spotting

MaryW commented on the word spotting

Later that evening, I chortled at the local TV news where the inclement weather had dislodged the imminent elections from their rightful opening headline slot. ‘Rain is forecast for Friday, Saturday and beyond,’ announced the newsreader in her very best harbinger of doom voice. In the background a “super HD” map of the Bay area showed precisely where the rain would fall, the camera zooming in to close on the handful of named streets which would bear the brunt. The heaviest rain was forecast for Saturday. But tomorrow, the newsreader announced with gravitas, there would be widespread spotting.

Here was my first encounter with the ‘two nations divided by a common language’ phenomenon. ‘Spotting’ in British English, my American friends, is something which may occur when a lady is in the middle of her cycle and it’s a private matter concerning only the said lady and her underwear. Light rain, meanwhile, is commonly referred to in the UK as ‘drizzle’ or ‘spitting’, and is not usually thought worthy of a five minute slot on the regional news.

4.I’ve lived in America all my life and have never heard “spotting” used to describe the weather. I, too, have only used/heard in reference to that lovely monthly gift. I’m sure this made for an interesting (and perhaps scary) expectation of the trip!

BTW – San Fran is one of my favorite places – spotting or sunny! Love the pics

Id.: Comment by juli — November 7, 2008 @ 2:18 pm

January 14, 2016