Language

Well I set up my first Goodreads ad today. During the set up I was asked which countries I wanted it to run in. As I was selecting all English speaking countries I began thinking about how words in the same language can have different meanings around the world.
Having published this novel myself, I don't have different versions of my novel for different countries. With lots of family living in Canada I'm well aware of how sentences can be misconstrued.. In Britain we form queues, in North America they form a line up. Here we walk along pavements, there they walk on sidewalks (well I say walk, with drive through restaurants, banks and possibly even doctors surgeries there really isn't the need to get out of the car).
I keep thinking about certain passages in my novel and wondering if the jokes will travel. The main one that comes to mind is a joke involving the word 'fanny.' How on earth has that word managed to have such different meanings in Britain and the US? From front bottom to back bottom.
As we all know, when you have to explain a joke, it really hasn't worked. Still, I've had positive feedback from both here and Canada so hopefully my novel will have universal appeal.