Buttons, Bottoms and Backsides

The word ‘button’ is often mispronounced by Swedish speakers of English so that it sounds like ‘bottom’.

Also, the word ‘backside’ is frequently incorrectly used instead of the word ‘back’.

A backside and a bottom are the things we sit on (also called a bum, buns, ass, behind, hiney and (in America anyway) a fanny)

so you would say

– press the button

– I always press the wrong button

– I have a flower in my buttonhole (not bottom hole)

or

– the back of the paper

– the back of the building

– the downside (nackdel)

Author: Janet Carr

Fashion, beauty and animal loving language consultant from South Africa living in Stockholm, Sweden.

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