British Slang 101

Yes, people will ask or otherwise figure out something, but there can still be a moment of thinking "Huh?" upon seeing or hearing an unfamiliar term, or a term used in a way which clearly is not the one the person is familiar with.

I wonder, for example, how many British tourists in the States have had that "Huh?" reaction upon first seeing a "No parking on pavement" sign.   While most understand that an American sidewalk is a British pavement, in my experience few are familiar with the more general American usage of the word pavement.   It may not be difficult to figure out when seen in context, but I'm sure there must still be a moment of confusion as to the meaning.

My first intorduction to the difference in the meaning of the word pavement was when my son would go near the road and my wife would yell "get on the pavement!".  I was confused as to why she wanted him playing in the road?!?

I had dinner at what is regarded as Worthings 'poshest' restaurant last night and on the menu as a starter was black pudding served with creme freche and hot gooseberries !

whilst many will think it  it was actually very tasty

At Chimes in London I had a starter of black pudding in melted stilton.  It was seriously rich, but it was gorgeous!

My neighbor came over one day and said "we et some bad sausage"!  My first response was where did you get it from - thinking it had come from our local butcher.  He just started laughing and explained that it meant "the family had a stomach bug" and wasn't feeling well.  They got a good laugh on me that day...

2 things I recall from my first trip to the States 10 years ag.

On a shop doorway - "No soliciting" - Were they asking prostitutes not to stand there?!

And in banks - "Pay into IRA here"! - I mean, I'd heard of some Americans supporting them but I didn't expect it to be quite so open!

Of course, I realised that my initial thoughts couldn't be correct so asked.

 

My British husband saw a sign at his bank branch in Atlanta 15 years ago saying something like "Ask about our CD's" so he did ask...thinking they meant compact disks.  He was humiliated.

My British mother-in-law was completely defeated by the American grocery store clerk asking her "Paperorplastic?" "Sorry?"  "Paperorplastic?"  "I didn't quite catch that..."  "PAPER or PLASTIC?" "I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about."

What about "naff?"  Or "pants?"  To say something is pants.  Has anyone heard that?  I hate having to be the stu-pide Ameri-can but sometimes those slang words are the pivotal point of a sentence.  Are they saying something's good, or bad, or what?  (lol)  What I have learned is that those two words in particular mean something's....  common, or not really nice.

I also giggle a bit at the almost poetic way they express themselves.  Where Americans would post a sign that says pointedly "Curb your dog," I've seen signs in England that are practically a paragraph ("Please refrain from letting your dog foul the pavement and whilst we....")  so by the time you're done reading it the dog has already gone potty.  (lol)  Americans are known for their bluntness and, well...  I guess we are. 

What about "naff?"

Depending upon the context it means that something is no good, poor quality, a not-very-good idea or approach, badly executed, etc.   Comparable to "duff" in many ways.  For example:

"I had that car too, but it was a bit naff." 
(Poorly built, unreliable, badly designed.)

"He thought he could manage it by himself.  That was a naff idea."
(A duff or stupid idea, not well planned, unlikely to succeed.)

It can also be a bowdlerized term used in phrases such as "Naff off" or "Naff all," as popularized by the BBC TV show Porridge in the 1970s.   

Talking about signs - I remember how hilarious I thought all the 'Way Out' signs (rather than 'Exit') are over here when I first came to visit.  That's just 'Waaaaay Out' man!

Not too long ago, I learned that what I would call a 'pin' - as in a small decorative piece of jewelry for your coat lapel, is called a 'badge' here.  Whereas I would call a badge something that has to be sewn, not pinned, on.

Even on the day of my citizenship ceremony, I learned a new word for something else but I can't remember just now what it was...   So it's a constant process, not to mention learning all the Yorkshire-isms too!

My cousin just sent me one of those survey things on Myspace which was obviously written by a British person and she didnt know barely any of the answers and kept saying Chrissy, you need to help me with this.. some of the questions...

Do you watch Eastenders?
Do you know how to change a nappy?
Do you enjoying doing the washing up? (my cousins reply to this one, 'yes, i enjoy to washy myself? what the heck does this mean Chrissy?) when i told her it meant to do the dishes.. she thought it was HILARIOUS! 

Do you enjoying doing the washing up? (my cousins reply to this one, 'yes, i enjoy to washy myself? what the heck does this mean Chrissy?) when i told her it meant to do the dishes.. she thought it was HILARIOUS! 

Ha ha! When my ex-LTR visited a few years ago, we were at my parents for dinner, and she asked my dad if she could wash-up, to which he responded "Of course not, you are a guest!", which completely confused her, why wouldn't they allow guests to wash their hands?... and she didn't really like to take things further, then I came back in the room and she mentioned it to me and I said "Oh, he thinks you are offering to wash the dishes after dinner!"

Ha ha! When my ex-LTR visited a few years ago, we were at my parents for dinner, and she asked my dad if she could wash-up, to which he responded "Of course not, you are a guest!", which completely confused her, why wouldn't they allow guests to wash their hands?... and she didn't really like to take things further, then I came back in the room and she mentioned it to me and I said "Oh, he thinks you are offering to wash the dishes after dinner!"

Hahah.. thats funny. Its funny how I laugh now at all the things that confused the heck out of me when I first arrived 

When I was student teaching in the UK I once told a class of five-year-olds to "Go in the bathroom to wash up for lunch".  My supervising teacher told me that the reason the kids were mystified was because there was no "bathroom" only a toilet, and "washing up" meant washing dishes.

We had a laugh about that. When she told me the correct thing to say would have been "Go wash your hands in the toliet" I laughed even harder thinking of how a group of American kids would interpret that instruction!   

Talking about signs - I remember how hilarious I thought all the 'Way Out' signs (rather than 'Exit') are over here when I first came to visit.  That's just 'Waaaaay Out' man!

Same here! I can't read them any other way than "Waaaaay Out!"

When I was student teaching in the UK I once told a class of five-year-olds to "Go in the bathroom to wash up for lunch".  My supervising teacher told me that the reason the kids were mystified was because there was no "bathroom" only a toilet, and "washing up" meant washing dishes.

We had a laugh about that. When she told me the correct thing to say would have been "Go wash your hands in the toliet" I laughed even harder thinking of how a group of American kids would interpret that instruction!   

I can only imagine since kids that age can be so literal. You would have some confused kids go wash their hands in the toilet bowl!

ETA: Not really slang...but another thing that can confuse me is "bit." DB always says things like "I'm just missing a bit" or "Can you hand me that bit there" A bit of what? Which bit of what would you like?!?!? 

ETA: Not really slang...but another thing that can confuse me is "bit." DB always says things like "I'm just missing a bit" or "Can you hand me that bit there" A bit of what? Which bit of what would you like?!?!? 

And then there are bits...

And then there are bits...

Yes, there are. 

Now I remember the 'new word' I learned on the day of my citizenship ceremony!  Not slang but...

The dignitary present at the ceremony (who handed us our certificate & shook our hand) was the Deputy (or maybe Vice?) Lord-Lieutenant for West Yorkshire.  More on Lord-Lieutenants here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Lieutenant

Only all through the ceremony, they kept saying 'Left-tenant'.   So after it was all over, I asked DH - What is a left-tenant?  And of course, he said that's how 'lieutenant' is pronounced here!  How bizarre - lieutenant being a French word, and the American pronunciation being (not the same as but) closer to the French pronunciation.  I'm wondering how the British got to 'left-tenant' instead?

Kind of along the same lines as our differing pronunciation of 'schedule'.