Americans have many strange words and phrases that give foreigners pause. These are commonplace American phrases that, to foreigners, sound bizarre or hilarious. Each phrase has a story or meaning, and Americans use them almost instinctively.
To visitors, or tourists, these aren’t immediately familiar. So, let’s dive into 10 of the most weird things Americans say that make the world scratch its head.
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Ballpark Figure
By “ballpark figure,” Americans refer to a rough or estimated number. When someone talks about a “ballpark”, it’s in reference to baseball, but the phrase has gotten way beyond sports & can refer to any vague guess.
It is somewhat confusing outside the United States where baseball terminology is less familiar.
Table It
If someone in the US says they wish to “table” a debate, this means they want to pause the discussion and come back to it later.
This makes no sense to non-Americans (especially the British), for whom “table it” refers to bringing something up for debate; the exact opposite.
It’s a strange difference that is easily misinterpreted in business or diplomatic circles.
To Shoot the Breeze
To “shoot the breeze” simply means to chat. Anyone who doesn’t know this term thinks it’s a strange phrase, and a worthless exercise; why would anyone shoot at the wind?
For Americans, it’s a way of just talking for the sake of it. And it’s another way of saying “passing the time.”
Monday-Morning Quarterback
For Americans, a “Monday-morning quarterback” is a person who criticizes a thing in retrospect, such as what a quarterback would have done after the football game is over. The phrase also refers to Sunday night football traditions; that is, it’s too late to quarterback on Monday when the game is already over.
It’s a confusing phrase outside the U.S. because there aren’t quarterbacks in other sports and nobody might really know why Monday morning has anything to do with it.
Jump on the Bandwagon
In the US, “to jump on the bandwagon” is to get involved in something hot. The term used to describe political campaigns in which the candidates travelled on wagons that had musical bands to draw in supporters.
Americans now use it to refer to joining a “trend,” usually late, but the concept of a ‘bandwagon’ is bizarre, especially to those who don’t know American history.
Throw a Wrench in the Works
When Americans say, “threw a wrench in the works”, that means something went wrong with a project or situation. The term originated in the US industry, where machinery mattered and any little object was enough to bring down the machine.
Today, it’s a fun term used by Americans to describe any unexpected glitch in schedules, usually due to someone’s actions.
Riding Shotgun
In the United States, “riding shotgun” means sitting in the front passenger seat of a car. It comes from the Old West when stagecoach guards stood guard next to the shotgun-wielding driver.
It’s now a title for anyone who wants to bid on the driver’s seat of a car. This sounds funny and strange to outsiders who don’t get the history or why a seat deserves such a sensational name.
Put Lipstick on a Pig
In American English, if someone says “You’re putting lipstick on a pig,” it means that no matter how much you glam up or adorn, it is still ugly or shabby.
The idea that you can make a pig better with lipstick is strange. So this term is confusing to anyone who has never heard it. It’s a funny way of saying that surface changes can’t disguise what’s wrong inside.
Bite the Dust
When Americans refer to a person who “bit the dust,” they typically refer to someone who failed, or died. It’s an attractive and dramatic term.
But foreigners might find it gruesome and confusing ( why is dust involved?). The word originated as battlefield slang and now can mean almost anything that goes wrong.
Bang for Your Buck
Americans who say they’re getting “more bang for their buck” are actually getting a good deal. In other words, they’re getting a great value for money.
It’s a phrase built on US culture’s value of efficiency, but it might seem enigmatic to foreigners wondering why “bang” has to do with spending. It actually goes back to the army, where “bang” meant firepower or impact for a dollar spent.
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