Ask a British Person.......

B

BlueBalls

Dead
Ceska said:
Hello Brits,

1) This kind of slang (North and South = Mouth) is very interesting. I was more familiar with the other stuff (vacuuming = hoovering, eraser=rubber, windshield=windscreen, hood=bonnet, trunk=boot, give that bird a good solid rogering etc..) My favorite is "Bob's your Uncle".. perfect :1orglaugh
Which areas speak like this? just the north? just East London? Why the obsession with rhyme? How does anyone keep track of them all? How does one take hold and become "official" or "accepted"? Do you think it is (as Wikipedia suggests) a linguistic accident? Cryptolect developed intentionally to confuse non-locals? Or to maintain a sense of community / fool the cops? Who decides, the Cockney English Dictionary? I want to invent one. :D
Do you guys still say tally ho? old chap? pip pip?

2) I think British comedies are spectacular. They just seem to get it. Maybe it hearkens back to Shakespearian wit, who knows. Monty Python, Are You Being Served, Goodness Gracious Me, Coupling, even Top Gear are all better than Everybody Loves Raymond, Home Improvement, or Roseanne for example. America's best comedies are cartoons - Family Guy, American Dad, etc... What UK comedies do you guys like best? Any recommendations?

3) What's your impression of the following?

Hugh Grant - I like the befuddled fellow. His nervous nature is endearing.

Sarah Alexander - My friends think I am strange because I think she's smokin hot. I know she has been said to have a frog face but I don't care. Frog face or not I would like to pound her into next year.

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May -


4) How often do you (personally) drink tea?
Click to expand...


1) Not many people talk like that anymore, cockny rhyming slang has been around for decades and was mainly used in East London, although all other parts of the country have other forms of slang, Liverpool for example has their own way oof using words and Manchester etc. But most of the old ''slangs'' are not being used anymore.

2) Peep Show is IMO the best British comedy Spaced is another one (going to be americanised soon) , America has made some great comedies though, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm etc

3) I cant stand Hugh Grant I cant see why he's so popular. I dont know who Sarah Alexander is.

Top Gear is one of my favourite shows. Clarkson is god, the others are good to.

4) At least once a day.
 
Ceska

Ceska

Beatles suck. Too pop and boppy. Led Zeppelin and the Stones are the shit.

Only seemed like McCartney could do no wrong in the Brit press (and American press for that matter) during his divorce proceedings. I get from what you are saying that the general Brit public doesn't kiss his ass. Good to hear. Like you say American public does still worship the Beatles in general. True that.
 
HeyFellas

HeyFellas

Ceska said:
Only seemed like McCartney could do no wrong in the Brit press (and American press for that matter) during his divorce proceedings.
Click to expand...

I think that's more to do with everyone believing Heather is a gold digging skank, rather than loving Paul.

Jeremy Clarkson seems to be one of those people you either worship or want to punch, I tend to lean towards the second option.

**********, interesting menu, I'll take the pie and chips, but the rest might make me :throwup:, so I'll stick with the sponge cake and custard thanks.

Question: In the U.S, does "whack" mean good or bad? I can't seem to tell from the shows I've seen.

And why has no-one mentioned the real comedies, like Fawlty Towers and Dinnerladies? I can't stand these Channel Four sketch show things with no story. :wave2:
 
Ceska

Ceska

HeyFellas said:
Question: In the U.S, does "whack" mean good or bad? I can't seem to tell from the shows I've seen.
Click to expand...

Whack is always bad.

HeyFellas - What do you think of Hugh Grant? How often do you drink tea?
Do you ever say "old chap" or "tally ho" "old boy" or "my good man"?
(not mocking just curious):dunno:

Still no takers on Sarah Alexander from coupling? ;)

Lots of custard going on in the UK. I've heard that the food in general is bad from travelers both Americans as well as those from other countries. But maybe it's like fox says, you have to know where to look and what to try. I would definitely "give it a go" as they say.

Lessee what does a yank think of fox's menu? ;)

1) Turkish Kebab. Make sure it has kofte, shish and lots of doner, with garlic and chilli sauce.' ---> Sounds delicious
2) Steak N Kidney Pie ----> Never had it. I might go Shepherds Pie or Cottage Pie instead.
3) Chips covered in salt, with some gravy and also some curry sauce for dipping the chips in. ---> Awesome
4) Lincolnshire Sausages and Mashed Potatoes with herbs, covered in gravy, a feature special in some butcher's shops. ----> MMMMMM
5) Chicken Balti from Brick Lane London or Sparkbrook Birmingham. ---> yes
6) Rhubarb Crumble made in season with gallons of hot delicious yellow custard poured all over it. ----> Never had it. Sounds good if it's like a cobbler or dutch apple pie. I might hold off on the custard until I've had a chance to sample it.

A bit too much food. Probably the menu for the week. Also if a person doesn't like Indian / Turkish or pub food they may be out of luck. Fortunately that's not me. :D

Which area has the nicest weather most of the time?

All things considered, if you could live anywhere in the UK where would it be, what areas do you covet the most and why?
 
Last edited:
senob44

senob44

HeyFellas said:
Question: In the U.S, does "whack" mean good or bad? I can't seem to tell from the shows I've seen.
Click to expand...

