Speaking the Queen’s English (Signage)

Today’s English lesson is dedicated to those words/phrases commonly seen on signs all over London:

Takeaway = Carry-Out

Way Out = Exit

Mind the… = Watch Out for… (e.g., “Mind the Step,” “Mind Your Head”)

Baggage Reclaim = Baggage Claim (“Reclaim” does make more sense, doesn’t it?)

Queue up = Stand in Line

Diversion = Detour

Give Way = Yield

Dual Carriageway = Two-Lane Highway

Humps = Bumps (as in road bumps…get your mind out of the gutter)

As you can see, while using different phrasing, the London signs are nonetheless quite self-explanatory, so you won’t have too difficult a time understanding them.  And the signs in this city that you will be most grateful for are the ones painted where the sidewalks meet the street:  ”Look Left” or “Look Right.”  Now that is tricky, but I promise you’ll get the hang of it to the point where you’ll be forgetting the correct way to look back home!  And regardless, when you’re exploring your neighborhoods and finding your London flat through London Relocation Ltd., we’ll always point you in the right direction.

Related posts:

1. Speaking the Queen’s English (Food–Part 1)
2. Speaking the Queen’s English (Food–Part 3)
3. Speaking the Queen’s English (Home & Garden)
4. Speaking the Queen’s English (Conversational Lingo)
5. Speaking the Queen’s English (Health & Beauty Supplies)

Tags: Americans moving to London, British vs. American English, london home search, london location, london relocation agent, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, relocation specialists, Speaking the Queen's English
This entry was posted on: Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 11:30 am and is filed under London Language Barriers, Moving to London: Tips & Culture.
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