I have discovered so many odd things between British English and American English when it comes to furnishings and the like - I start with this really weird picture in my mind, then eventually realise that they are just using the 'wrong' word.
I mean what does a bedroom with a hutch and an armoire bring to mind? Especially if it also has half a bathroom with a commode in it...
I often wondered if they kept rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters in the hutch - and wondered why they had a specialist place for armour - not to mention a hip bath and a, well, commode!
It means they have a cupboard (hutch!) and a wardrobe (armour), and an en-suite loo ('a half bathroom'...!). Apparently in parts of the US commode also means the plumbed in variety...!!
ETA - not to mention the flatware - which probably wouldn't be in the bedroom - unless it is the bedroom of a student or similar...
no subject
Date: 2010-04-21 12:50 pm (UTC)I mean what does a bedroom with a hutch and an armoire bring to mind? Especially if it also has half a bathroom with a commode in it...
I often wondered if they kept rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters in the hutch - and wondered why they had a specialist place for armour - not to mention a hip bath and a, well, commode!
It means they have a cupboard (hutch!) and a wardrobe (armour), and an en-suite loo ('a half bathroom'...!). Apparently in parts of the US commode also means the plumbed in variety...!!
ETA - not to mention the flatware - which probably wouldn't be in the bedroom - unless it is the bedroom of a student or similar...
no subject
Date: 2010-04-21 02:58 pm (UTC)This is the problem with writing American dialogue/POVed prose in fic - you spend so much time feeling really really silly...