I am English by birth and Canadian by choice, since emigrating to Canada in 1989 I have often come across some language problems when talking to North American friends, people in stores, restaurants and on eBay. Which I find rather funny as after all we are all supposed to be speaking English following is some information for eBayers about the names of some things I often search for on eBay

Please note this is not meant in anyway to be disrespectful of anyones language I hope you will take it in fun as it is meant.

Lets start with the North American word Pitcher that's a baseball player right? wrong that's a Jug.

In the English language a jug is a vessel that has a handle and a spout and pours any type of liquid so there are water jugs, milk jugs and cream  jugs!

From now on I'll use NA for North American

NA 2 Creamer it took me a while to figure that out. In the English language a creamer is "An instrument that separates the cream from the milk" so a 'creamer' is not even a jug.

In England a jug for cream is usually small, dainty and decorative and is called a cream jug. English people use cream for dessert also called afters or pudding.

NA 3 Pin I soon found out this is really a Brooch which is a decorative / ornamental item that fastens with a clip and catch to a garment.

So what is a pin? a pin is a short round pointed piece of  metal used to fasten things such as cloth and paper together especially used when sewing.

Please tell me what in NA is the word for a pin that is used in sewing?

NA 4 Button ah ha that's easy a button is what you use to close up the gaps in your shirt or coat by pushing a thin round piece of metal, wood or plastic through a slot in your clothes right? No wrong

The NA Button is an English Badge a round disc usually made of tin or plastic with popular words and pictures or declaring your political opinions it has a clip and catch for attaching to a garment.

So what in NA  is the word for that round thing that goes through a slot to close up the gap in your clothes?

I am sure I'll be adding some more but right now I have to get back to listing some Money Boxes (Oh excuse me Banks) on eBay weird one that! I always thought a bank was a building that had people in it looking after your money!