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30 Of Your Britishisms Used By Americans


Kate Davis

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Following the conversation about the alternative spellings for word art I found this story on the bbc website funny. I've only taken the words, but there is a definition of each on their site.

 


  •  
  • Autumn
  • Bloody
  • Bum
  • Chav
  • Cheeky
  • Cheers
  • Fancy
  • Flat
  • Frock
  • Gap year,
  • Gobsmacked
  • Holiday
  • Innit
  • Kit
  • Knickers
  • Loo
  • Mate
  • Mobile
  • Muppet
  • Numpty
  • Pop over
  • Proper
  • Queue
  • Roundabout
  • Row
  • Shag
  • Skint
  • Sussed
  • Twit
  • Wonky

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I love picking up local sayings when I move to a new place. I lived in Texas for 10 years and while I was there I adopted the "Y'all" and "All Y'all." I have been in Canada now for 3 years, and I absolutely love saying "No Worries." At first I wasn't quite sure how to use it, but I got to say, It is so fitting in almost every situation. Y'all, no worries, Eh? Love it!!

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Awesome list, Kate! I'd love to know what some of them mean! Why don't you fill us in on some of the definitions for them? :) :) Really, I know some of them but not all of them.

 

I used to have a British friend who spoke "cockney" (sp?) and I loved listening to her - had to ask half the time what in the world she was talking about but I loved hearing her use that cockney!

 

Like, what is "gobsmacked" for one?

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At the "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" fundraiser walk the other day (layout to come soon) one of the guys was dressed in a woman's dress, complete with all of the accessories one might imagine with his 4 inch red high heels and he was the only one with "stockings" that had seams on them! AND he managed to keep those seams straight for the entire walk!

 

Anyone remember stockings with seams? I remember my Mom wearing them and she was always straightening them!

 

(didn't mean to get off subject but funny how topics bring back old memories) :)

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It's not on your funny list, but tights seems to have replaced the US word pantihose (also ladders for runs in said tights/pantihose).

 

 

You're right, Gayle - even in the store, "stockings" are now in the "tights" department with the socks!

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It's not on your funny list, but tights seems to have replaced the US word pantihose (also ladders for runs in said tights/pantihose).

 

 

You're right, Gayle - even in the store, "stockings" are now in the "tights" department with the socks!

 

I always thought tights were different than pantyhose? At least when I was growing up, tights were thicker than pantyhose and often came in different colors, while the pantyhose were thinner and always the neutral or black. Do we use one word for both now? It's funny, I hated wearing either one when I was little, and now in the past few years, there are times I don't feel fully dressed without them.

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It's not on your funny list, but tights seems to have replaced the US word pantihose (also ladders for runs in said tights/pantihose).

 

 

You're right, Gayle - even in the store, "stockings" are now in the "tights" department with the socks!

 

I always thought tights were different than pantyhose? At least when I was growing up, tights were thicker than pantyhose and often came in different colors, while the pantyhose were thinner and always the neutral or black. Do we use one word for both now? It's funny, I hated wearing either one when I was little, and now in the past few years, there are times I don't feel fully dressed without them.

 

 

They ARE different but at least in the store where I buy mine, tights are now either thick or thin or patterned or some are almost like knitted gloves! I don't get it but that's what I've been seeing lately - they do still have what I call stockings in skin colors that are very thin - but that section is sooooo much smaller than the "tights" section! :disappearing-smilie:

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I used to have a British friend who spoke "cockney" (sp?) and I loved listening to her - had to ask half the time what in the world she was talking about but I loved hearing her use that cockney!

 

Like, what is "gobsmacked" for one?

 

Gobsmacked, adj. flabbergasted: struck dumb with awe or amazement. It isn't a word I use often, I think it may have gone a bit out of fashion over here.

 

They've started teaching cockney rhyming slang in London schools to increase awareness of it.

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It's not on your funny list, but tights seems to have replaced the US word pantihose (also ladders for runs in said tights/pantihose).

 

 

You're right, Gayle - even in the store, "stockings" are now in the "tights" department with the socks!

 

I always thought tights were different than pantyhose? At least when I was growing up, tights were thicker than pantyhose and often came in different colors, while the pantyhose were thinner and always the neutral or black. Do we use one word for both now? It's funny, I hated wearing either one when I was little, and now in the past few years, there are times I don't feel fully dressed without them.

