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Are you talking about islands, or roundabouts?
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Are you talking about islands or roundabouts?
What's the difference?
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Islands are slightly raised blocks in the middle of roads, often at junctions, pedestrian crossings, or as traffic calming measures to stop overtaking. Usually with illuminated boxes showing arrows indicating which side(s) to pass. Sometimes they are wide enough to provide a half-way refuge for traffic turning right.
Roundabouts are, well, roundabouts.
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Ah Cliff, I thought that when I first moved to the Midlands from Oxford yeas ago. For the first two years I was bemused by my sudden inability to follow directions, they simply never took me where I wanted to go.
Turns out that an 'island' in the Midlands is nothing other than a roundabout. I'd never heard it before I lived here, but it's completely standard. And utterly baffling to a newcomer.
I wonder what other regional dialects feature this sort of variation?
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Turns out that an 'island' in the Midlands is nothing other than a roundabout. I'd never heard it before I lived here but it's completely standard. And utterly baffling to a newcomer. I wonder what other regional dialects feature this sort of variation?
Well well, I can honestly say I have never, until now, heard this useage.
It reminds me of the meaning of "square" in Wales. I used to look out for something a bit like Trafalgar Square, but it turned out it just meant a small rural crossroads.
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Islands are slightly raised blocks in the middle of roads .......
In a roundabout way I think mustangman is referring to roundabouts. :-D
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