dragonyphoenix: Blackadder looking at scraps of paper, saying "It could use a beta" (Katchoo)
dragonyphoenix ([personal profile] dragonyphoenix) wrote2015-06-10 04:16 pm

Need help with British (vs. US) English

Need some British-speak help. Here in the US there's a phrase, "hand caught in the cookie jar" which basically means you've been caught doing something you shouldn't. I like it for the scene I'm writing because it suggests a kid or someone who is young getting caught. I THINK what we call cookies are called biscuits in the UK. If so, it seems unlikely that you'd use the same phrase. What other phrase could I use?
gillo: (Olympic flag Kenilworth 2012)

[personal profile] gillo 2015-06-10 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, we don't have cookies, that's true. "Hand caught in the till" is a bit adult. "caught with his hand in the sweetie tin/jar" would probably work best. We never talk about candy as a generic, and adults would probably say "sweets" or even "confectionery", but kids usually talk about "sweets".

[identity profile] dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com 2015-06-10 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you. Exactly what I need.

[identity profile] not-vacillating.livejournal.com 2015-06-11 09:00 am (UTC)(link)
'Caught red-handed' is the phrase I would use (London), although I confess I'm not entirely sure of the origin of it!

[identity profile] dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com 2015-06-11 02:24 pm (UTC)(link)
That's actually one we would use here as well. ;-)
Thanks.