A question for speakers of English English

[Bamagan]

If a character uses the phrase 'from boot to bonnet' to imply a thorough search has been conducted, would that seem strange to you, O denizens of lands of the vestigial 'U'? As opposed to 'head to tail' or 'stem to stern' as comparable metaphors. It's an American character saying it, so even if it comes off as a faux British expression that's perfectly fine; she's an art student, not a linguist (except cunningly).
I assume I picked the expression up somewhere, but a casual search didn't turn up any media that seemed familiar to me, so it's hard to tell.

 

[ElectricBlue]

It's not an Australian expression, but I get what it means, because here in Oz cars have a boot and a bonnet. Would Americans use those terms though - don't they say a hood and a trunk?

 

[orangecurious]

if the character was american, it would seem ok. A brit would (probably) not say it. "top to tail", "head to tail" would be more common for a brit.

Brits would understand... although may query why "boot" was used as that is more of a brit term, no?

Let's not forget, we are all suspending disbelief here to some extent.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

It's not an Australian expression, but I get what it means, because here in Oz cars have a boot and a bonnet. Would Americans use those terms though - don't they say a hood and a trunk?

We do.

 

[Bamagan]

It's not an Australian expression, but I get what it means, because here in Oz cars have a boot and a bonnet. Would Americans use those terms though - don't they say a hood and a trunk?

Yes, those are the usual names here in the States. But there's enough lingual cross-pollination that most (many?) of us know Brits use bonnet instead, and a fair few would realize from context what the expression I used means. The use in the story is just a character quirk, using odd or antiquated turns of phrase (by American standards).

 

[ElectricBlue]

We do.

Thought so. So it would be odd for an American character to use the expression, wouldn't it? Let alone Yankee readers knowing what it meant?

 

[Bamagan]

Thought so. So it would be odd for an American character to use the expression, wouldn't it? Let alone Yankee readers knowing what it meant?

Yes. As I mentioned a moment ago, the slight oddity is kind of the point. A characterization quirk.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Thought so. So it would be odd for an American character to use the expression, wouldn't it? Let alone Yankee readers knowing what it meant?

It probably would be, unless they're like me, and often use foriegn expressions. I doubt most yanks would know if they haven't watched any british media.

 

[orangecurious]

if the character was talking to brit, then it makes sense as it's tying to fit, but not a british expression. More likely to be, as i mentioned, "head to toe" as a common one.

if they are talking to americans, then it would be seen as quirky, i guess, but only if "hood to trunk" is a common expression.

 

[Bamagan]

if the character was talking to brit, then it makes sense as it's tying to fit, but not a british expression. More likely to be, as i mentioned, "head to toe" as a common one.

if they are talking to americans, then it would be seen as quirky, i guess, but only if "hood to trunk" is a common expression.

As far as I know, 'hood to trunk' is not said much, if at all. I just have this nagging feeling that I heard 'boot to bonnet' somewhere but can't remember the details. So far, at least, it's looking like it isn't a common phrase across the Water either, which is a partial answer to my question. Uncommon at best, then, but comprehensible.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I suspect the saying has nothing to do with cars. My guess is a gentleman is giving a lady a glance from her boots to the bonnet on her head.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

if the character was talking to brit, then it makes sense as it's tying to fit, but not a british expression. More likely to be, as i mentioned, "head to toe" as a common one.

if they are talking to americans, then it would be seen as quirky, i guess, but only if "hood to trunk" is a common expression.

Never heard of it, and boot to bonnet sounds more like a real expression, but what we would say, is head to toe.

 

[DreamingOfMyEx]

Definitely a British thing (I think). As much as I'm compelled to defend my own country (the USA) from criticism from foreigners, the sad fact is a lot of Americans wouldn't know what the boot and bonnet referred to. However, I could totally see someone using that expression because - why not? It could be a very endearing thing for an American to say that. Personally, I've never seen it happen - maybe I'll steal the idea.

"From stem to stern" - the meaning would probably be understood by (almost) everyone, and recognized as a nautical reference, even by those who didn't know a rowboat from a surfboard.

"Head to tail" seems like the most American of the choices, though I can't picture it being used. Okay, maybe I can. "Top to bottom" would be a bit more likely.

If we're talking about automobiles, "bumper to bumper" might be used - (the car was searched from bumper to bumper) - though that term is also used to refer to traffic congestion (the front bumper of one car being in close proximity to the rear bumper of the car in front of it).

