[steven]

see, this amuses me a little because I've always just told people who asked, "it's radish" and I've yet to have anyone freak out on me. I think the google idea illustrates your point pretty well, but don't forget, more of the english language internet is hosted from America than the UK so that does bias it a bit.

I have been using this a lot lately to decide which words are used more and which phrases are more popular. What you say is totally true though, it doesn't paint a perfect picture because most of the internet is indeed American. I don't mean to be a jerk by saying this, but I feel like ultimately the spread of American English will go beyond what TV has done through the internet. I do suspect that some phrases used in the UK or even in other countries will also become part of everyday language that way, too. As a teacher, though, it's a nice tool. I grew up in southern CA so I consider what I speak to be pretty much what is on TV and most movies and stuff... but I always check a phrase through google and compare it to similar phrases and teach what comes out on top (hits wise). Most of the time it's what I say, but I do get surprised occasionally!

Chinese food is vastly more popular in the UK than it is in the US I think;
That may be true on the whole... but I think that in California that may not be the case. Especially in San Fransisco! Even in southern CA, though, there were a ton of Chinese restaurants. Just as a little useless tidbit of info, some Chinese study abroad students (who have been to Japan) said that Californian Chinese food was more faithful than Japanese Chinese food, which I found ironic considering the distances between the countries. I've heard this from Japanese people who have been to China and California before, too. I'll never know for sure until I go to China, though (if I ever go).

EDIT: Getting back on topic (which is probably a first for me), I thought what Nyororin said was insightful:

This kind of goes along the line of honey on cucumber tastes like melon, soaking cheap fish in mayonnaise tastes like toro, etc...

It doesn`t REALLY taste like it. It`s kind of "Now that you say it, I can kind of see the resemblance!" Or "It has a similar texture!"

I think this is the case. It's a placebo like effect. Very psychological. There are a lot of cynics who talk about this stuff all the time. Recently, a man named Ethan Winer had a seminar about a similar topic having to do with audio myths (in the music recording world, if anyone is interested).

I'll never forget the day when my high school wrestling team had to clean under the mats... it was one of the most interesting and horrible odors I'd ever smelled. I'm sure everyone's faces were turning colors when the teacher decided to say "imagine what you're smelling is like a fine cheese". It worked for about 10 seconds before reality decided to sink back in. I don't think anyone threw up that day, and that teachers comment may have saved the day (although throwing-up might not have been so looked down upon in high school wrestling as it's a great way to lose weight... 0_0). I'd probably be 6 feet instead of 5'11" if I didn't do wrestling... but I digress.