Bum Bags and Fanny Packs : A British-American American-British Dictionary (Paperback)

~ (Author) "THIS DICTIONARY IS for use by travellers, armchair, virtual, or otherwise..." (more)
Key Phrases: usage adv, expr adv, intj adj, New York, Great Britain, Sloane Rangese (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The most comprehensive, up-to-date, and entertaining translation dictionary available for those navigating the murky waters between American and British English

The first place to turn to for understanding Britishisms or Americanisms, this handy and humorous translation dictionary will delight and inform trans-Atlantic travelers, writers and actors trying to capture the true tongue of the Brits or the Yanks, and any and all word mavens fascinated by the English language. The dictionary illuminates differences in vocabulary, usage, pronunciation, and spelling. It also explains the history of the English language and how and why differences between American and British English arose. Easy-to-read, light-hearted, and sometimes irreverent (differences occur especially in the dynamic areas of language, of which slang and swear words are a major part), BUM BAGS AND FANNY PACKS contains more than 2,500 entries on each side, making it the most thorough book of its kind. Also includes Cockney rhyming slang, tables listing national holidays, presidents, kings and queens, and the differences between American and British currencies.

About the Author

Jeremy Smith was born in London and, after graduating from college, immigrated to America, where he became a computer professional. A keen amateur linguist, he began BUM BAGS AND FANNY PACKS after his initial collision with American culture. The book has been a research project conducted among fellow linguists and online collaborators. More than a decade after its inception, Smith continues to conduct research. He currently lives in Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (January 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786717025
• ISBN-13: 978-0786717026
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #83,182 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and terrifically helpful, January 16, 2006

By	Steven Strogatz (Ithaca, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is hilarious, accurate, and surprisingly useful. I lived in England for two years after college and often found myself both befuddled and tickled by the Brits' idiomatic expressions. "You're having me on!", you say. No, I'm not trying to take the Mickey out of you. Or even the Michael. I wish I'd had a copy of Bum Bags and Fanny Packs back then.

Just the other day, I consulted this book when a British colleague of mine mentioned that he found another colleague's aggressive letter to us to be "a bit shirty." Armed with Bum Bags and Fanny Packs, I not only learned the precise meaning of that adjective, but discovered an even better synonym for it: "stroppy." If you're the sort of person who enjoys wordplay, you're in for a treat with this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Faithful Companion, February 2, 2008

By	A. Perez "a student" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are an American who enjoys British novels, films, music, etc. or vice versa, this book enhances the joys of transatlantic communication through media. This book is a fresh, funny, and practical guide to modern english.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not just for Americans, December 25, 2007

By	Carla Ulbrich "The Singing Patient" (Sunrise, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My British friend found this even more fascinating than I did, so i gave it to him when I was over there. It's a bit academic, going into all sorts of history of coins, measurements, etc. I am more of a one-liner kind of person when it comes to this sort of topic, so I enjoy the knickers in a twist book a bit more. But for intellectuals, this book is chock full of facts.