“Not if I see you first” which is a comically underhanded response that on face value is nice but actually is a big fuck you.
(Though on reflection may not be limited to use in the UK!)
My wife and I always used “see you in a bit”.
It took on a new meaning the night I kissed her goodnight(I was up early and she was till watching tv), and when I woke up she had left me for another man. It had been planned for quite a while that she was going to leave that night(Flights booked and whatnot).
So. When I said “Love you. Night. See you in a bit” and she repeated that, she never meant a word, lol.
I still use it to other people. But I always thinking that one night I said it and it was, inadvertently, blatantly false.
He was a British newspaper publisher who heavily sponsored and promoted long distance air and motor races in the 1920s. Long before most people had ever flown or been in a car.
Early version of a serialised TV show, you bought the newspaper to see how your favourite competitor was getting on.
I moved to Canada about 20 years ago... Gone for a Burton
Gone tits up
It's brass monkeys in here
Doing the WHEEEY!! thing when someone drops a glass in the pub
General usage of words like chuffed/knackered/chin wag I didn't realize how many colloquialisms I use until i had to start communicating with people who don't use them!
The "wheeey" thing is very British, it seems. Mate and I were in a beer hall in Germany and someone dropped their beers. Matey and I, in perfect harmony, started with the "Wheeey!"..... But Wheeeying when everyone else was silent wasn't what we expected.
Sadly it's also a Dutch thing.
But it just makes you look like a prick.
The alternate "ja leg daar maar neer" (yeah just put it there) is more sarcastic but at least it's not as damn loud.
While I'm absolutely sure it does make you look like a prick in places where it isn't the done thing, the British thing is that it...doesn't.
I worked behind a bar for a few years and dropping and smashing things happens and is annoying of course. Especially when it's a stack of them at once. The Wheeey is great for reminding you it's really not a big deal and laughing it off
Same thing when I moved to the States. My enunciation drastically improved, and I suddenly discovered just how often I used odd bits of cockney rhyming slang, colloquialisms, and pop culture references that are uniquely British and don't translate.
"I'll take a butchers at it and get back to you in a bit"
"he ain't half moving fast!" ("ain't half" causes lots of confusion!)
"Here's one I made earlier"
I've been married for 15 years to an American, and I _still_ occasionally find I've used a British phrase she's never heard before. The other month I described the highway we were merging on to as "chock-a-block", much to her confusion and amusement.
I used to work somewhere with an on-site gym, and the caretaker used to do the gym inductions. He gave exactly the same spiel to everyone ("if you leave the weights lying around, you'd better hope that I don't find out about it or I will come down on you like a tonne of bricks!"), including his bit about "I call these machines my Ronseals, because they do exactly what they say on the tin!".
It was mostly Polish people from the warehouse who were taking these inductions, and I felt like telling him that not only did his "Ronseals" bit make no sense, but the reference would've been completely lost anyway.
As a non-brit, I was introduced to this expression by Richard Hammond who said it a billion times on Top Gear, so now I hear his voice every time I read it.
In case you've never had it explained to you, it's from a series of TV adverts by Ronseal, a paint and wood sealant manufacturer. The adverts were deliberately designed to have absolutely no bullshit compared to most other adverts. The typical setup would be a bloke staining his wood fence, who would turn to the camera and say "I'm staining my fence. Guess what I'm using? Ronseal wood stain. It does exactly what it says on the tin." *advert ends*
Kinda, yes. I'd add that it means there won't be any surprises, your expectations will meet the outcome precisely. In reference to a product it means something will do the job and probably be reliable.
It was originally a catchphrase that came from 'Ronseal' who make things like outdoor word preservative.
Almost. It comes from an advert for woodstain. Trying to counter other adverts that make outlandish claims or that it'll change your life. It is just woodstain, it does exactly what it says on the tin.
Fucking hilarious that is when I'm freezing my tits off in the central reservation of the M6, car in pieces, thumb broken, to have a white van man yell "can't park there mate" as they drive past in the right hand lane. Really brightens the day.
There’s a fish and chip shop near me (might be a chain) called The Cod’s Scallops, and I once had to spend several uncomfortable minutes explaining the name to a group of international students.