 

 

They ARE different but at least in the store where I buy mine, tights are now either thick or thin or patterned or some are almost like knitted gloves! I don't get it but that's what I've been seeing lately - they do still have what I call stockings in skin colors that are very thin - but that section is sooooo much smaller than the "tights" section! :disappearing-smilie:

 

I've always known tights as tights, but with different denier values to differentiate between the thickness. Stockings are thigh high and the thin ones held up with a suspender belt, is that the same as your stockings?

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This just made me think about an experience a friend had when she moved to USA a few years ago. She is originally from Cornwall and a big fan of their local food, the Cornish pasty or just pasty. But in America she discovered pasties are something else entirely so lead to some strange conversations.

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Thank you for the link to the article, Kate - I enjoyed reading it - thought this paragraph kind of summed it up! I wish I could remember some of the things my British friend used to say that used to make me giggle with delight, but it was so long ago!

 

"Cockney and its rhyming slang is one of the distinctive characteristics that helps define the area, alongside its distinctive food and customs such as the Pearly Kings and Queens."

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It's not on your funny list, but tights seems to have replaced the US word pantihose (also ladders for runs in said tights/pantihose).

 

 

You're right, Gayle - even in the store, "stockings" are now in the "tights" department with the socks!

 

I always thought tights were different than pantyhose? At least when I was growing up, tights were thicker than pantyhose and often came in different colors, while the pantyhose were thinner and always the neutral or black. Do we use one word for both now? It's funny, I hated wearing either one when I was little, and now in the past few years, there are times I don't feel fully dressed without them.

 

 

They ARE different but at least in the store where I buy mine, tights are now either thick or thin or patterned or some are almost like knitted gloves! I don't get it but that's what I've been seeing lately - they do still have what I call stockings in skin colors that are very thin - but that section is sooooo much smaller than the "tights" section! :disappearing-smilie:

 

I've always known tights as tights, but with different denier values to differentiate between the thickness. Stockings are thigh high and the thin ones held up with a suspender belt, is that the same as your stockings?

 

We do have "thigh highs" and I think that some places still carry the ones worn and held up by a "garter-type" belt, but they were not comfortable in my opinion so mine are just "panty-hose" - does that term ring a familiar bell to you?

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I've got a couple of Yorkshire-isms for you

 

Snap

Mash

Monk

 

 

Oh, Valerie! I think Mash was one of the ones my friend used - but what do they all mean? :) :) We had three little toddlers at the time she was staying with us (waiting for her military husband to find housing for them) and she told Rich one night that she was going to cook dinner the next night - mentioned Yorkshire Pudding. Rich, being the sugar lover that he is, came home with anticipation of having some kind of fabulous dessert pudding! hahahaha! Was he surprised! BUT, we absolutely loved the Yorkshire Pudding, which of course, wasn't pudding at all - and I did have her recipe but have since lost it - I'd love to try and make it myself again! It was so yummy!

 

I googled Mash and found this for one: 1: Lets go to the Pie and Mash shop for lunch.

But there were lots of other terms for Mash too! :) :)

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I've got a couple of Yorkshire-isms for you

 

Snap

Mash

Monk

 

 

Oh, Valerie! I think Mash was one of the ones my friend used - but what do they all mean? :) :) We had three little toddlers at the time she was staying with us (waiting for her military husband to find housing for them) and she told Rich one night that she was going to cook dinner the next night - mentioned Yorkshire Pudding. Rich, being the sugar lover that he is, came home with anticipation of having some kind of fabulous dessert pudding! hahahaha! Was he surprised! BUT, we absolutely loved the Yorkshire Pudding, which of course, wasn't pudding at all - and I did have her recipe but have since lost it - I'd love to try and make it myself again! It was so yummy!

 

I googled Mash and found this for one: 1: Lets go to the Pie and Mash shop for lunch.

But there were lots of other terms for Mash too! :) :)

 

 

Snap is a packed lunch.

Mash is a cup of tea.

Monk is a bad mood.

 

And Sara, originally Yorkshire Pudding was a pudding. It used to be served with fruit and custard, I don't know when it change to a savoury item.

