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Post by Doc on Dec 28, 2006 4:06:41 GMT -5
I recently discovered three (3) interesting British idioms. FROM: www.effingpot.com/objects.shtml(1)Desmond - A desmond is a lower second class honours degree. Our honours degrees are ranked (from best to worst) as a first class (a first, for short), an upper second (two-one for short), lower second (two-two or desmond for short) and a third. You can also get a non-honours and a pass, but you might not own up to them!! Desmond comes from Desmond Tutu (two-two, get it?). FROM: www.effingpot.com/slang.shtml(2) Any road - Up north (where they talk funny!!) instead of saying anyway, they say "any road"! Weird huh? (3) Ace - If something is ace it is brilliant. I used to hear it a lot in Liverpool. Kids thought all cool stuff was ace, or brill. Any Road, Anyway? Brill? BRILL?!!! Desmond? We DON'T even understand how Liverpoolians talk. Of course. Ofcourse that is a key right there. They don't use words always exactly like we Americans do (for those of us who are US folk), but we have not always recalled this........ How many clues have we missed? By John? George? Ringo? Paul? Bill? mmmm---kay. |
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Post by Doc on Dec 28, 2006 4:07:16 GMT -5
More from here:www.effingpot.com/slang.shtml(4)Tara - Pronounced "churar", this is another word for cheerio or goodbye. Cilla Black, a scouse TV presenter has probably done most to promote the use of this word as she says it all the time on her programmes. (5)Throw a spanner in the works - This is an expression that means to wreck something. A Spaniard in the Works?
"Tara" equals "goodbye?
I say Hello, you say Tara?(6) Wonky - If something is shaky or unstable you might say it is wonky. For example I changed my chair in a restaurant recently because I had a wonky one. Wonky Finger?(7) To - We go to school from ages 5 to 18. You might go to school from ages 5 thru 18. We don't say thru in that context at all. If we did though, we would say "through" To? Through? By way of?
"I am going to go TO Virginia" is different from, "I am going to go THROUGH Virginia".......
Oh, well, that is stretching it a bit. I guess "to" just specifies an inclusive ending range in England.(8) Ta - We said "ta" as kids in Liverpool for years before we even knew it was short for thanks. (9) Porkies - More cockney rhyming slang. Short for "porky pies", meaning "pork pies". Rhymes with lies. My Mum always used to tell me I was telling porkies! And she was right! Piggies?(10) Momentarily - As you come into land at an American airport and the announcement says that you will be landing momentarily, look around to see if anyone is sniggering. That will be the Brits! I never did figure out why they say this. Momentarily to us means that something will only happen for an instant - a very short space of time. So if the plane lands momentarily will there be enough time for anyone to get off? Weird! That above one is interesting to me......(11) Jimmy - Actually short for Jimmy Riddle. i.e. I'm off for a Jimmy Riddle. This is Cockney rhyming slang for PIDdle! (12) How's your father? - This is a very old term for sex which plays on our apparent British sensitivity. Rather than saying the actual "sex" word you could refer to having a bit of How's your Father, instead - nudge, nudge, wink, wink. The sort of old fashioned saying dragged up by Austin Powers. (13) Cockney rhyming slang - There are lots of words that make up cockney rhyming slang. These are basically rhyming words like "butchers hook" which means "look". If you are in London and you hear someone talk about a Septic they are probably talking about you - because it's short for "Septic tank" which equals "yank", which is our word for an American. How do you like that If we were to apply cockney rhyming slang concept to the lyrics of "I am the Walrus", I wonder what might be discovered hidden in it. Trouble is learning how to "translate" it.....(14) Chinese Whispers - This a good one. It refers to the way a story gets changed as is passes from one person to the next so that the end result may be completely different from what was originally said. Sound familiar? (15) Butchers - To have a butchers at something is to have a look. This is a cockney rhyming slang word that has become common. The reason "butchers" means a look even though it doesn't rhyme is because it is short for "butchers hook" and "hook" of course, does rhyme. Hmmm... how about the "Butcher's Cover"?.........to "have a look?" Have a look---cover?
