As a proud englishman, I like slipping obscure and quaint english terms into the conversation while talking with friends for whom english is a second language (sad, I know). They love this, and always want to learn them properly to teach their friends. I'm starting to run out of good examples though. Can anyone suggest any more of these unique terms?
Phrases I've used so far include tally-ho, toodle-pip, chin-chin, ta-ta, cheerio, top-hole, what-what, blighty, balderdash and piffle, and jonny foreigner. That's the sort of thing I'm looking for.
2007-07-11 09:53:59 · 23 answers · asked by adacam 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Also, a link to a website which lists this kind of language would be really useful. I found a good one recently, but haven't been able to locate it again.
2007-07-11 09:57:32 · update #1
Mrs G, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for! Top notch!
2007-07-11 10:02:43 · update #2
ramshackle (somewhat untidy), Good day to you (classic all-day casual greeting), How-do? (how do you do?), the water cabinet (the loo), cad )bounder), bounder (cad), Blighty (England), pith and vim (vitality and power), bally (adjective, denoting unimportant), pooh-poohing (denigrating another's comments), a bit of what-for (some sort of reaction to something), a bit of how's your uncle (serious flirting onwards), rogering (copulating), what the devil (expletive), blimey o riley (expletive), the life of riley (a privileged and easy time), wotcha (greeting), it's a long way to tipperary (but we'll jolly well get there), Hurrah (well done), that's the ticket (just like that), old chap (mate), old boy (mate), old bean (mate), my good fellow (mate), a dicky tummy (a rum belly), a hairy situation (a close call), crumbs! (gosh!), not on your nelly (no way), pish (expletive - rubbish!), Gosh and golly (wow), well i never (i can't believe it), poppycock (expl - rubbish!)...
happy kudos accumulating
2007-07-11 10:09:36 · answer #1 · answered by walsos 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
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2016-12-16 10:58:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi!
Here's some:
TTFN - Ta ta for now!!
Okey dokey - OK - as in 'alright'
Reet mithered - as in 'I'm really busy now, don't bother me'
Sithee mon - See you soon.
That'll do me dandy - I'm pleased with that.
All mouth 'n' trousers - boasts but doesn't deliver.
Chinaman's chance - no chance.
Country mile - a long way.
Not on your Nelly - never, no way.
My **** - as if.
Like a thief in the night - without warning
Hunker down - take shelter
Full whack - whole amount.
Pitch woo - to court, fancy.
Drive the porcelain bus - to vomit!!
Hi
I hope you have some fun with these!
My husband uses phrases like these when he's been put through to a foreign call centre!! We all sit round peeing ourselves laughing - it is SO funny to listen to!!
LOL!!
2007-07-11 10:41:32 · answer #3 · answered by Moofie's Mom 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
"Fur coat and no knickers" meaning all show with no substance, or a lady of questionable morals
"She's no better than she should be" meaning she's a lady easily persuaded into the fun things of life
"Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs!" to express astonishment
"Up the wooden stairs to Bedfordshire" meaning to retire at night.
"Corks!" to express surprise
"Lang may your lum reek" meaning "May you live long and prosper"
"By Jove!" to express surprise. This was considered swearing in the 1800s because it is short for "By Jehovah"
"Jolly bad form" meaning impolite
How about using cockney slang, or even better, the gay people's slang from the 1950s like "Lallies" for legs?
2007-07-12 02:19:02 · answer #4 · answered by kitty 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Victoria has covered a lot But most words we use everyday are probably different We dnt know them all because we don't use the American words
2016-04-01 09:40:32 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From my Somerset grandparents:- "Thic gurt zider-press", meaning a tall or gawky chap.
"'Er couldn't stop a pig in a alleyway," describing a bandy-legged person.
"Downalong", going down the road, or
"Upalong", going up the road.
"Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs," expressing disbelief or wonder.
2007-07-11 14:04:06 · answer #6 · answered by freebird 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Response to a lost motorist asking directions in Suffolk England:-
" If I'd been yu..I wouldnt 'ave started from 'ere."
2007-07-12 05:13:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Please don't do cockney rhyming slang its so crap (Michael Caine and Mike Myers in Goldmember -embarrassing). In Edinburgh local people call groceries 'messages' as in '...I'm going oot ta get ma messages'. Otherwise I am atonished at the scope of knowledge of your answerers! (All fur coat Kitty?)
2007-07-12 03:42:49 · answer #8 · answered by naiveidealist 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
English pales into insignificance compared to the language of Heaven..Welsh...I should know ,I am fluent in both.
2007-07-11 11:23:43 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry but it is hard enough as it is to understand what some of these foreigners are saying without giving them a load of balderdash an nonsensical things to start coming out with!
2007-07-11 10:00:18 · answer #10 · answered by mistickle17 5 · 0⤊ 5⤋