not clean enough, and there may even be rodent or bird feces, carrying all kinds of microorganisms that can make you sick.

Before opening cans or jars, wash them thoroughly with water and detergent. You can also spray them with 70% alcohol. And no, according to several studies, simply wiping them with your T-shirt or a paper napkin won't do the job.

Image: Ello

Keeping a tidy fridge can be a tedious chore, especially if you have a large family. However, it is key to maintaining your food safe.

You can follow these basic tips: Place meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products in the coldest part of the refrigerator and away from the door; keep ready-to-eat foods at the top; store raw foods at the bottom to prevent juices from contaminating other foods; cover fresh produce with plastic wrap, foil or lids to prevent cross-contamination.