Recliner wrote:

As you say, there are many other British class-based terms that confuse
even other native English speakers, for example:
- "Public" schools, which are actually expensive private schools. This
really confuses Americans, for whom public schools are the free ones
provided by the state.

Well they in turn confuse us with "prep school" (and "preppie" for someone
who's been to one) as in the US these schools are for getting people into
prestigious universities whereas in the UK they're for c6-13 to get them
into the public and higher private schools.

We also hand out large numbers of medals for membership (etc) of the
non-existent British Empire,

I know the name's not mentioned but don't our overseas territories and
possesions still count? I saw one explanation of time zones that shows the
sun still hasn't set on it!

I though it a particular scandal that the disgraced Michael Martin almost
immediately becomes Lord Martin.

Blame your MP for that one. Retiring Speakers get a peerage not on the
recommendation of the government but because the House of Commons passes a
resolution to directly ask the monarch to give them one. The motion always
goes through unopposed.