An American visiting England asked at the hotel for the elevator.
The porter looked a bit confused but smiled when he realized what the man wanted.
“You must mean the lift, “he said.
“No, “the American responded. “If I ask for the elevator I mean the elevator. “
“Well, “the porter answered, “over here we call them lifts”.
“Now you listen”, the American said rather irritatedly, “someone in America invented the elevator. “
“Oh, right you are sir, “the porter said in a polite tone, “but someone here in England invented the language. “
This joke is included in the Black Book of Jokes. You can order it from here.