I'm always surprised when new English words added to the dictionary are adopted by other countries, I always chuckle at Welsh language TV programmes when they insert the word 'Computer' into their dialogue.

Looks like the Italians are doing it to, here's a snippet from Monday's edition of La Repubblica:

L'auto gioca da qualche anno al downsizing.

It can cause all sorts of confusion though.

Some Italians, on hearing I was English, got a little confused. It was the time of the elections in the USA and they gave me the thumbs up and said “Obama – Yes weekend!” It took me a little while to realise they had got the election slogan ‘Yes we can’ muddled up. They were desperately disappointed when I told them it was not that exciting.

It's worse then that. Some times the words sound the same but don't mean the same thing.

I think Cash and carry means a wholesale only store. I think