Tags Brit style vs American

[Betty LaRue]

A lot of time we might ask, want to stop for a coke? Meaning any flavor.

[Archaeo]

3 hours ago, losdemas said:

All this talk of bygone times reminds me that I used to hear my relatives (oop north i.e. the north of England), on occasion talk of a 'dollar' in terms of local currency. I think they referred to it as being equivalent to about 8 shillings (40p today). I am guessing that it was because that was the accepted exchange rate for a us dollar at the time and that the exchange rate was fairly steady for a good period. 

 

Does anyone else from the north of England (and of a certain age!) recall this? 

 

In informal British usage I think a "dollar" was 5 shillings & "half a dollar" was two shillings & sixpence (a half-crown). Roughly the exchange rate during WWII.

 

[Cryptoprocta]

8 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

A lot of time we might ask, want to stop for a coke? Meaning any flavor.

There are lots of 'vernacular' terms in Scotland, including 'lemonade' (meaning any flavour of fizzy drink) and, bizarrely and against the Trades Description Act, 'juice'. At least, the latter was said in rural Midlothian when I was a child, perplexing me when I went to visit relatives.

[John Richmond]

8 hours ago, Archaeo said:

 

In informal British usage I think a "dollar" was 5 shillings & "half a dollar" was two shillings & sixpence (a half-crown). Roughly the exchange rate during WWII.

 

Yes.  Common usage in North Lincs in the 50's and 60's.  More used for the half crown (=half a dollar) as the much bigger crowns weren't really in circulation.

[Allan Bell]

1 hour ago, John Richmond said:

Yes.  Common usage in North Lincs in the 50's and 60's.  More used for the half crown (=half a dollar) as the much bigger crowns weren't really in circulation.

 

Same in County Durham.

 

Allan  (Oooops! Telling my age now.)