In an official written report I would probably say it was searched thoroughly, and in speaking informally I might say it was "torn apart" implying the search was as thorough as if things had been torn out to grant access to all the nooks and crannies (even though they weren't literally) -- but in the future I hope I'll remember to use "from boot to bonnet" with "stem to stern" being an acceptable substitute.

Now I'm eager to see what others say, because I haven't had my second cup of coffee (wakeup juice) yet and I'm sure I'm missing something.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Definitely a British thing (I think). As much as I'm compelled to defend my own country (the USA) from criticism from foreigners, the sad fact is a lot of Americans wouldn't know what the boot and bonnet referred to. However, I could totally see someone using that expression because - why not? It could be a very endearing thing for an American to say that. Personally, I've never seen it happen - maybe I'll steal the idea.

Because it probably didn't exist until now. I'll give it to them, though; wing mirror sounds better than sideview mirror, which sounds clinical.

 

[Bamagan]

I may be completely wrong, but I do think quite a few Americans would understand the 'boot to bonnet' expression enough to comprehend its meaning, especially since it could be interpreted in at least two ways, as @Rustyoznail pointed out. British media is pretty popular here, at least it seems to be. Maybe it's not as widely distributed as it seems to me, but a lot of British-isms are perfectly understandable to Americans, even if they don't always seem sensible because too much of the 'origin story' got left out.

 

[DreamingOfMyEx]

Because it probably didn't exist until now. I'll give it to them, though; wing mirror sounds better than sideview mirror, which sounds clinical.

And Petrol instead of Gas sounds pretty cool. If only they could learn to spell "tire".

 

[yowser]

Well, if you don't use the 'boot to bonnet' phrase, may you grant me permission? I love the sound of it, and depending on your character, I think the quirk/tried-to-get-Britslang-right-but-not-quite is perfectly appropriate. Your readers will be smart enough...

 

[Bamagan]

Well, if you don't use the 'boot to bonnet' phrase, may you grant me permission? I love the sound of it, and depending on your character, I think the quirk/tried-to-get-Britslang-right-but-not-quite is perfectly appropriate. Your readers will be smart enough...

I mean, sure... there's almost a 0% chance I originated the phrase. It's staying in my story regardless, of course, but I couldn't stop you from using it also, even if I wanted to.

 

[THBGato]

It's definitely quirky. Reminds me of the Bond film where he works out the supposed British agent is an impostor because he says it's "raining dogs and cats".

 

[alohadave]

It's not an Australian expression, but I get what it means, because here in Oz cars have a boot and a bonnet.

Americans don't use either term, but some would recognize it.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I've never heard the phrase - bonnet to boot would sound more normal, going from front to back. Not that that's a known phrase either.

So it smacks slightly of one of those Americans who is a Huge Fan of British TV and desperately tries to shoehorn in as many British words as possible when talking to a Brit, to prove how much they really love 'England'. (Bonus points if they then cite some programme from Wales or Northern Ireland...)

And Petrol instead of Gas sounds pretty cool. If only they could learn to spell "tire".

I do tire of assumptions that it's us spelling things incorrectly.

 

[DreamingOfMyEx]

I do tire of assumptions that it's us spelling things incorrectly.

Shouldn't that be spelled "incourrectly"?

 

[SimonDoom]

So it smacks slightly of one of those Americans who is a Huge Fan of British TV and desperately tries to shoehorn in as many British words as possible when talking to a Brit, to prove how much they really love 'England'. (Bonus points if they then cite some programme from Wales or Northern Ireland...)

My impression exactly. I've never heard the phrase, and I'd have to think about it to figure it out since the British terms "boot" and "bonnet" are not familiar to me, although I might pull them out of my memory somewhere if I tried.

There are plenty of Americans who love al things British and might, under certain circumstances, use a phrase like this, but I assume they would do so in a setting where their use of the phrase would be understood and would identify them as Anglophile.

 

[GlennJenko]

Yeah, I've never heard the phrase, but given it's an American it could work. If she's talking to other Americans I'd avoid it unless she's pretentious, but if it's her trying to fit in with Brits I'd say go for it. Having spent a lot of time with Americans they do enjoy mimicking British phrases, or what they think are British phrases.

 

[Britva415]

It's not an Australian expression, but I get what it means, because here in Oz cars have a boot and a bonnet. Would Americans use those terms though - don't they say a hood and a trunk?

A lot of us do know what "boot" and "bonnet" individually mean, though. I never heard the expression but immediately understood it.