British Sayings - What do they Really Mean?

snownose

Love that.......also, check out Torchwood.........awesome.......

Actually, while I am generally a Dr. Who fan, I agree this season of Torchwood has been VERY good.

(Torchwood was the working, secret title of the current incarnation of Dr. Who.  They apparently hought the title was so cool they made a show out of it.  "Torchwood" is an anagram of "Doctor Who".)

Another British phrase is "In hospital" (I think). Americans say, "In THE hospital". Is there a similar one for "on vacation"?

On Holiday

Riiiight! That's it. I actually do a mean British accent. But I don't know all the little sayings. I'm learning, though!  

Also - Brits go "to university," not to school or to a university, right Kate?

I also like the adjective "wee" instead of "tiny" or "small."  The first supervisor I had when I was in public accounting was a transfer from our Dublin office.  Being the low person on the totem pole, I had to do the lunch run each day.  While taking sandwich and drink orders, my supervisor asked for whatever sandwich, along with a "wee carton of milk."  I thought he said, "a wheat cracker and milk," because his accent was so thick.  He had to repeat it slowly a couple of times and use his hands to show me the small size of the carton he wanted!

I learned that one from "Chicken Run' that little barmy hen who thinks everytime a hen gets axed "She's gone on holiday?"

bwah ha ha...on holiday...IN ME BELLY!

tacran

Also - Brits go "to university," not to school or to a university, right Kate?

Actually it tends to get abbreviated to "uni", but yes, someone goes "to uni" and not "to a uni/versity".  

"Wee" is one of my favourite words.  Ben and I go for a wee walk, or I have a wee lie down if I'm tired.  

Anyone wanting to add to their British lexicon will need to email me for the ruder stuff.  LOL.   

VanMorrison

I grew up in Canada but my folks had emmigrated there from N. Ireland

Now, I understand a better reason for your login. To those who don't know, musician Van Morrison is from Ireland. He's known for many songs including "Brown-eyed Girl."

I've got a funny one for you, since we're into things of the UK. 5 years ago, I was working on a school. One of my co-workers, who I am still working with since coming back to my former company is of scottish descent and has traced his ancestry to the clan McEwan. Well, the mason superintendent on that job back then was from Scotland, though he had been here quite a while. I was being a twerp. When my co-worker mentioned his clan name, I said my clan name was McCracken (I have german, english, irish, and scottish ancestry). The mason said, "Really?" I said, "Yes. Kiss MCcracken." (You have to say it out loud to get the full effect.) Later, I found out the mason's last name was McCracken, so I apologized. He appreciated the humor and I kept his crew supplied with power. The safety guy would cut the cord caps off of extension cords if the there was a nick. So, I would put new cord caps on for him and he would keep my pipes in the masonry walls from getting buried.

I learned from him a style of masonry called dry stein (dry stone) wherein no mortar is used.

Speaking of nick, do brits actually say nick to mean apprehend or arrest?

yep, "get nicked" = arrested or picked-up.

David and I laugh all the time about the things Americans consider 'rude' that Brits don't ... and yet the things THEY consider rude WE don't.

We were following a car down the road with a vanity tag (lets see if this passes the filter) "bollox" and David was increduldous it had been 'allowed'.  He made a direct connection to a body part and it blew right over my head.  We say "butt" and they say "***"  (another we think that word is rude and they think our word is rude)

the little zippered-wallet-on-a-belt that most of us call "a fanny pack" (sorry Kate) -- when my husband heard his *mother in law* say that he almost lost his lunch (rude slang again and not something you want to even consider with regard to your MIL). 

We've been married 11 years and STILL are finding words, phrases, etc. that translate differently. 

btw -- he just confirmed "Cor Blimey" did originate with "G*d blind me"

and then there's Cockney rhyming slang.

But the other thing I'll say -- we often make the comment about "British accents" or "Englsh accents" -- and frankly that's a whole lot like saying "an American accent".

WE (Yanks) all know and hear that a South Carolina 'accent' sounds way way different from one from Long Island or Texas.  And many of us can tell a Buffalonian a mile away (and many would know I was from the NY "Southern Tier" as opposed to Buffalo simply by the way I say "a" in "married";).  Meaning to US there are 1000's of different "accents".

Same with a Brit.  First off all, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are all WAY different 'accents'.  And not only do "lowlanders" vs. "highlanders" in Scotland have different accents, even *I* can tell at this point a Glaswegian is miles different from someone from Eastern Scotland.

And England?  Wow -- David cracks up because I learned MY "English accent" listening to old Herman's Hermits albums so my 'accent' is distinctly Manchester (where Peter Noone is from), but unfortunately it's only when I *sing* -- LOL.

 He's tried to teach me the difference between Morningside and the Yorkshire Dales vs. London (not to mention Cockney) ... but *sigh* give me another 10 years I guess.

Even tho, to us, it's a far smaller country each county pretty much has it's own dialect/accent.

It's a fascinating thing honestly and I'm certainly ot poking fun at anyone.

"to nick" also means "to steal", often in a joking kind of way that isn't really stealing, like me saying to my DH "honey, did you nick the last banana?" 

Oh and Callie....LMAO at "fanny pack" hehehehe.  That one always gets me. 

calliecritturs

David cracks up because I learned MY "English accent" listening to old Herman's Hermits albums so my 'accent' is distinctly Manchester (where Peter Noone is from), but unfortunately it's only when I *sing*

"Mrs. Brown, you've got a lovely daughter ..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI9LXhq_azc

Actually, my friend from Manchester speaks Cockney but it is a different accent or style that London Cockney, that I can tell. For the longest time, his accent was so thick it could be difficult to understand him. But once he got together with his wife, his accent changed. She is from east Texas (not far from Lake Tawakoni) and that has had an effect on him. Their child will, no doubt, grow up to say "how 'bout some fish and chips, ya''ll?"

 I've enjoyed this thread - I am married to a Mancunian and lived there for 6.5 yrs and yes after nearly 11 years of marriage we still confuse each other.  Also as Callie pointed out the accents there are just as varied as they are here BUT they vary intensely in very close proximity.  Manchester is a city (to be a city you must have a cathedral) that adjoins Salford another city.  These two are closer together that Minneapolis/St Paul and someone from Salford doesn't sound like someone from Manchester.  Someone from Worsley in Salford doesn't sound like someone from Ordsall in Salford.  It is quite amazing really.  Not only would the accent be different but some words would be different.  For instance a roll that a NYer would call a kaiser roll (the round type) would be a barm cake in Worsley but 5 miles up the road in Bolton is an oven bottom and elsewhere is a butty (I use to have a list of about 9 different terms for this type of roll)

Now a funny story.  When we moved here to NC we had to buy a lot of furniture, the day it got delivered DH wasn't home.  The guys delivering it weren't great and were nicking the walls and the banisters etc.  So i call DH and say,"You need to get home their nicking stuff all over the place"

LOL he thought they were stealing stuff!  He arrived home sweating and ready for a rumble.  Of course this is enhanced by knowing that he was a detective for 30 yrs. One of our favorite stories!  

Benedict

Oh and Callie....LMAO at "fanny pack" hehehehe.  That one always gets me. 

Folks you're gonna have to email Kate or I to 'splain this one -- cos we CAN'T LOL -- and trust me -- the idea of your MIL's ... just ... is soooooooooooooooooo beyond ewwwwwwwww ... my husband almost died every time she said "hand me my ...." and that was the first time he'd MET her.  T'was the first time I saw the man squeemish LOL