The AngloFiles: Speak the Lingo

Since I am getting ready cross the pond, and I hope that those of you who have never had the chance to will be able to do so in the future, it's a good idea to brush up on the local lingo before you arrive. Just because we both speak English here in the States and in Great Britain, it doesn't mean that we will be able to understand each other! I've had many amusing and funny conversations with my British companions on how to pronounce certain words and what things are called. You'd be surprised how different our language changes whenever you cross the Atlantic, which makes complete sense, but have you ever actually thought about it? No, they don't speak like Austin Powers. But yes, many people in Britain use the word "bloody" or "bloody hell". I'm sure I don't have to explain the meaning.

To begin, some quick words about items. Dealing with a car: bonnet = hood, boot = trunk, aerial = antennae, wing mirrors = side view mirrors. A "lorry" is a truck, driven by a lorry driver. And the "rubbish" you threw away earlier goes in the "bin" with a "bin bag", later to be picked up by "the bin men" who drive the "bin lorry".

When you go out and get cold make sure to put on your "jumper" and don't forget to put on a clean pair of "pants!" (i.e. underwear) and a comfortable pair of "trainers" on your feet. It is England so it might rain, in which case you'll need a "brolly". You might be going to a "car boot sale", where people sell antiques and rubbish they don't want anymore!

If you like eating "nosh" then you might want to know some words for things. "Aubergine" (pronounced Oh-burr-gine. Soft G sound.) This is an eggplant! Not to be confused with "courgettes" or zucchinis. Order yourself some "Bangers n mash" while you're there too! For "pudding", or dessert, you might like some "jelly", or Jell-O.

Bangers N Mash

Moving on! Arse, blimey, snog, and bugger are all common terms I should hope you know already as well. So let's skip ahead! We will start with some basic slang, some of which you might hear when you're out at the pub with your friends.

"Ace" and "mint" are relatively similar in meaning. Both can mean "awesome" or "cool".
Example: "that band was ace!" or "this car is mint!"
"Cracking" can also fit in to this category. To be "cracking" is to be the best.

A "quid" is to "pound" like "buck" is to "dollar".
"All right". This in London and in many other southern parts of England and in parts of Wales use this as a greeting, like asking someone how they are.
"Innit" is the British version of our American "iddn it!?" or properly said "isn't it".
"Bollocks" is a common swear word, but not necessarily a very offensive one. I think you can figure it out. Ex: "Bollocks, my phone battery has died."
To "give it some welly" is to "give it some elbow grease".
"Wonky" is unstable or wobbly and "Dodgy" is like that back street neighborhood you don't want to walk in alone, but some people just aren't "bothered", or don't care.

"Cheeky" is to be a smart mouth, or flippant, or flirty. Ex: "You cheeky monkey!"
"Daft" = crazy.
"Gutted" is to be disappointed.
"Knackered", "zonked", and "shattered" are to be extremely tired. In which case you might want to take an afternoon "kip" and then maybe you can go to the kitchen and find yourself some "nosh" to eat, but heat it up on the "hob" first. Then you can take out the "rubbish", which can also mean "nonsense". Then you might go to the "loo" or "bog" to have a "slash" after drinking too many liquids! If you're going to be in there a little bit longer, make sure there is plenty of "bog roll".

"Petrol Station's" in the UK have bogs that are just as "manky" as ours!

And let's talk about the 'W' word which can be used in many ways. To be "wankered" is to be drunk; a "wanker" (or "tosser") is what you call a person being a jerk, and "wanking" is an action verb... well we don't discuss what a person does in private. That can also be interchanged with "toss/tossing".

Now when someone says "they are pissed" they are not angry. They are drunk. They are "on a bender" or have gone to a "piss up" aka party or a "do", where you might "fancy" smoking a "fag".

Scouser/Liverpudlian = someone from Liverpool.
Tyke = someone from Yorkshire (referring to the dialect)
Geordie = someone from Newcastle.
Cockney = someone from London or South England. (also referring to a kind of dialect/slang)
Manc = someone from Manchester.

Someone might tell you to shut your "gob" if you call them any of the following: clot, ponce, pikey, pillock, geezer, git, knob head, or namby pamby. Your "mates" wouldn't do that unless they were "taking the piss" with you though. Because friends can make jokes at each other. They're all "nutters" anyways!

If you're a girl and your boyfriend calls you "duck", please be flattered, because you are his "bird" since you've dated for a while now. If someone calls you a "minger", you're a bit unattractive! Though if you're a little bit "thick" as they say, you're just a bit dense.

And please, PLEASE, I know you're a tourist but refrain from calling your waist-strapped bag a "fanny pack". It will only bring hilariously naughty images to the minds of your British friends. If you must refer to this awful fashion faux pas, call it a "bum bag". Because fanny does not mean the same thing as "bum".