Sherry, I'm not sure what you mean, either. AFAIK, "sorted out" is also a US expression. "... just have to wait until I get it all sorted out, then..." It means something different than "figured out," though.
"Sorted" means put into proper order, squared away, etc. "Sorted out" means getting everything in its proper place, fixing the stuff that's wrong, etc.
"Figured out" is more of a mental process (although you can mentally sort things out, too). You solve the problems in your head by thinking them through. For external problems, you can figure out a plan so you know exactly how to go about sorting things out.
As for quaint... that one's kind of sticky. No offense was intended, but I realize that it is, in a way, a somewhat condescending attitude. My point was that, even if it isn't right, it is a prevelant attitude, in my experience. I was attempting to represent my understanding of the situation, rather than giving my own judgements on the matter. US culture, in general, tends to find certain aspects of UK (and, in particular, english) culture to be quaint and/or charming. The accent alone, for some reason, sounds charming and often cultured and intellectual (as one comic noted, this is true almost regardless of actual content). Now, as with most such sweeping statements, there are a fair number of holes. Things that don't strike people that way, people who aren't struck that way, etc. I think, though, that it holds true as a sort of rule of thumb.
So, when an american uses, for example, "quite" in the way we've been discussing, a hint of that attitude will be in the back of his or her mind (and probably the minds of the listeners). Kind of like playing at being Wells (rather than a modern englishman... At least, that's my impression. The hint itself is vague enough to be hard to pin down, but I think, in this case, it's more of a Victorian or Elizabethan feel.) to add a little flavor to the statement.
Julie - "pissed" and "pissed off" are pretty much interchangable, but there are cases where the "off" is added for emphasis. Like I said, often it's only a very slight difference. Sometimes, though, it's more obvious, as in "I am pissed off!"
Think that's all I've got for now.
Again, apologies if I have inadvertently offended anyone. None was intended.
Paul