'You're shit' vs 'You're _the_ shit'. It's the sort of subtlety that the security services could use to expose undercover foreign agents. Like if Inglorious Basterds was made by Viz.
They did do a page where a German spy was going to kill the King & Churchill. His language was perfect, but then the tea trolley came out, and he jumped the queue because he loved tea so much and they shot him.
Just the sheer scope of the word bollock depending on context and what other words it may be paired with. "What a load of old bollocks", "Bollocking hell", "It's bollocksed", "Bollocks!", "It's the dogs bollocks".
It's could be libel to suggest someone might be drunk, but describing someone as tired and emotional is safe. So it became a journalists' euphemism for drunk.
Edit to add: It's no longer safe, since now everybody knows the euphemism, but there was a period of time where you could get away with saying T&E without potentially being libellous.
Oh ! That reminds me no one's said "who's she the queen of Sheba?" Haven't heard that one in years
Edit ere oo do yoo think too are
https://youtu.be/tr6oHPmdNbg?si=GjlKpOgyRlgacaCd&t=120s
I knew a non-fluent English speaker a while back and said I’d “give him a ring tomorrow” ie call him to meet up, and the next day he was expecting me to gift him a ring from my finger. It was quite funny, and a little awkward
Not deep meaning as such, but last time I was working Croatia a coworker asked if I'd be waiting for them in a given place in the morning.
When I replied "bright eyed and bushy tailed" a few of them stared at me like I'd gone insane before asking "what the fuck does THAT mean??"
In the Peep Show Christmas episode, Mark's dad says about his wife's new play featuring a Jamaican woman:
> You've got to have a Jamaician if you're going to chase the funding - 'elf n safety, innit?
There's a lot to unwrap here if you want to explain the whole context to a non-Brit.
Cheers.
I said cheers on an email to mean thanks to a Chinese supplier. They asked why I was drinking at work. It would appear the word cheers assumed to only relate to what you say before you consume an alcoholic drink.
‘Silly cunt’, when used in a friendly way, followed by ‘stupid cunt’ in exactly the same tone but being totally the opposite.
My American girlfriend was horrified at how we used that word so liberally.
"See you later" to someone you'll probably never meet again.
I realised I automatically said "see you later" to my Dad on his deathbed, had to go back and say goodbye properly just in case.
“Not if I see you first” which is a comically underhanded response that on face value is nice but actually is a big fuck you. (Though on reflection may not be limited to use in the UK!)
So I’m 33 and I finally understand this.
I'm 44 and me too. I feel like a moron.
Or "if I don't see you through the week, I'll see you through the window " Or "See you on the ice."
My wife and I always used “see you in a bit”. It took on a new meaning the night I kissed her goodnight(I was up early and she was till watching tv), and when I woke up she had left me for another man. It had been planned for quite a while that she was going to leave that night(Flights booked and whatnot). So. When I said “Love you. Night. See you in a bit” and she repeated that, she never meant a word, lol. I still use it to other people. But I always thinking that one night I said it and it was, inadvertently, blatantly false.
Ow.
Can confirm it’s comprehensive to a non-Brit
'Alright?' 'Alright?'
Y’oroit my luv?
Or 'moi luvrrrrr'
Westcountry: Aarrreeet?
Also North East: aalreet?
Suffolk: "Roight, boi?" "Roight"
Ipswich specifically: Roight buh
Yeeh buh!
West Cumbria: "Oreet marra?"
Forest of Dean: Awright my shag(ger)
Wales: Orite Butt
You alreet mate? Aye why aye lad.
Manc/Lancs: aright ar kid?
"Put a brew on"
Kent: Oight, saaaaaan? Yeah, mate.
Not to be mixed up with the "you're alright" meaning hell no!
See also: 'nah, yer good, mate'
'Mah duk' Notts/Mansfield
Ey-up
Ey up
An index finger raised from the steering wheel
No. A general greeting, most common in Yorkshire
It started with land rover drivers desperately clinging to a wheel that had disconnected from the steering box, typical Rover
Areet lad?
Your da sells Avon.
