Condo? American/English translation required

[magentus]

American contingent; Can you tell me what a condo is please?

Being a fan of many US  comedies (The Office, Seinfeld, Frasier, Arrested Development, The Middle, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Malcolm in the Middle etc) Condo's are mentioned alot and I'd like to know what the British equivalent is.

Who lives in a condo?

[demonoflust]

Apartment.

[Mercury]

A condo is essentially a Townhouse, it is a single family dwelling that shares a common wall with another unit, wherein the occupant can be owner or renter, except the ground beneath the unit(if it is on the ground level) is community property under an H.O.A.(homeowners Association) to which the owners pay dues.  In the case of a Townhouse everything is the same except the ground beneath the unit is the property of the owner not the H.O.A. 

Source: I own a Townhouse and serve as Vice President for my H.O.A. 


To answer your question in a more social context, Condo's in the US are typically Resort/vacation/retirement community dwellings.  My Townhouse is on a Resort.

Not sure of what the exact British translation would be, because they are not Apartments, but can be extremely similar. 

[magentus]

Thanks guys - I don't think we have an equivalent here - a dwelling with a shared common wall is called a 'semi-detached'.

An apartment block we call 'flats' as in 'a block of flats'.

So from what you say, a condo is a 'semi detached' dwelling for a family etc but the ground beneath it is community property. Does that sound right?

[Mercury]

Thanks guys - I don't think we have an equivalent here - a dwelling with a shared common wall is called a 'semi-detached'.

An apartment block we call 'flats' as in 'a block of flats'.

So from what you say, a condo is a 'semi detached' dwelling for a family etc but the ground beneath it is community property. Does that sound right?

Yes and no, for instance complexes like mine have multiple units that are directly adjacent to one another, and all sit on the ground with Garages for each unit, however the ground isn't theirs so they are called condos. 

Alternately, we have 5 buildings on the Resort that resemble apartment bldgs, complete with a shared underground garage, but they are classified as Condos.

Both are very common here.

Then you have what we call a Duplex, or it's big brother the four-plex, a set of semi detached units that share a common wall.   A duplex is essentially a house with a divider wall down the middle, creating two dwellings.  I actually prefer those to Condos. 

[Smaug]

Townhomes usually have their own entry and exit door for each unit, and at least a 1 car garage. They are never high-rise buildings.

Condos differ from townhomes in that they don't always have a garage for each unit, and they rarely have their own entry door for each unit. There is a common entry door and common indoor areas, then the units.

The difference between condos and apartments is usually just a matter of ownership. Condos are usually bought, and if they're rented, they're usually called apartments. To you, they'd both be flats. Townhomes are different.

I live in something they call a Manor Home. I think it is just a BS term. Basically, it is a condo, but the buildings are not too high; only two floors. 8 units per building, but we each have our own one car garage. So kind of a hybrid between a condo and a townhome, but closer to a condo.

[Lynn LeFey]

It might also help to know the full name is Condominium.

Here's what Wiki has to say about them for definition (which I think is a pretty good description)...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condominium

It seems that the basics of what make a condo a condo is that there is both private ownership and shared areas.

[Syph007]

Well here, condos are apartments you own instead of rent.  You also pay extra condo fees to maintain the properties.  So the tenants collectively own the entire building and land, instead of a landlord.

[magentus]

Well here, condos are apartments you own instead of rent.  You also pay extra condo fees to maintain the properties.  So the tenants collectively own the entire building and land, instead of a landlord.

Sounds like the wiki explaination Lynn linked to.

That's cleared that up for me then! Thanks all of you for your help.

What's a biscuit then?

Magentus

[Syph007]

Biscuits!





What do brits call those... scones? Or is that something else again?

[Mercury]

mmmmm biscuits....

[magentus]

Ah, we call those scones!

Our biscuits are your cookies.

[derekmac]

Biscuits!

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What do brits call those... scones? Or is that something else again?

Mmmm, those look so good!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Threeme2189]

smurf you!
Now I'm hungry!!!

[Lynn LeFey]

Mmm... biscuits....
I like to add garlic and cheddar when I make mine.

Here's a good basic recipe...
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fluffy-biscuits/

Lots of folks over here, and more often in the Southeastern parts of the United States, like Biscuits split open and covered with sausage gravy as a breakfast food: 'Biscuits and Gravy'. It's so popular, you can get it at most fast food places for breakfast. You can also get a variety of breakfast sandwiches made with biscuits. Most fast food places that sell fried chicken give a biscuit as a side.

[tattoosteve99]

I's like dem dar biscuits and grits quite a bit .

