h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I carry an old plastic IOM pound note around in my wallet but we only issue £1 coins.

About the advert...

I'm lovin it!!

On a similar note of Americans not knowing British words...or a British script-writer being naughty is in an episode of 'Mork & Mindy' (nan-oo-nan-oo).

They had a horrible landlord in one episode called 'Mr w@nker'. Sitting watching it in about 1990 and 4.30pm on a weekday at Uni we all looked at each and said...did they say what I thought they said...yes they did...

It was also the maiden name of Peggy Bundy in Married With Children. Her husband Al would dread thanksgiving when all the w@nkers would come to stay

lets take McDonalds at their word

go into a Mccy Ds and order loads off the £1 saver menue and when they tell you how much it is, hand over 50p saying there you go thats a, ten bob bit!!!!!!!

Not to mention Paul Hogan's stunt man, Leo W.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpmyw2ZDRfo

Never! Never! Never have I heard a single soul call a pound a bob! I've twittered about this myself.

As others have mentioned, a bob was originally a shilling (12p in old money, twenty shillings to the pound). After decimilisation, 5p was called a bob because, for a while afterwards, the old shilling was traded as a 5p piece. Ten bob was fifty pence.

Bloody americans (lower case, delberate)! Our colleague was correct when they said if we said "A dime, also known as a dollar", out collonial cousins would have the biggest hissy fit since our mental King George decided to make a few bob on tea leaves!

The one thing to remember in all this is that we are British (other national options also exist).

Let us chortle over the crass error and the consequent digging of even deeper holes by the PR folk at McD's without ever falling into the trap of taking this seriously.

It's an advertising agency for a world wide American fast food chain and the public relations department of that company. That's three organisations that no sane sentient human can take seriously.

Dear pebblederook,

While I agree with your sentiments regarding McD's, I would have you know that:

This is my language they're messing about with and it's not only them nor is it only recent and I want my U back.

Yours sincerely

RodthePedant

Ah now that is different Rod. The vanishing U is another matter. That is a concerted attack by an entire nation and not to be countenanced.

I am with U on that one.

Only ever use it when I say something is "only a few bob", which to me means not a lot of money, nothing specific, but certainly not £3.

They mucked it up. We should all go and ask the McDonalds staff if we can have 20 burgers for £1