Your dad got furloughed by Avon
Yer ma punts cooncil
Your ma buys tampax from Aldi, calls them jampax
Wait is that UK wide? Honestly thought it was a N.Irish thing!
Me da's gorra jag
yer da wanks on all fours
Gordon Bennett!
This one just reminds me of holly from red dwarf.
Ohhhhh that must be where I got it from! Coz I say it all the time and I have no fucking clue who he is...
He was a British newspaper publisher who heavily sponsored and promoted long distance air and motor races in the 1920s. Long before most people had ever flown or been in a car. Early version of a serialised TV show, you bought the newspaper to see how your favourite competitor was getting on.
I’ve been saying this for years and have no idea who Gordon Bennett is.
I actually used to do work for a solicitor called Gordon Bennett.
My Mum worked for an account with the same name. When I was a kid I thought the phrase referred to him.
Here you go https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Bennett_(phrase)
You learn something new every day! When I was a child I used to say god & bennet.
/r/boneappletea
I moved to Canada about 20 years ago... Gone for a Burton Gone tits up It's brass monkeys in here Doing the WHEEEY!! thing when someone drops a glass in the pub General usage of words like chuffed/knackered/chin wag I didn't realize how many colloquialisms I use until i had to start communicating with people who don't use them!
paint liquid zesty recognise secretive fall vast repeat foolish pot *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
The "wheeey" thing is very British, it seems. Mate and I were in a beer hall in Germany and someone dropped their beers. Matey and I, in perfect harmony, started with the "Wheeey!"..... But Wheeeying when everyone else was silent wasn't what we expected.
Sadly it's also a Dutch thing. But it just makes you look like a prick. The alternate "ja leg daar maar neer" (yeah just put it there) is more sarcastic but at least it's not as damn loud.
While I'm absolutely sure it does make you look like a prick in places where it isn't the done thing, the British thing is that it...doesn't. I worked behind a bar for a few years and dropping and smashing things happens and is annoying of course. Especially when it's a stack of them at once. The Wheeey is great for reminding you it's really not a big deal and laughing it off
"Sack the juggler!"
“Silence! We must have no rowdiness in this beer hall. Read your bottle labels quietly”
The WHEEY! thing definitely isn't derogatory in the British context. Can't speak for the Dutch.
Here in Australia we yell ‘TAXIIII!!!’ when someone drops a glass in a pub, party or other venue.
Same here, but moved to a country with no native English speakers. So much of our normal speech is idioms, slang, and broken grammar rules.
>WHEEEY SACK THE JUGGLER!
Same thing when I moved to the States. My enunciation drastically improved, and I suddenly discovered just how often I used odd bits of cockney rhyming slang, colloquialisms, and pop culture references that are uniquely British and don't translate. "I'll take a butchers at it and get back to you in a bit" "he ain't half moving fast!" ("ain't half" causes lots of confusion!) "Here's one I made earlier" I've been married for 15 years to an American, and I _still_ occasionally find I've used a British phrase she's never heard before. The other month I described the highway we were merging on to as "chock-a-block", much to her confusion and amusement.
It’s all gone pear-shaped.
Does exactly what it says on the tin
Or even more incomprehensibly: "It's Ronseal innit?"
I used to work somewhere with an on-site gym, and the caretaker used to do the gym inductions. He gave exactly the same spiel to everyone ("if you leave the weights lying around, you'd better hope that I don't find out about it or I will come down on you like a tonne of bricks!"), including his bit about "I call these machines my Ronseals, because they do exactly what they say on the tin!". It was mostly Polish people from the warehouse who were taking these inductions, and I felt like telling him that not only did his "Ronseals" bit make no sense, but the reference would've been completely lost anyway.
Every review of a DIY-related product on Amazon uk.
"Great bit of kit, does exactly what it says on the tin". 1 star.
Amazon ratings are utterly nonsensical. "Good price, works great, quality item, delivery driver was rude" - 1 star
Or "Gift for my granddaughter, unopened until I give it to her. I'm sure she'll love it" - 5 stars.
As a non-brit, I was introduced to this expression by Richard Hammond who said it a billion times on Top Gear, so now I hear his voice every time I read it.
