Even more people making fun of me...

[secritcrush]

Poll Dammit I forgot one

Comments

[lil_shepherd]

"Xerox" as a term for "photocopy" never really caught fire in the UK. Oh, it was used occasionally, but "photocopy" was much commoner both as noun and verb. I haven't heard "Xerox" used as either for many years.

Not such a common language

[secritcrush]

I gathered that after I offered to xerox something and the two people I was speaking to reacted like I'd called a bike a velocipede.

Re: Not such a common language

[lil_shepherd]

They weren't being polite. If they went to the States and offered to hoover the carpet, they ought to get the same treatment.

Re: Not such a common language

[secritcrush]

It was just good fun - we were locked in our bunker (aka the team room where we'd ordered biscuits) reading tender returns and were all looking for any distraction because it was so very boring. (Both were people I have worked with for a good while and would feel comfortable teasing in the same way, and there was a bit of actual confusion which lead into the gentle mocking.)

The people who are dicks about my Americanism usually go for the much more common lift/elevator jumper/sweater type stuff where it's clear the person knows what I meant. (There aren't a lot of people like that, but there have been some.)

[cellardoor28]

I think this and the previous poll are both very much US vs UK, more than age things. I would understand you perfectly though if you said you were going to xerox an example of your fine cursive :)

[secritcrush]

One of the people I spoke to (a youngish guy) seemed to think it was specifically old-fashioned, though the other person (about my age) seemed as "huh?"

[flying_blind]

I'm sure that most Americans, at least, would agree that Xeroxing your butt is much funnier than making a copy of your butt.

[lamentables]

ITYM photocopying your arse

[carl_allery]

Ah, that's the thing that came after the duplicator/Gestetner copier, isn't it? Photocopy mostly. I used to enjoy turning the handle on the old duplicator though - and the strange shade of blue/purple it used to come out in. But then we had a hand printing press in the house growing up, so I also learned to set type for letter headings and personal book plates. Yup, being a teachers' kid was ... interesting. :)

[lil_shepherd]

Fans of my generation always spoke of the comradeship of getting high on stencil correcting fluid...

[kalorlo]

I'd understand what you meant and probably not be surprised to hear it, but would say photocopy myself.