Compared to other languages, English appears relatively easy to learn on paper… until you realize it doesn’t play by the rules. There are many exceptions to American grammar rules, and on top of that, Americans use all sorts of phrases and idioms in everyday conversation. So much so that even other English-speaking countries get confused. Did you ever tell someone to break a leg? Or how about killing two birds with one stone?
By examining more than 1,000 Google search terms, we determined which American phrases are the most puzzling to the world. We also figured out which specific phrases trip up people from one continent to another. Here are the top ten:
- Over the moon
- Devil’s Advocate
- Bucket List
- Pain in the neck
- No Pain no gain
- Playing with fire
- Piece of cake
- White elephant
- Couch potato
- Dog days of summer
Apparently, Canada doesn’t throw those white elephant parties around the holidays where you give cheap, often comedic gifts. The most confusing phrase to Canadians is “white elephant.” Funny enough, white elephant was also the most Googled phrase in the U.S. Meanwhile, Mexico’s top search was “no pain no gain.”
Places that primarily speak English have just as much trouble breaking down these American phrases as other countries. The most misunderstood American phrase in the United Kingdom (and England specifically) is “cold feet.” Northern Ireland isn’t sure what a “backseat driver” is, and Scotland needs to know what “down the hatch” entails.
This one may make you smile. We found out that France wanted to know what the phrase “Pardon my French” actually means. It apparently was a phrase that started in England, and while it is often used after people swear in America, the French do not use it as such. “Pardon my French” was also the top searched phrase in Poland.
There are so many unusual American phrases that it’s hard to keep them all in order. It’s obvious from Google searches that people who are learning English as a foreign language or even just trying to learn English as a first language, have trouble making sense of these phrases.
The country searching the most for phrases like these is Iceland! The Bahamas ranked second in total searches per capita alongside Singapore, Luxembourg, and Scotland.
We wish we had the answers to why there are so many unusual phrases and idioms used by Americans. As confusing as it is, just remember you can always finish a puzzle as long as you take some time and be patient (or maybe just turn to Google). Best of luck!