Whack can mean different things.

Regular meaning -
1. Generally to hit something
2. to try to do something: "I'll take a whack at that crossword puzzle."

Slang 1 -
To kill somebody, usually used in mobster speak: "I just whacked that guy for ya, boss."

Slang 2 -
Describing something as crazy, in a bad sense: "Damn, that shit is whack, I don't want any part of it."

The last meaning is probably the one you were confused by.
 
gunslingingbird

gunslingingbird

Politically, how is the UK subdivided? What we would call states are called counties there, right? How many are there? Does each one have its own laws and constitution like the states of the US do, or do they all follow the same laws?
 
HeyFellas

HeyFellas

Ceska said:
HeyFellas - What do you think of Hugh Grant? How often do you drink tea?
Do you ever say "old chap" or "tally ho" "old boy" or "my good man"?
(not mocking just curious)

Still no takers on Sarah Alexander from coupling?

Lots of custard going on in the UK. I've heard that the food in general is bad from travelers both Americans as well as those from other countries. But maybe it's like fox says, you have to know where to look and what to try. I would definitely "give it a go" as they say.

All things considered, if you could live anywhere in the UK where would it be, what areas do you covet the most and why?
Click to expand...

Hmmm, Hugh Grant, he was good in Four Weddings, but I don't know much else with him, so not bothered either way really.

I drink tea maybe once or twice a day on my days off, more habit than anything, but it's not a china tea-set do, just a teabag in a mug.

Never said those phrases in my life, they're more of an old WW2 film thing, or maybe for a few "posh" people, I could see Prince Charles saying them. But I've been saying blimey quite a bit lately, probably because it was on this thread.

Just found Sarah on Google, not really my type (Audrey Bitoni is! :1orglaugh).

I love custard, the canned stuff from Tesco is nice but Birds Instant is the national favorite. Interesting fact, the French don't believe custard exists. :confused:

I wouldn't say the food here is bad, but I was brought up on it, so I wouldn't know. :D Fish and Chips is the choice, but most shops are family run, so you have to know where the good places are.

If I could live anywhere, it would be in the country just outside of Crewe. I currently live about 20 miles West of there, so it wouldn't be a big move. :thumbsup: I don't understand why people like the city, too many people, too many buildings, I like grassy fields and lots of them! :wave2:
 
Fresno

Fresno

If I were planing a visit to the UK what time of year would be the best to come?
 
Ceska

Ceska

HeyFellas said:
or maybe for a few "posh" people, I could see Prince Charles saying them.
Click to expand...
yes, in fact he does say them.

HeyFellas said:
(Audrey Bitoni is! :1orglaugh).
Click to expand...
hear hear

HeyFellas said:
If I could live anywhere, it would be in the country just outside of Crewe. I currently live about 20 miles West of there, so it wouldn't be a big move. :thumbsup: I don't understand why people like the city, too many people, too many buildings, I like grassy fields and lots of them! :wave2:
Click to expand...

Ah yes.... the grassy fields of Crewe...
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4233290;)

Thanks for the reply.
 
Fresno

Fresno

DonostiaFox said:
When it's not raining.

(i.e. don't come)

Seriously, summer. Always. British summers are mild. The rest of the year can be unpredictable. Spring is nice too. Autumn is chilly. Winter - blurgh.
Click to expand...

To be quit honest, I love the rain and I could walk in all day!
 
gunslingingbird

gunslingingbird

DonostiaFox said:
When it's not raining.

(i.e. don't come)

Seriously, summer. Always. British summers are mild. The rest of the year can be unpredictable. Spring is nice too. Autumn is chilly. Winter - blurgh.
Click to expand...

Speaking of weather, is it true that it's always foggy over there?
 
M

marquis2

gunslingingbird said:
Speaking of weather, is it true that it's always foggy over there?
Click to expand...

No. Fog is very rare these days because of the Clear Air Acts.The reputation came from the effects of milliond of coal fires , coal fired factories and trains-what we had was smog rather than fog.
We were frequently sent home from school early because of fog , sometimes so thick you could only just see your feet.Haven't seen a thick fog in over 20 years now.
 
M

marquis2

Just spotted the post about rain. The West is wetter than the East because rain comes from the Atlantic.Eastern England has a lower rainfall than Tunis surprisingly enough!
I live in the English Midlands, it's many years since we had more than a token dusting of snow.In fact we have very few winter days where it's below freezing.
 
Bigoldowls

Bigoldowls

Ceska said:
Hello Brits,

2) I think British comedies are spectacular. They just seem to get it. Maybe it hearkens back to Shakespearian wit, who knows. Monty Python, Are You Being Served, Goodness Gracious Me, Coupling, even Top Gear are all better than Everybody Loves Raymond, Home Improvement, or Roseanne for example. America's best comedies are cartoons - Family Guy, American Dad, etc... What UK comedies do you guys like best? Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

Hello there me old china.

Take a gander at Blackadder - although not the first series - it's dire. Series 2, 3 and 4 are brill. :thumbsup:

Also, take a butchers at Red Dwarf - a bit hit and miss, but some very funny moments.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top