Universal Words
Universal words are words which are used in many countries with the same meaning. English on the other hand is full of synonyms - words that basically mean the same thing. A few examples, with the universally understood word in bold:
- taxi and cab
- hotel and motel
- bill and check
- Coca-Cola, Coke and Pepsi
- sofa and coach
- toilet and bathroom/restroom
- tram and streetcar
- pasta and noodles
When travelling abroad, it can be helpful to know the universal word and use that one, as it will be more readily understood.
The expression “Please get me a taxi” is more likely to be understood by non-native English speakers than “Could you hail me a cab?”
It may be a bit embarrassing at first to ask for the “toilet”, but few will understand you if you ask for the “restrooms”. Sometimes “WC” will work; you might want to try that first.
I have also started using more British English words as these are more readily understood:
- lift instead of elevator
- flat instead of apartment
- serviette instead of napkin
- trolley instead of cart (as in shopping or luggage cart)
- aubergine instead of eggplant
Please add more examples which you have encountered.
Image from www.dol.wa.gov.
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POSTED IN: Customs and Culture, Travel
5 opinions for Universal Words
Jul
Mar 19, 2008 at 8:51 am
In my experience, words such as “vodka” and “beer” are pretty widely understood, too. :)
A.T.
Mar 19, 2008 at 9:06 am
uhm, Russian is quite flooded with loaned words, so one might hear there those “simple words”, yet… there is high risk with false interpreter friends - one might be trapped in very tough situation. Anyway, it is difficult to be foreigner without interpreter in Russia (hint - Moscow is not Russia besides being part of it territory)
Jean Mercedes
Mar 27, 2008 at 1:00 pm
@ Jul - good points!
@A.T. - could you list some simple loaner words which are used in Russia?
Wil
Apr 19, 2008 at 5:38 pm
There’s an English to English dictionary somewhere out there to prevent flubs between Staters and Brits (’one people divided by the same language’). One example: “Shall I knock you up in the morning?” is quite an innocent way of offering a wake-up reminder — in Britain.
Jean Mercedes
Apr 20, 2008 at 2:31 pm
That’s a great one, Wil, thanks for sharing it!
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