[magentus]

Ok so up next is Grits.

I remember a comedy I watched in the 80's set in a diner where the sassy waitress regularly told the cook to 'Kiss ma grits'.

Southern cooking seems delicious so I'm imagining grits are much tastier than they sound?

Anyone remember the comedy as well? Maybe it was called 'Arnolds'?

[Lynn LeFey]

That was 'Alice'. Based on the movie 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'.

The phrase 'Kiss my Grits' was a bit like the smurf filter on these boards. They couldn't use the word she should have said, so they replaced it with a more TV-friendly word, 'grits'. I've never actually heard a human utter that phrase outside of that TV show.

Grits are... Well.. here's the wiki on them:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits

They're rather like cream of wheat or oatmeal, but with corn instead. I don't like grits, but I'm from the Northern U.S., and grits are definitely more a Southern thing.

I feel like a font of worthless trivia.

[Gryffin]

Great Britain and the United States: two nations divided by a common language. 

[Ashley]

I went to northern pa a couple weeks ago and we stopped for breakfast so I ordered biscuits and gravy. The 2 toothed woman waiting on me laughed and said "you must be from down south, that ain't sold in the north". I felt like an idiot but then I looked at her again and felt better.

Sent from Ash forum mobile

[ironraven]

Back to housing...

In the US, if something is called the "estates", it at least is trying to have delusions of grandure, if not actually having them. I was rather disappointed when I realized in the UK, the estates are what we call projects. 

[Lynn LeFey]

So... What do people in the U.K. call what Americans call biscuits?

[Mercury]

Mmm... biscuits....
I like to add garlic and cheddar when I make mine.

Here's a good basic recipe...
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fluffy-biscuits/

Lots of folks over here, and more often in the Southeastern parts of the United States, like Biscuits split open and covered with sausage gravy as a breakfast food: 'Biscuits and Gravy'. It's so popular, you can get it at most fast food places for breakfast. You can also get a variety of breakfast sandwiches made with biscuits. Most fast food places that sell fried chicken give a biscuit as a side.

MMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!  Biscuits and gravy is my absolute favorite breakfast by FAR!!!

Grits sucks.  Terrible, worse than pig slop.

We have a little place here called the Bluebonnet cafe, if you guys are ever near Austin, you must try this place.  Best biscuits and gravy on earth!

[magentus]

So... What do people in the U.K. call what Americans call biscuits?

We call them scones (your class determines how you pronounce it; upper class use the long 'o' and everyone else uses the short 'o'.) they can be sweet or saoury and typically they are served with jam (jelly) and clotted cream.

I love this thread!

[Gryffin]

clotted cream

 

[magentus]

clotted cream is VERY thick cream;



Clotted cream (sometimes called clouted cream or Devonshire cream) is a thick cream made by indirectly heating full-cream cow's milk using steam or a water bath and then leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly. During this time, the cream content rises to the surface and forms 'clots' or 'clouts'.

It's the sort of thing to have Homer drooling. Delicious with scones and jam (jelly).

[Mr. Whippy]

Mmm... biscuits....
I like to add garlic and cheddar when I make mine.

Here's a good basic recipe...
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fluffy-biscuits/

Lots of folks over here, and more often in the Southeastern parts of the United States, like Biscuits split open and covered with sausage gravy as a breakfast food: 'Biscuits and Gravy'. It's so popular, you can get it at most fast food places for breakfast. You can also get a variety of breakfast sandwiches made with biscuits. Most fast food places that sell fried chicken give a biscuit as a side.

MMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!  Biscuits and gravy is my absolute favorite breakfast by FAR!!!

Grits sucks.  Terrible, worse than pig slop.

We have a little place here called the Bluebonnet cafe, if you guys are ever near Austin, you must try this place.  Best biscuits and gravy on earth!

Agree. Grits are horrible.  I'm not a big biscuit and gravy guy either, but hushpuppies... 

[Mr. Whippy]

clotted cream is VERY thick cream;

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Clotted cream (sometimes called clouted cream or Devonshire cream) is a thick cream made by indirectly heating full-cream cow's milk using steam or a water bath and then leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly. During this time, the cream content rises to the surface and forms 'clots' or 'clouts'.

It's the sort of thing to have Homer drooling. Delicious with scones and jam (jelly).

Is it sweet like cream or not really sweet, like cream cheese?

[magentus]

Is it sweet like cream or not really sweet, like cream cheese?

It is sweet. Oh so sweet, and it forms a crust on the top

It would be difficult to eat an entire pot yourself

[Syph007]

this thread is making me hungry