Some handy phrasebooks

[matgb]

British-to-Foreign Translation

American to reality translation

Comments

[matryx.livejournal.com]

People rarely say what they mean, or mean what they say.

The fact that these 'translations' are so accurate just goes to show how large the scope for misinterpretation is.

[matgb]

As the intro on the second one said, USians in particular seem to want to avoid causing any offense or conflict at all costs.

I've actually not found this as much in Germany and Italy, people seem to be more forthright. Or blunt, as my old German boss put it.

But I'd have never twigged that let's do lunch was closer to I never want to meet you ever again than it was to I'm pleased we've met. Then, I tend to dislike people that use such stock phrases anyway.

[matryx.livejournal.com]

Then again, it depends on other factors - like social groups, context, and inflection etc.
I can totally imagine some shallow "*MWUAH!**MWUAH!* Darling!" type's "let's do lunch" as meaning "I never want to see you again - hah, I never eat lunch!", whereas mine would almost certainly mean "lets meet for lunch" :)

[matgb]

Ah yeah, but you're not a filthy yank, so wouldn't be misinterpreted in such a way...