I was always under the assumption that us Americans and British folk had a lot in common. Now I am learning that with the exception of our mutual love of the Spice Girls, we are worlds apart. When I first came here I thought I would assimilate nicely. However, I'm feeling more and more that I stick out like a sore thumb. Starting with the language.. you would think.. hey! it's English right? NO. They say that every ten miles there is a different British accent and it's absolutely true! This can cause such confusion to special Americans like myself.. especially when we only see London accents in TV and movies. The majority of British folks DO NOT have that accent.
You have everything from Cockney to Manchester to Newcastle to Liverpool to Stoke to North Wales to Birmingham... well, you get my point. The guy we live with has such a heavy North Wales accent that I literally CAN'T understand him. He's constantly repeating himself to me and still I can't make it out. One night I even agreed to put cake frosting on top of my ice cream because I had no idea what he was saying, so I just smiled and said, "yes". On the bright side, icing on your ice cream isn't too bad!
So, I thought I would have a little fun translating common British sayings with examples for my American friends! I try to say these, but it just sounds funny coming from me, so without further ado...
FUN BRITISH EXPRESSIONS:
Bloody- The most recognized of the British slang, with a lot of fun uses. Essentially used to emphasize something and is used most similarly to the "F" word in the US, although not considered nearly as offensive. "He was a bloody bastard!" OR "I couldn't get my bloody car to start!" -Can also be interchanged with 'flaming' or 'bleeding'.
Do One- to get out of the way/leave. "You're getting on my nerves! Do one!" -this can also be used in the past tense as well, "Her dad did one and left them all."
Sod- A nicer form of saying the "F" word. Most commonly used as 'sod off' or 'sod it'. "I told him to sod off because he was a bastard." OR "There's no soddin' gas in the tank!"
For England- You're doing a LOT of something. "She could talk for England", "He could drink for England."
You Alright?- UK greeting. This is the British version of How Are You? This is very difficult for me because as Americans, we usually respond to that with 'yeah, why wouldn't I be?' This expression caused a lot of confusion between Cait and I when we first started talking. "Hey mate, you alright?"
Ta- This is how most British people say thank you (in addition to cheers).. instead of just saying thanks, they shorten it to this obnoxious phrase. "Would you like some tea?" "Yes, ta!"
Daft- Stupid. "Is the sky blue?" "Don't be daft!! Of course it is!"
Twat- This means the same thing it does in America but it is used a lot more over here and is less offensive. "Shut up you twat!"
Bollocks- It is technically a word for testicles. But more commonly used as a nicer form of bullshit, basically. "He's talking bollocks, pay him no mind."
Mingin'- Something that is gross or nasty. "That horse stable hadn't been cleaned in ages... it was absolutely mingin'!"
Muppet- Idiot. "He was dancing like a fool, acting like a muppet."
Taking the Piss- Making fun of someone. "You look lovely today!" "Are you being serious or just taking the piss?" -Can also be said as 'Taking the Mick'.
Chattin' Shite- Making absolutely no sense. "You were chattin' shite in your sleep last night."
Ace- Awesome. "That dog was ace!" -I don't know why I find this one to be particularly annoying.
Bob's Your Uncle- That's it! Typically follows a set of instructions, can also be used sarcastically. "Place the nail, hammer it into the wall, hang the photo and Bob's Your Uncle!"
Cheeky- Basically, you are a smart ass. "Jimmy, why didn't you do your homework?" "Cause I didn't feel like it!" "Well, aren't you cheeky!"
Fancy- Something desired. "What do you fancy for lunch?" OR "Do you fancy driving into town?"
On About- British version of asking what you're talking about. "I'm confused.. please tell me what the hell you're on about??" OR "I'm on about getting the laundry finished!"
Fanny- British word for vagina.. which can be confusing as we use occasionally use it to describe a butt! "Her skirt was so short you could see her fanny!"
Fit- Attractive/good looking. "That bird (girl) was FIT!"
Gutted- Really upset. "I missed the concert and was absolutely gutted."
Knob- Another word for penis, used as an insult. "You're such a knob!" OR "He was acting like a proper knobhead."
Cuppa- Cup of tea, also commonly referred to as a brew. "It's cold out, would you like a cuppa?"
Knackered- Completely exhausted. Can also apply to objects. "I wanted to go out but I was so knackered." OR "My car is knackered, I need to take it to the garage."
Nicked- Stolen. "Hope no one notices I nicked this bottle of wine!"
Sorted- The British version of fixing things or getting things in order. "I need to sort out my life!" OR "Have you sorted what you're doing with the cat whilst we're gone?"
I just realized that's a lot of words! And there are so many that I left off! But now you have a starter course in British expressions so you can practice on your friends! ;)
I have been enjoying my time in the UK so much! I'm trying to embrace the differences. I recently watched a British talk show that Russell Brand was a guest on. He was asked about living in Los Angeles and if he missed the UK; his response was "I miss England and the 'English-ness' of things. I miss the way people speak to you". He hit the nail on the head for me... because even though we are speaking the same language, we don't speak the same WAY to one another. Their greetings are different and there's a bit more of a formality in conversations they have with one another, such as they always formally greet each other in the mornings. But I'm learning! One of the bigger and more fabulous things about Britain is politics. The subject isn't polarizing over here and there is no great moral debate about abortion and gay rights going on constantly. They are absolutely wonderful, sweet people that truly believe in live and let live. I'm happy to be here and happy to be experiencing a different culture. There is a whole big world to be explored outside of the US and I'm glad to be seeing some of it!!
Oh, and here's a picture just for fun. We are house sitting for Caitlin's sister, her house sits on a hill and is GORGEOUS! Here is a panorama of her land with the Irish Sea in the background:
MORE TO COME!! :)
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