dodging semis

[amphioxus]

What does the expression 'dodging semis' mean? Apparently it is related to driving on a motorway.

[Ouisch]

In AmE, a "semi" is a semi-trailer truck, or 18 wheeler. Folks in cars don't like to get stuck in traffic behind a semi, because they move a bit slower than the rest of us, so they move from lane to lane to get around them.

(PS It's pronounced "sem-eye" in this case, not "sem-ee.")

[BobK]

In AmE, a "semi" is a semi-trailer truck, or 18 wheeler. Folks in cars don't like to get stuck in traffic behind a semi, because they move a bit slower than the rest of us, so they move from lane to lane to get around them.

(PS It's pronounced "sem-eye" in this case, not "sem-ee.")

Well you live and learn - for us speakers of BE a 'semi' is a sort of building, so 'dodging semis' would be some sort of suburban aerobatics.

b

[amphioxus]

Thank you very much. I knew it had to be American and perhaps I should have said so.
BobK: I am glad that a BE expert has learned something because of my question . I promise won’t use the expression in GB, except when I mean ‘suburban aerobatics’, which is unlikely since I don’t really understand what that would be (even though I found ‘aerobatics’ on Wiki).

[Barb_D]

Bob, I know that a lorry is a truck, but what do you call those giant 18-wheelers?

[BobK]

Bob, I know that a lorry is a truck, but what do you call those giant 18-wheelers?

An 'articulated lorry' (usually abbreviated to 'artic'). Lorry-drivers refer to them as 'my wagon' (I'm not sure if they'd use this term for a lorry that wasn't articulated.... Could be.)

Where we have adopted the AmE (I think) is for the accidents they have: a jack-knifed artic'.

b

[BobK]

Thank you very much. I knew it had to be American and perhaps I should have said so.
BobK: I am glad that a BE expert has learned something because of my question . I promise won’t use the expression in GB, except when I mean ‘suburban aerobatics’, which is unlikely since I don’t really understand what that would be (even though I found ‘aerobatics’ on Wiki).

In BE a 'semi' is a semi-detached house (one building split down the middle, with two front doors). A semi is typical of the suburban townscape [like landscape, but referring to buildings in a town].

b

[Philly]

An 'articulated lorry'

That expression has always tickled my fancy since it sounds to my American ear as if you're actually talking about a clear pronunciation of a woman's name.