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Thread: Britishisms—another post

  1. #11
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    Bollocks, I think I need to hop the pond, hit a boot sale, and see if I can obtain an English to English dictionary.

  2. #12
    Senior Member SteveinMN's Avatar
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    We actually just got back from a few days vacationing in London. First time for me. Fascinating. The Britishism I want to adopt is the word "faff" -- used instead of nonsense. "Get <whatever the product> without all the faff!" I'm determined to work that word into my vocabulary. Very useful.
    Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. - Booker T. Washington

  3. #13
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    I always liked “pillock”.

  4. #14
    Senior Member Sad Eyed Lady's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LDAHL View Post
    I always liked “pillock”.
    Reminds me of all the episodes DH & I watched of "Last of the Summer Wine". Someone was always "a right pillock".
    "Like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in the midnight choir, I have tried in my way to be free." Leonard Cohen

  5. #15
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    British, but not English. Some of the things my Scottish MIL would say that I have appropriated from time to time:

    "uxters" for armpits
    "He's up to high doh" meaning very excited/agitated
    "hale heeded" ("whole headed") meaning not broken up. "I kept my wedding china hale heeded rather than selling them piecemeal."
    "greet" for cry
    "messages" for groceries
    "line" for receipt
    "flit" for taking off [usually without paying]
    "tattle" for potato
    "wain" for child

    This post made me smile and a little sad, remembering my "mam"
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  6. #16
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    "Barking mad."

  7. #17
    Senior Member KayLR's Avatar
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    My granddaughter (9) is the queen of "giving someone the north and south." That is, looking at someone up and down, askance-like.
    My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already!

  8. #18
    Senior Member gimmethesimplelife's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveinMN View Post
    We actually just got back from a few days vacationing in London. First time for me. Fascinating. The Britishism I want to adopt is the word "faff" -- used instead of nonsense. "Get <whatever the product> without all the faff!" I'm determined to work that word into my vocabulary. Very useful.
    I like how that word sounds! Just very classy somehow. Rob

  9. #19
    Senior Member IshbelRobertson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    British, but not English. Some of the things my Scottish MIL would say that I have appropriated from time to time:

    "uxters" for armpits
    "He's up to high doh" meaning very excited/agitated
    "hale heeded" ("whole headed") meaning not broken up. "I kept my wedding china hale heeded rather than selling them piecemeal."
    "greet" for cry
    "messages" for groceries
    "line" for receipt
    "flit" for taking off [usually without paying]
    "tattle" for potato
    "wain" for child

    This post made me smile and a little sad, remembering my "mam"
    You have a good memory, Catherine! I don’t know whether it was your MiL’s accent, bit those words are Oxters and Tatties!

    Other UK (mostly Scots) words/sayings

    Stank. The grid in the gutter for rainwater
    NED. Non-Educated Delinquent. Same as an English Chav
    Bashed neeps and chappit tatties. mashed Turnips, aka Swede or rutabaga and mashed potatoes, often served as accompaniments to haggis
    Hogmanay. The Scottish celebration of New Year’s Eve (which tends to last for days)

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by pony mom View Post
    Cheeky monkey

    Feeling peckish (use that one all the time)

    Keep your hair on

    Sorry (instead of "excuse me" or "What?"
    Is "Keep your hair on" really a britishism? Hmmm..I also say "Sorry" in that way.

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