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8 Mar 2007

Thirteen things about British Slang

Thirteen Things about British Slang
There are loads, but i will contain myself to just thirteen. I will put them up without a definition and see if you have heard of them. Then later I will provide extra info if needed. Also I would love to know if you go on to use these with other folks, without them knowing what you are talking about.
Hours later.......OK its definition time.
Thanks for all the visits today and one of you lot was my 5000 visitor.

1. Arse over tit :This means falling over in a dramatic or funny way, usually after a few drinks.
2. Minger: A very ugly person.
3. Todger :ermm Penis!
4. Sad: same meaning as naff or 'uncool', Used in expressions like "you sad b***ard".
5. Shag :The act of mating.
6. Taking the Piss : something i am accused of a lot. This has nothing to do with urine, but simply means making fun of someone.
7. Spend a penny: Going for a wee!(pee)
8. Wanker :This is a derogatory term used to describe someone who is a bit of a jerk. It actually means someone who masturbates and also has a hand signal that can be done with one hand at people that cannot see you shouting "wanker" at them. This is particularly useful when driving.
9. Any road: Up north (where I am from) sometimes you say any road instead of anyway.
10. Bollocks: Testicles, but is also used when some is talking bollocks (rubbish)
11. Cock up:When you have made a big mistake.
12. Diddle: When you diddle someone it means you have ripped them off.
13. Fanny: Ermm the Female genitalia.

Some of these are not what they seem, I hope no one is offended?

71 comments:

  1. i'm surprised at how many i use lol!

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  2. Great list. I spent years working with Brits, and it's amazing the degree of language confusion we'd often have!

    Happy TT.

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  3. Hi, I'm a Brit from London. I haven't heard the "any road" phrase, but they may use that in another part of the UK.

    "Fanny" has a different meaning over here, hence the giggles when an unknowing American uses the word inappropriately...

    I've used most of these phrases, apart from 1, 3, 7, 12 and 13.

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  4. Hee! Your list made me laugh. I've heard quite a few of these, mainly from British friends of mine. :)

    Happy TT!

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  5. Of course you are fully aware that I hardly know what ANY of those mean! LOL

    #6 sounds interesting - can't wait to hear you elaborate on it :-)

    I haven't even begun to think about TT yet (it's only 3:50pm Wednesday here), but I'll be back when mine is up!

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  6. I just love your slang :-) I have no idea what most of these means, but I love them anyway, just the sound of them.... *giggles*

    Language is a fun thing, I have an old post on my blog that I like a lot myself:

    Swedish bad language

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  7. Since I don't know many Brits, so I don't use those word!!You will need to put some definition for me!!!

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  8. Great List. WE have an exchange teacher at school and she is great to talk too!

    happy TT

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  9. Over here we never hear these words. Since they are british slangs, it's obvious I don't here them here not unless I meet a british here.
    My T13 is up too.

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  10. I looooove the word wanker. I'm not sure why, but it fits my ShapeShifter boys very well.

    I knew a couple of them, but I think I need to learn this ass and tits one... *huge, ear-to-ear grin and the voice of Beavis going, "you said ass" running amok through my brain*

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  11. I just loved it!
    I did my very first TT on the same subject. Mine was not as nice..lol

    http://its-a-raggedy-life.blogspot.com/2006/06/my-first-thursday-thirteen.html

    Terrific Thursday Thirteen!
    My TT is posted.
    Have a wonderful day!
    Happy TT'ing!
    *^_^
    (=':'=)
    (")_ (")Š
    Raggedy

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  12. MMM, think I have heard some of them on the Austin Powers' movies. I gotta go look up the first one though.
    Fun 13!

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  13. I'm embarrassed that I don't know all of these, I'm at a loss on #'s 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11 and 12. Can't wait for the answers.

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  14. I'm always curious to learn a new language even slang words.
    Very interesting list.

