My most beloved British slang is Knackered. Fucking knackered! It means very tired, exhausted. But those terms are sterlized of feeling, of life. You know that feeling after you finish moving? That total fucking exhaustion, you're knackered my friend. I can't think of a word that feels more accurate to the state of reality it describes. Knackered is a fucking gift.
Chuffed. If youre chuffed i believe that means your excited. I hate it but not for real good reasons. It sounds like a bad thing. Like i don't want to be chuffed from the sound of it. It sounds like i chafed my lungs from sighing too much cuz I'm miserable.
Ok now for the linguistic crime known as snog or snogging. It means to make out or tongue kiss someone. But it sounds like a fucking sex act involving noses. And not a normal sex act. A fucking depraved dirty sex act, you'd feel shame even googling, but again it involves noses. And honestly it sounds like snot is likely involved with this sex act. Do better Britain stop saying fucking snogged you dirty bastards.
What is your most beloved and hated British slang?
112 Comments
fullsquare@awful.systems · 35 pts · 1y
i'm convinced that rhyming slang is just 19th century coal mine brainrot. you cannot change my mind
lena@gregtech.eu · 8 pts · 1y
Couldn't've said it better
NotJohnSmith@feddit.uk · 4 pts · 1y
I believe rhyming slang was only in a small part of London, not many coal mines in London
Delphia@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
It annoys me because you are forcing me to decipher what you're telling me because you feel like being an annoying cunt.
Also adding "Innit" to the end of every sentence is the british version of "nowhatahmsain" for americans and "Aye" for Australians and just makes me think you are stupid.
funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1y
british people also say "nahimsayin" fwiw.
Americans have plenty of words to add emphasis without adding meaning, yo, my dude, boy howdy.
fubo@lemmy.world · 27 pts · 1y
England has a surfeit of terms for obnoxious people.
I may have made those last two up.
massive_bereavement@fedia.io · 9 pts · 1y
God-botherer is fantastic, clearly god has better things to do than to keep hearing their complaints.
lucg@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Not a native speaker. To me it sounds the other way around, like it's God who's constantly bothering them? Can it be read both ways?
underreacting@literature.cafe · 3 pts · 1y
It depends on if the subject of the sentence (the person) is doing the thing (being active) or having the thing done to them (being passive). Think like this:
A helper (help-ER) is someone who is helping/doing the help. A caller (call-ER) is calling someone else. A botherer (bother-ER) is someone who is doing the bothering.
Someone who is recieving bother is being bothered (bother-ED), one who is getting help is being helped (help-ED), or getting calls is being called (call-ED).
God-botherer is someone who is god-bothering (bothering god). God-bothered is someone being bothered by god.
med@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1y
That's the correct way of reading the structure of the word, but as always with english, there's how it's written, and how it's meant.
Almost universally, this is meant as someone who is bothering people about god, like jehova's whiteness knocking on your door, or wandering mormons inviting you to their church.
underreacting@literature.cafe · 1 pts · 1y
Of course. I was focusing on the doing or recieving part and completely missed the second part: Are you a botherer and bothered OF/BY or ABOUT god?
It can be either one, so I'd say it depends on how religious and/or deranged the speaker is. Like you said - most would say it's about god, while I was deranged enough to interpret it as being a direct communication with a god.
med@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1y
Also, your literal interpretation is much funnier - bothering god reminds me the Bruce Almighty scene with all the emails and post-its coming from the same person
stringere@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 1y
Por que no los dos?
spiderhamster@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Think of it like 'motherfucker'. No one is calling people mothers and accusing them of fucking. I do like your interpretation though. If that hasn't been the premise for a movie or TV show then it probably should be.
Pumafred9@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 1y
Chuffed for me is more to do with being pleased with something you have accomplished.
Nekobambam@lemm.ee · 11 pts · 1y
I like how “chuffed” sounds/feels like someone being all pleased with themselves but without the smugness of “smug”.
skulblaka@sh.itjust.works · 8 pts · 1y
This meme pretty much defined "chuffed" for me and I think about it every time I hear the word
SuperApples@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Yes, very pleased or satisfied. Like, you'd be chuffed if you made a great pavlova, or parents got you a Megadrive for Chrissy.
QualifiedKitten@discuss.online · 17 pts · 1y
Probably not technically slang, and maybe not even technically British, but I hate the all variations of "whinge". I know it's a real word, but it always feels like someone misspelling "whine". I was well into adulthood when I finally learned that though, so those feelings are just so ingrained in me at this point.
