Legit Reviews

Do the US members amongst us still call mobile phones 'cell phones'?

Would everyone (not just people here on the forums, but the general public) know what I was talking about if I were to use the term 'mobile phone', or is that still a British only naming convention?



Dan

PS. Reason I'm asking is I just posted this news, and was wondering if I should have used cell phone or mobile phone to appeal to the wider (US) audience

Think its one of those things that it depends on the person.

Either way, I know what you're talking about. Hell, most I know simply call it their 'phone' now because they don't have a land line.

It would depend on the person but most probably not as we have a petrol station called Mobile.

DL13 wrote:It would depend on the person but most probably not as we have a petrol station called Mobile.

Most Exxon/Mobile's around here are a thing of the past, maybe they just fled Maine tho

skier wrote:

DL13 wrote:It would depend on the person but most probably not as we have a petrol station called Mobile.

Most Exxon/Mobile's around here are a thing of the past, maybe they just fled Maine tho

Some thing is up, it's the same here too.

I use both terms and can easily switch between the two during a conversation. Or, I just call it my mobile companion, Zed.

I have enough knowledge of the British words to know what you guys are talking about when you use a term we don't, like "Tube" or "Lift". If you use the term "Mobile Phone" it is pretty much a given. If you use just "Mobile" you might get a few head scratchers.

Mobile/Mobile Phone is the term in AUS. But because we have so much american media exposure, Cell Phone is still understandable.

DMB2000uk wrote:Do the US members amongst us still call mobile phones 'cell phones'?

Would everyone (not just people here on the forums, but the general public) know what I was talking about if I were to use the term 'mobile phone', or is that still a British only naming convention?

The Japanese call it "mobiru".

As vicaphit pointed out, if you say "mobile phone", then it's easily understandable. Call it plain "mobile" and that's when you start getting blank looks.

I say cell phone

Just like how I call any "pop" or "soda" drink a coke. "what kind of coke would you like?"

The "coke" one is evil. When I'm at a bar and order a captain and coke and end up with captain and pepsi I get infuriated. They're not the same thing!

Haha, yeah if you wanted any old Coke or Pepsi, you would have said Cola. Right? Barmen these days. Psshaw.

Most the people I encounter here in California they use "cell phone" or just "phone." Most people are getting rid of the home phone. My favorite English phrase is "knocked her up." In the UK it means you went and visited a woman, in the US it means you got her pregnant. The first time I came accross it was when I was talking to a British guy and he said that he went and knocked up his sister!

When I think Mobile Phone I think of things like radio phones, sat phones, and other technologies that don't use cell towers. When I think of cell phone I think of cellular based phones. It's probably because I do this for a living though.

Sowser wrote:My favorite English phrase is "knocked her up." In the UK it means you went and visited a woman, in the US it means you got her pregnant. The first time I came accross it was when I was talking to a British guy and he said that he went and knocked up his sister!

What!!?! 'Knocking someone up' still means getting them pregnant here in England!

He's either completely unaware of what the phrase means, or there's some dodgy local variant where he lives!

Dan

DMB2000uk wrote:

Sowser wrote:My favorite English phrase is "knocked her up." In the UK it means you went and visited a woman, in the US it means you got her pregnant. The first time I came accross it was when I was talking to a British guy and he said that he went and knocked up his sister!

What!!?! 'Knocking someone up' still means getting them pregnant here in England!

He's either completely unaware of what the phrase means, or there's some dodgy local variant where he lives!

Dan

Ya that's true, The other phrase I heard when I was in England is "did you get your lag up".

Oh, please don't remind me about England. I went and lived there for about a year and a half, having lived in Australia/New Zealand for the previous portion of my life. Of course, having not really known the local lingo, I still called flip-flops thongs and shorts, pants. Oh how I got laughed at at school I hope I NEVER have to go back, especially because of the weather. Seeing the sun, what maybe five times a year doesn't agree with me...

DL13 wrote:

DMB2000uk wrote:

Sowser wrote:My favorite English phrase is "knocked her up." In the UK it means you went and visited a woman, in the US it means you got her pregnant. The first time I came accross it was when I was talking to a British guy and he said that he went and knocked up his sister!

What!!?! 'Knocking someone up' still means getting them pregnant here in England!

He's either completely unaware of what the phrase means, or there's some dodgy local variant where he lives!

Dan

Ya that's true, The other phrase I heard when I was in England is "did you get your lag up".

I'm not sure that was a typo or if that's another miss-heard phrase

Should be leg and not lag, i.e. "Did you get your leg up?" or "leg over"

Dan

DMB2000uk wrote:

Sowser wrote:My favorite English phrase is "knocked her up." In the UK it means you went and visited a woman, in the US it means you got her pregnant. The first time I came accross it was when I was talking to a British guy and he said that he went and knocked up his sister!

What!!?! 'Knocking someone up' still means getting them pregnant here in England!

He's either completely unaware of what the phrase means, or there's some dodgy local variant where he lives!

Dan

Hmmm, that's wierd because I've heard it used by Brits I've met since and even read it used that way in the Sherlock Homes books I've been reading recently. Maybe it's an old term that still sees use in parts?

Every reference to knocked up I can find comes down to copulating... From what I can gather the phrase originates from a brothel being called a knocking house.

So go tell your friend to look up the definition
(And you should re-read the sherlock holmes to see that phrase in a new light )

Dan