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  15. 1. falling
    2. jerk?
    3. old?
    4.
    5. hehehe sex
    6. making fun of
    7.
    8. jerk
    9. anyway?
    10. shite
    11. screw up
    12.
    13. i know this but forget!

    Great list :-)

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  16. LOL, Bloody good list! :o)

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  17. Great list. When I was in Alaska I became friends with a guy from England and I remember we spent a meal comparing words that sounded the same but meant different things for the two of us.

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  18. I wonder what people would say if I started using some of these words instead of my usual slew of slang? Okay, it's not slang, they're cuss words. Are you happy now?! *laughing*

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  19. 1. My excellent education doesn't allow such words
    2. My dictionary became red and refused to answer
    3. As soon as I know the meaning of these words, I will use them on my next trip to London !

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  20. i use #5 all the time. i just like it so much more than any american slang with the same meaning.

    happy TT

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  21. There's a lot I don't know...hope you're going to put up the definitions later!
    Happy TT.

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  22. Being Aussie, I'm familiar with most of those!

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  23. Being Aussie, I'm familiar with most of those!

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  24. Your list made me feel like I was eavesdropping on the next booth in an old English pub. Please check out my Thursday 13 list of my favorite charities.

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  25. Can't wait to see your explanation of these. A brilliant list....I probably use 7 the most....it's my age you see....though when was the last time it was only a penny. In town we have to pay 20p now!!!!

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  26. where's Mel...she's married to a Brit....

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  27. taking the piss?

    hmm, very interesting list. I've heard of about two or three, but that's about it!

    Happy TT!

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  28. Hi,
    I was over at SgT Dubs he mentioned we should stop by and visit you. It's late tonight 11:17 pm. So I am going to bed. When I get up and have my coffee I'll be reading your blog. So see you in the morning Girl.

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  29. I have to come back to check them out since I don't know most of these expressions. English is not my first language and I don't use it on a daily basis...wait: I do, for blogging, lol!
    happy TT!

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  30. Wow, I stink at this. I only knew "shag" and "wanker." I tootled over from Sgt. Dub's, too. This is a great list, by the way.

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  31. Mine's finally up!

    But guess what Claire? I did a little bit of research, and now I'm not a total GORM anymore!!

    You're impressed, right? Right?? LOL

    (Did I use it right?)

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  32. I know a lot of these because Robbie Williams uses them! :-)
    Thanks for visiting my cat quote TT.

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  33. We use a lot of those here in Ireland too. Minger is the best. it can also be a verb, minging :)

    Happy T13

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  34. Brings back memories of my four years in London. LOL on #13, which I know has a canyon-wide difference in meaning between the British and American. You stumped me on a few. I'll have to look them up.

    Happy TT Day! My #9 is up too!

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  35. I know wanker.. that's about it! Happy TT :)

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  36. Knew several of them and now must look up the rest. It could have been worse. You might have thrown in some older ones such as knock up and screw. lol

    This was a truly fun post.

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  37. hey, I knew a few, which is always good, since it means I am hippy on so many curses.

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  38. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  39. I'd never heard of most of these.

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  40. Thank you for the expanded educational opportunity! Can't wait to see what some of these mean!

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  41. God I miss this lingo.... check out mine you might get a laugh too, its on a similar vien Great TT.

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  42. I'll come later to study;this is just great for me and my classes Claire.
    I came to tell you what happened to me right now. In the morning I visited Ruth and for the first time I got there before you and of course I said something about it LOL. Now I came here and more than a Thursday 13 it's a Friday 13. I was reading and cooking at the same time and guess what??? I over fried my "Milanesas" and they are a black thing on my dish!!! Manuel asked, What's that mum? Food baby, food!!
    Here you can see how they should look like: http://www.conexionuruguay.net/archivos/imagenes/image048.jpg
    I wish I could take a picture of mine....
    Ok I learned the lesson, no more joking about who comes first to Ruth's, I swear!!!
    Hugs and kisses
    Ani

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  43. I don't know what those things are but they sound funny! Wanker? Dang, don't go out in public and spanker your wanker. LOL!

