British V American

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 101732

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "meriaugust" <meriaugust at y...> 
wrote:

Meri:
> I actually don't mind the Americanized versions. I like the covers 
> and the chapter pictures, and though I don't mind looking up words 
> and phrases I don't understand, it took me weeks to figure out what 
> the heck "Bungy the waterskiing Budgerier" was (from chapter 1, 
> OotP), and why it would be on the news, and I am still not sure 
I've 
> got it right (it's a little parakeet or something, right?). I am 
> still a bit confused about spotted dick, too. Anyway, most of the 
> British words don't pose much of a problem, I really love them, but 
> explanations of a couple of the more difficult ones would be nice. 
> And I probably will someday read the Brit ones, too. 

Geoff:
(1) A budgerigar (usually contracted to budgie) is a small, popular, 
cage bird often blue, a bit like a canary in size. It would have been 
in the news because UK news programmes sometimes decide to finish 
with a slightly off-beat or funny news item, especially in a month 
like August which can be a quiet time newswise.

(2) Spotted Dick. Have a look at message 86589 (Questionable dessert).