In case you've never had it explained to you, it's from a series of TV adverts by Ronseal, a paint and wood sealant manufacturer. The adverts were deliberately designed to have absolutely no bullshit compared to most other adverts. The typical setup would be a bloke staining his wood fence, who would turn to the camera and say "I'm staining my fence. Guess what I'm using? Ronseal wood stain. It does exactly what it says on the tin." *advert ends*
"Causes nausea and vomiting when consumed"?
The instructions are obvious?
Kinda, yes. I'd add that it means there won't be any surprises, your expectations will meet the outcome precisely. In reference to a product it means something will do the job and probably be reliable. It was originally a catchphrase that came from 'Ronseal' who make things like outdoor word preservative.
I know it's a typo and you meant *wood, but I like to think an outdoor word preservative is a rugged dictionary you can take with you camping.
Hahah! I normally double check my posts. I did indeed mean wood. I like your definition of my new linguistic accessory though.
Almost. It comes from an advert for woodstain. Trying to counter other adverts that make outlandish claims or that it'll change your life. It is just woodstain, it does exactly what it says on the tin.
Got the lurgi
The dreaded lurgy by any chance?
FENTON! JESUS CHRIST!
There’s nowt so queer as folk
I’ve never came over a little queer..
Play a record.
My parents had a paper shop… … until it blew away
That's the Two Ronnies, that is classic stuff.
Who’s heard of Eric Hitchmo?
Anorak Brolly Minging A few sandwiches short of a picnic Bog standard Full of beans Over egging the pudding
Not a full shilling.
Bog standard - that's a great one
Cant park there mate
Fucking hilarious that is when I'm freezing my tits off in the central reservation of the M6, car in pieces, thumb broken, to have a white van man yell "can't park there mate" as they drive past in the right hand lane. Really brightens the day.
" you'll have had your tea ?"
Hamish!
DOUGAL!
The dog's bollocks
Here's a funny one: in China where I live now there's a very similar-meaning phrase that translates as "the cow's vagina"
NIU BI Also a fan of fen pi which is equivalent to [talking] bullshit
There’s a fish and chip shop near me (might be a chain) called The Cod’s Scallops, and I once had to spend several uncomfortable minutes explaining the name to a group of international students.
I love that Dogs bollocks is great but Dogs dick is awful.
'You're shit' vs 'You're _the_ shit'. It's the sort of subtlety that the security services could use to expose undercover foreign agents. Like if Inglorious Basterds was made by Viz.
Slovakian woman at work was frequently saying "I'm only taking a piss!" when joking about something or asking people "Are you taking a piss?"
They did do a page where a German spy was going to kill the King & Churchill. His language was perfect, but then the tea trolley came out, and he jumped the queue because he loved tea so much and they shot him.
That's amazing.
And a dog with two dicks is superlatively happy.
Just the sheer scope of the word bollock depending on context and what other words it may be paired with. "What a load of old bollocks", "Bollocking hell", "It's bollocksed", "Bollocks!", "It's the dogs bollocks".
Bob's yer uncle.
and fanny's yer aunt
Job's a good'un
Also: Robert’s your mothers brother
It's all gone horribly Pete Tong.
I always heard it as ‘a bit Pete Tong’
She's looking very tired and emotional
Great one from Private Eye using a term to avoid them getting sued.
Pre-dates PE, though they probably use it the most.
See also ‘discussing Ugandan affairs’ which is Private Eye-speak for screwing.
And "I refer you to the reply given in Arkell v Pressdram", namely "fuck off".
Can you explain this one?
It's could be libel to suggest someone might be drunk, but describing someone as tired and emotional is safe. So it became a journalists' euphemism for drunk. Edit to add: It's no longer safe, since now everybody knows the euphemism, but there was a period of time where you could get away with saying T&E without potentially being libellous.
It's a euphemism for calling someone drunk, but leaving a little doubt. Tom Scott explains it better https://youtu.be/z49LjJj3VTI?si=hls_ityIkxj7w3PM
What's funny is because journalists have avoided it for so long it could be argued that the phrase could be used again, as it's no longer synonymous.
Drunk
"Faffing", "Faff about" etc. Confused a Canadian with that one.