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I've got a couple of Yorkshire-isms for you

 

Snap

Mash

Monk

 

 

Oh, Valerie! I think Mash was one of the ones my friend used - but what do they all mean? :) :) We had three little toddlers at the time she was staying with us (waiting for her military husband to find housing for them) and she told Rich one night that she was going to cook dinner the next night - mentioned Yorkshire Pudding. Rich, being the sugar lover that he is, came home with anticipation of having some kind of fabulous dessert pudding! hahahaha! Was he surprised! BUT, we absolutely loved the Yorkshire Pudding, which of course, wasn't pudding at all - and I did have her recipe but have since lost it - I'd love to try and make it myself again! It was so yummy!

 

I googled Mash and found this for one: 1: Lets go to the Pie and Mash shop for lunch.

But there were lots of other terms for Mash too! :) :)

 

 

Snap is a packed lunch.

Mash is a cup of tea.

Monk is a bad mood.

 

And Sara, originally Yorkshire Pudding was a pudding. It used to be served with fruit and custard, I don't know when it change to a savoury item.

 

Well, when I pack Rich's lunch for work next time, I'll just tell him I've made him a "snap" and a thermos of "mash" and see what he says! :) :) I do remember now that my friend almost always was making a cup of mash! Thanks - I'm enjoying learning about these terms!

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This was fun! I feel I'm kind of in between because we were tought British English at school, but with all TV shows and movies we are strongly influenced with American English. Often I don't know what is what, I suppose I mix all the time without knowing it. All I know is i spell colour with ou and that is British English :)

 

Got to go downstairs and get a mash

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Got another one for you.

 

Pot

 

 

Any guesses?

 

 

Not the same as "wacky backy", is it?

 

Nope, not even close.

 

I'll give you a clue, it is a common object/item. Those who have one use it all the time, but most people only have them once or twice in their lifetime, some never. I've had one twice.

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Got another one for you.

 

Pot

 

 

Any guesses?

 

 

Not the same as "wacky backy", is it?

 

Nope, not even close.

 

I'll give you a clue, it is a common object/item. Those who have one use it all the time, but most people only have them once or twice in their lifetime, some never. I've had one twice.

 

 

The only thing I could find was "money" but that doesn't make sense from your hint, does it?

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Got another one for you.

 

Pot

 

 

Any guesses?

 

 

Not the same as "wacky backy", is it?

 

Nope, not even close.

 

I'll give you a clue, it is a common object/item. Those who have one use it all the time, but most people only have them once or twice in their lifetime, some never. I've had one twice.

 

 

The only thing I could find was "money" but that doesn't make sense from your hint, does it?

 

Miles off

 

It's a plaster cast

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Got another one for you.

 

Pot

 

 

Any guesses?

 

 

Not the same as "wacky backy", is it?

 

Nope, not even close.

 

I'll give you a clue, it is a common object/item. Those who have one use it all the time, but most people only have them once or twice in their lifetime, some never. I've had one twice.

 

 

The only thing I could find was "money" but that doesn't make sense from your hint, does it?

 

Miles off

 

It's a plaster cast

 

Ha ha, this is something that my sister and I have really struggled with, having to remember to say plaster cast, and more usually plaster carrrrst!

 

I don't know the other Yorkshirisms you gave, but two I've come a lot are snicket and ginnel (I don't even know if I've spelt those correctly)

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I used to have a British friend who spoke "cockney" (sp?) and I loved listening to her - had to ask half the time what in the world she was talking about but I loved hearing her use that cockney!

 

Like, what is "gobsmacked" for one?

 

Gobsmacked, adj. flabbergasted: struck dumb with awe or amazement. It isn't a word I use often, I think it may have gone a bit out of fashion over here.

 

They've started teaching cockney rhyming slang in London schools to increase awareness of it.

 

The definition was just the one on the bbc website, but I should have expanded it. Gob is mouth so I assume gobsmacked comes from putting your hand in front of you mouth in surprise.

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Got another one for you.

 

Pot

 

 

Any guesses?

 

 

Not the same as "wacky backy", is it?

 

Nope, not even close.

 

I'll give you a clue, it is a common object/item. Those who have one use it all the time, but most people only have them once or twice in their lifetime, some never. I've had one twice.

 

 

The only thing I could find was "money" but that doesn't make sense from your hint, does it?

 

Miles off

 

It's a plaster cast

 

 

Aha! How cool is that! Think my doc would know that if I told him I want a purple pot? :)

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