A guy I worked with had a cousin in the States
He didn't like this cousin much but when younger he was forced to go with this family to visit their American relatives and ended up hanging out with this guy as they were the same age.

Anyway. At some point he jokingly called his cousin a wanker. His cousin asked what wanker meant and was told some lie about its meaning which made it sound good - told him it was English for 'cool dude' or somesuch.

So....his cousin adopted 'Wanker' as his nickname, getting his friends to call him it and all sorts.

Obviously when my colleague told us this, we didn't believe him. Until he showed us a photo of him standing next to his cousin who was proudly wearing a baseball cap he'd had printed up with the word 'WANKER' across it in bright red letters.
( Afinkawan Yes I can hear you Clem Fandango, Wed 19 Dec 2007, 16:55, 4 replies)

Haha, ace *clicks*
Although Wanker is a genuine surname in America; there was a character in Mork and Mindy called...

*googles*

...Arnold Wanker!

It's on Wikipedia (Episode 08, 'To Tell the Truth') =D
(Professor Kenny Martin Hmm? What?, Wed 19 Dec 2007, 19:42, closed)

Dunno
what it is but whenever I see the word "cousin" and "American" in the same sentence, I start to hear Duelling Banjos in my head.

As well as wanker, they don't have much of a clue what the word "bollocks" means, there are several Yanks wandering about who think that it is the posh English way to say "Stop"!
(Rsoles, Wed 19 Dec 2007, 19:44, closed)

And in Portland, Oregon
There's a place called Wanker's Corner.

Always good for a laugh when you spot that on the map.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Thu 20 Dec 2007, 8:26, closed)

I did similar
Whilst backpacking the ol' USA by rail the train steward kept telling us off for occasionally swearing during a late night drinking session in the cafe carriage. Eventually threatening to close the cafe if we did it again.

To which I replied "Sounds like Bollocks to me!"

When challenged I convinced him and my American drinking companions that "Bollocks" was an English word for "A reasonable deal".

Understandably I delighted next morning when ordering a breakfast coffee to go with my hangover and the guy in front of me says:

"Large coffee please".
"That'll be $1.50".
"Bollocks".

I nearly passed out with laughter through inability to draw in breath.
(golddust QOTW now revolves around being a cunt, Thu 20 Dec 2007, 10:59, closed)