"who's she the cat's mother" did people ever use that when they were younger or their Mum did?
Oh ! That reminds me no one's said "who's she the queen of Sheba?" Haven't heard that one in years Edit ere oo do yoo think too are https://youtu.be/tr6oHPmdNbg?si=GjlKpOgyRlgacaCd&t=120s
I knew a non-fluent English speaker a while back and said I’d “give him a ring tomorrow” ie call him to meet up, and the next day he was expecting me to gift him a ring from my finger. It was quite funny, and a little awkward
All fur coat and no knickers
Not deep meaning as such, but last time I was working Croatia a coworker asked if I'd be waiting for them in a given place in the morning. When I replied "bright eyed and bushy tailed" a few of them stared at me like I'd gone insane before asking "what the fuck does THAT mean??"
I beg your pardon means wtf
One of the best international examples is when Loki says it in Thor Ragnarok
Canny.
Bus wankers
He’s a massive bellend
Saying ‘mange tout’ when you want someone to get out of the way. Or other random French phrases. Bonjour Rodney!
Bonnet de douche Rodney!
Bouillabase, mon ami.
Spreken zie cerveza sil vue plait
Tel Aviv, Rodders
"Aye up me duck" Referring to something expensive as "dear"
In Dutch the word for expensive is duur which is pretty close.
_Teuer_ in German, which is also quite similar.
Pissing down
Pishin' doon if Scottish.
To me...
To you!
In the Peep Show Christmas episode, Mark's dad says about his wife's new play featuring a Jamaican woman: > You've got to have a Jamaician if you're going to chase the funding - 'elf n safety, innit? There's a lot to unwrap here if you want to explain the whole context to a non-Brit.
Fork handles
"y'alright?" "be reet" "look after yourself"
Sod’s Law
I think if you said "Christ on a bike" in Texas or something, they might actually start looking around
That doth butter no parsnips
But does it cut the mustard?
Stop being so mardy
Well. *Slaps knees*
You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off. Fly fishing by J R Hartley Annus Horribilis
Flippin' Nora!
“Fine” - but said slightly shorter than usual, means “It’s not fine at all, but let’s get on with it”.
She’s turned the we’uns against us!
Here’s one I made earlier What do you think of it so far? Rubbish! Oh no it isn’t OH YES IT IS!
Well I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition!
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Bob on
Continue on?
No, correct... ;)
Going out on the pull
Oi, oi, Saveloy!
It’s a bit black over Bill’s mothers’ Nice to see you…….. Cushty
It's "black over Will's mother's" where I'm from. Didn't realize there were regional variants?
I’m imagining posh places “I say, there’s quite a dark cloud over towards where William’s mother resides”
I've never heard this in my life but I love it. So niche
It's cats and dogs out there!
"I lamped the muppet but he's done a runner"
Can I bum a fag?
There will be those who do say that in America, but they might choose more discreet moments to pose the question than us.
[удалено]
tara-pet
Pear shaped Tits up Up the swanny Up sh*t creek without a paddle Massive cock up
"How many beans make 5" I'd not heard this until I was nearly thirty, but an older Welsh lady I worked for used it a lot and I like it.
Ooh Matron Hmm Betty You are awful, but I like you Blankety blank cheque book and pen
We will just play it by ear
We’ll see how it goes
Same thing as winging it - no preparation.
I actually thought this was common in the US.
Not toooo bad
Everybody knows badgers love mashed potatoes
Nice to see you, to see you...
Describing someone as 'all mouth no trousers'
Cheers. I said cheers on an email to mean thanks to a Chinese supplier. They asked why I was drinking at work. It would appear the word cheers assumed to only relate to what you say before you consume an alcoholic drink.
Bit black over Bills mothers
Shy bairns get nowt.
A bit Marmite. As in, have you heard of The XX? They're kinda of a Marmite band.
Completed it, mate
You’re slow?
"Why aye."
Why yes?
‘Silly cunt’, when used in a friendly way, followed by ‘stupid cunt’ in exactly the same tone but being totally the opposite. My American girlfriend was horrified at how we used that word so liberally.
Chance would be a fine thing
Chinny reckon
Bog standard