Covered? Covert?Have a look---it's a "cover." Notice this----BTW it is a cover for something.
(16) Brill - Short for "brilliant". Used by kids to mean cool Charley Cool......(17) Bob's your uncle - This is a well used phrase. It is added to the end of sentences a bit like and that's it! For example if you are telling someone how to make that fabulous banoffee pie you just served them, you would tell them to boil the condensed milk for three hours, spread it onto a basic cheesecake base, slice bananas on top, add some whipped double cream, another layer of banana and Bob's your uncle! I'm done and Bob's your uncle.
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Post by Doc on Dec 28, 2006 4:07:59 GMT -5
There maybe something to all this:
(18)The Bill - The police, or the thing you ask for after a meal in a restaurant. In the US that is called the check.
(19) Mother - Don't be alarmed if a British bloke says "Shall I be Mother?". This would happen when the family sit down to a pot of tea or a slice of cake and someone needs to pour or cut for everyone. Whoever gets to do the honours is being "Mother".
(20) Septic - Try not to be offended, but this means an American. It's actually the rhyming slang for yank. Septic is short for "septic tank" and tank rhymes with yank. Now you know!
(21) Garden - Not the vegetable patch or the flower beds. The garden is the yard. I always wondered why my American friends thought it was odd that Brits spend so much of the summer sitting in the garden!
So, Octopuses' Garden is, I guess, his "yard", so to speak. Yard. Hmmmm......I wonder if Octopus signifies anything.
(22) Bungalow - A house with no upstairs. A single storey house. Not popular with anyone but the old.
Bungalow. No second floor. Bill--a policeman. Bungalow Bill. A cop without a second floor?
Well, it's late and I'm fried. Which probably means something nasty in England...
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Post by Doc on Dec 28, 2006 4:08:30 GMT -5
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Post by Doc on Dec 28, 2006 4:08:56 GMT -5
black over Bill's mothers Phrs. It looks as though it's going to rain. [E. Midlands use]
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Post by Doc on Dec 28, 2006 4:09:14 GMT -5
bungalow Noun. An idiot. From not having much up upstairs. Derog.
John Lennon! What were you doing?
brill Adj. Excellent, superb. An abbreviation of brilliant. E.g."We had a brill night, dancing for 8 hours." {Informal}
barney (rubble) Adj. Trouble. Rhyming slang. [1960s]
mad as a box of frogs Phrs. Of a situation or person, totally crazy.
jack's alive Noun. Five. Rhyming slang.
Five?
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Post by Doc on Dec 28, 2006 4:10:05 GMT -5
oats
Noun. 1. Sperm, with regard to being seeds. Used in phrases such as sow one's oats, which essentially alludes to procreation but at its most basic to having to sexual intercourse.
2. Sex. The informal phrase get ones oats meaning to have sex. E.g."You look a bit happy! Did you get your oats last night?"
"Part One---Doris Getz Hehrrrr Oats...."
doris Noun. Wife or girlfriend. E.g."I'm taking my doris to the cinema to see the new Harry Potter film."
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Post by Doc on Dec 28, 2006 4:10:38 GMT -5
off one's tree Phrs. 1. Insane, mad.
2. To be extremely intoxicated by alcohol or drugs
"No one I think is in my tree."
up and down like a whore's drawers Phrs. Said of a person who is unsettled and is unable remain seated and still. Numerous variations exist, i.e. whore may be replaced by prostitute or tart, and drawers with knickers.
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Post by fourthousandholes on Dec 28, 2006 9:40:18 GMT -5
Boy, you've been a naughty girl
you let your knickers down
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Post by lili on Dec 28, 2006 13:36:33 GMT -5
I always wondered who John was referring to.
But then, getting into the spirit of things, he could've meant that someone was naughty & let their guard down.
Most likely meaning Paul. [img src="http://galeon.hispavista.com/akostuff/img/Dunno2[1].gif"]
Great posts, Doc !