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  44. honey i'm home! wanker huh? i'll have to remember that one!

    smiles, bee

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  45. Well, I got here after the definitions were posted.
    I would not have known #2 or #7
    (in the US we say "going to see a man about a horse")
    Did not know #9 either.

    I guess I must watch a lot of Britcoms, because I did know quite a few!
    Toodle pip!
    mo

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  46. These are so interesting I think I'll go knock up my wife.

    I linked to you from TT Ziggurat and the 13 Tallest Towers

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  47. Cool - I have a friend from England, I'll have to bend her ear a bit on these.

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  48. There you go, lowering the tone again..... ;-)

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  49. I don't use any of them...living in the U.S. I think if I tried to use any of them in England, I would probably use it wrong and get punched in the face or something!

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  50. The fun is I know a lot of these and heard a lot of them just today while watching a DVD of an american film-maker in a Q&A session in London. Obviously fanny has the greatest comic confussion as it means the back side in the USA. Nice topic.

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  51. Why Claire! Even I learned a couple on that one!! {{blush}}

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  52. very cool! thanks for sharing!

    any road, happy TT!

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  53. Tanx for putting the meaning !!

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  54. Husband's a Brit, but some I've never heard him use. Have to ask him. Wanker, bollocks, and cock up, yeah, know those well.

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  55. My poor grandmother Fanny - I bet she had no idea her name meant that in British slang!

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  56. I knew most of these... not "fanny" though.

    A friend of mine gave a talk in Edinburgh a year or so ago. To break the ice he put up a Peanuts cartoon -- I don't know exactly how it fit into his speech -- but Snoopy dropped the supper bowl and it made a noise.

    In America, it was rendered "BONK!"

    It wasn't until after the speech that one of his hosts took my friend aside and explained the other meaning....

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  57. This was my favorite list of the day! I am obsessed with the Brits and pretty much wish I was one! Everything they say sounds so cool!

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  58. Love the English slang myself and use it a bit...it just comes natural. Mahalo for sharing.

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  59. Thanks for stopping by! Great dogs you have! :)

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  60. I love your Thursday Thirteen list for today!! So informative! :) I never would have guessed the correct meaning for most of them!
    My list is up too if you want to check it out!

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  61. Loved this one! I'm a huge Eddie Izzard fan so I knew most of these from repeated listenings to his stuff. I love the word "wanker" - it's the dog's bollocks, it is! haha

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  62. Great list. I will make an effort to use at least one of those at work tomorrow.. I especially like Taking the piss also.

    I live in NC and I have a good friend from England who still after 6 years..has a bad accent..we are always trying to get her to say our sayings--It just isn't the same, but very funny. In the south, when we get aggravated, sometimes we say-"Well Hell Fire." She says "Well Hells Far".

    Anyroad--thanks for the list. :)

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  63. I've only heard of #5,#8 & #10. Mainly cause I've heard it in movies.
    Great list!

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  64. now i understand where 'any rood' comes from. i've come across that one in movies and tv and i'm pretty sure it is an American regional dialect but i'm not sure which one. i knew that it was a synonym for 'any way' but didn't understand the connection. way=road and the word road was morphed into rood. it would be interesting to know if the ancestors of the Americans who say 'any rood' lived in the are of England where they said 'any road'

    can you tell i'm into linguistics. word play. love it.

    my tt is 13 research projects impacted by the looming closure of our library systerm. it's first in a series of three. and yes, there are that many. at least. writers need libraries!!

    congrats on being a featured blog on the hub.

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  65. Had no idea about any of that, but I'm not from the UK anyway :-) Thanks for dropping by :)

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  66. Enlightening, I didn't know a lot of these sayings.

    http://mitchypoo777.blogspot.com

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