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Post by plastic paul on Dec 28, 2006 22:02:34 GMT -5
Yeah, it's all the norm as far as I'm concerned, don't wanna rain on your parade Doc, because there's a lot of hard work been put into this thread obviously, but as an Englishman I feel that it doesn't offer any insights as far as PID is concerned. It may help some of your fellow Americans understand some of the slang used, but i'm afraid that's it IMO. Also some of it is way off the mark, or at least incorrect.
"We DON'T even understand how Liverpoolians talk"
Liverpoolians!!!? I'm assuming that's a joke!
"Tara - Pronounced "churar" "
Ummm.... no it isn't pronounced like that!
Sorry mate, it sounds like a really harsh post, but i'm not abusing, i'm just saying it how I see it, being English!
I know you're one of the more open minded people on the board so i'm sure you won't be offended. I look to you for the music info, I hope you might consider looking to me for the "English English"!!!
Peace out
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Post by Doc on Dec 29, 2006 1:09:51 GMT -5
Yeah, it's all the norm as far as I'm concerned, don't wanna rain on your parade Doc, because there's a lot of hard work been put into this thread obviously, but as an Englishman I feel that it doesn't offer any insights as far as PID is concerned. It may help some of your fellow Americans understand some of the slang used, but i'm afraid that's it IMO. Also some of it is way off the mark, or at least incorrect. "We DON'T even understand how Liverpoolians talk" Liverpoolians!!!? I'm assuming that's a joke! "Tara - Pronounced "churar" " Ummm.... no it isn't pronounced like that! Sorry mate, it sounds like a really harsh post, but i'm not abusing, i'm just saying it how I see it, being English! I know you're one of the more open minded people on the board so i'm sure you won't be offended. I look to you for the music info, I hope you might consider looking to me for the "English English"!!! Peace out Well, no I'm not offended in the least, by all means catch me or us up to the facts. That web site apparently had some erroneous info; no point laboring under bad reports. Sorry, is it Liverpudlians? I thought the "churar" thing was a bit far out myself. The "ch" makes no sense. But "t" can be wetter in the Isles than over here. So, I could imaging "Tara" said more as "Szaduh" because of the "moist t", and the fact that "r"'s are often done with a single flip of the tongue by Brits. That flipped "r" resembles a soft "d" to some American ears. You know the American 'R' is often a really hard bitten down "öe"kind of thing, perhaps even as hard as "GGRRRRRRR" when imitating a dog growllng.But we don't do the flip thing well. But if I am not listening carefully, I might mistake a British "r' for a "d'. In America, we drop sounds right and left, and especially here in the South, we turn pure vowels into 3 syllable tripthongs. Off the record, was any of that information from those web pages familiar? Did any of it seem accurate to you? Thanks for an honest appraisal. |
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Post by Jai Guru Deva on Dec 29, 2006 5:18:03 GMT -5
 Here the Beatles are shown leaving London Airport on their way to the Bahamas. In the upper left corner you'll notice a sign which says, "Tara Boys". So Doc is be correct in discovering that "tara" means "goodbye". As far as pronounciation, I really don't know, although I once heard a Scotsman talk of Irelands famous ruin the "Hill of Tara", and he pronounced it like "Tahr-uh". Hill of Tara |
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Post by plastic paul on Dec 29, 2006 8:15:40 GMT -5
I would say the "t" in "tara" would be more like the beginning of the Russian "Tsar" or something kinda like that.
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Post by lili on Dec 29, 2006 8:34:33 GMT -5
We all look to you for the English aspect of things.
Thanks, P.P. !
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Post by That Latvian Guy on Dec 29, 2006 8:35:23 GMT -5
Goodbye Browne?
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Post by Doc on Dec 30, 2006 0:30:23 GMT -5
I would say the "t" in "tara" would be more like the beginning of the Russian "Tsar" or something kinda like that. Alright, yes, I said "tsar" out loud and see exactly you are right. Thanks. |
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