Thanks for listening to me whine.
nylo@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 7 pts · 1y
your whining made me whinge
QualifiedKitten@discuss.online · 5 pts · 1y
I sure asked for that, huh? Lol.
Balthazar@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 1y
How do you know that the plane that just landed is from England? Even when the engines have been shut down, you can still hear the whining.
spittingimage@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
Followed by "but I don't like to complain".
CmdrShepard42@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y
My version of this is "tyre"
QualifiedKitten@discuss.online · 1 pts · 1y
I could definitely see that! Was there a significant gap of time between when you first encountered that spelling vs. when you learned that it was a regional variation? I'm pretty sure the first time I came across "tyre", it was on an internet forum, and by the time I was reading the thread, there were arguments & explanations about it, so I learned immediately.
spykee@lemm.ee · 13 pts · 1y
War-Chest-Hair Sauce ... Werk-hamster-shire Sauce ... Wash-your-sister Sauce ... What's-this-here Sauce ... Wister-Sheer Sauce ... ... ...
Yeah. Fucking nailed it!
funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 1y
Wu. Stir. Shear. Sauce.
JoMiran@lemmy.ml · 13 pts · 1y
Innit
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Innit is amazing!
SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y
Init.
garbagebagel@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 1y
"Gutted" gets every single time, but for the most unfunny and fucked up reason.
I was at a bar and a guy was describing how his pet got hit by a car and he found it kind of split down the belly, then he said "I was gutted", describing his reaction. But his pet was also quite literally gutted. I didn't laugh or anything but it was just such a dark thing to say it was almost funny.
TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 10 pts · 1y
Zos_Kia@lemmynsfw.com · 9 pts · 1y
In French the slang term for that is "rouler des pelles" , which means literally "to roll shovels" and... I mean what the fuck is up with that?
stringere@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1y
Petit chou fleur is a term of endearment. It means cauliflower.
Zos_Kia@lemmynsfw.com · 1 pts · 1y
Never heard it used. Maybe it's regional or a family tradition? A common idiom is "mon chou" but I'd guess it comes from the pastry and not the vegetable.
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Wow. Is that sexy for them?
Zos_Kia@lemmynsfw.com · 2 pts · 1y
No it's not even sexy, and it's the only idiom I can think of that uses shovel in this context. It makes absolutely no sense
Pumafred9@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 1y
When it's raining, and someone inevitably tells me it's raining, I like to say 'perfect weather for ducks, innit'
I also like 'Kuch' which is Welsh slang for 'cuddle'
Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works · 12 pts · 1y
Cwtch - I do like your English spelling though.
massive_bereavement@fedia.io · 14 pts · 1y
Ah, the timeless war of the Welsh against vowels.
Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 1y
We've got more vowels than you 😋
SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net · 11 pts · 1y
Do you use them or are they collectors items?
Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1y
Yeah, yeah. I know it looks that way but they actually have more vowels than the English… go figure.
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Love it gonna steal it the next time it rains!
glimse@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
All the ducks are swimming in the water!
cyphear@lemm.ee · 9 pts · 1y
U wot m8?
ThrowawayPermanente@sh.itjust.works · 0 pts · 1y
Straight to jail, right away
LuigiDidNothingWrong87@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 1y
Innit
Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 1y
I like rhyming slang. Mostly for torturing my fellow Americans. I also enjoy clunge, jobbie, and being "sick to bastard death" about things.
The Australians have my heartstrings though, when it comes to inventive slang. They're not here to fuck spiders, tell you that much for free.
Delphia@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 1y
LockheedTheDragon@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 1y
Bloody, but just because when I had a period I would say things like "I'm on my bloody period!"
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Damn I use bloody sometimes. It's bloody good
SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee · 6 pts · 1y
There’s too many people mixing England and Great Britain up in here.
Object@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 1y
I use "proper" a lot, so that one is inevitably favourite, unless it's not an exclusive UK slang
ThirdConsul@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 1y
Is calling someone Petal a slang or a regionalism? I, 30-something male, love doing that, petal.
Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
It's very twee, but it has ironic capabilities.
ThirdConsul@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 1y
I have very, very deep voice :)
TimewornTraveler@lemm.ee · 5 pts · 1y
Gash / Axe Wound
AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
Most hated is “boffin” for scientist—“boff” is American slang for sex, so it sounds like calling them “fuckers” (which generally doesn’t seem to be the intended connotation).
glimse@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 1y
I have never heard this term in my entire life so I looked it up and rest easy, it was a slang term for sex....in the 1920s.
sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 1y
I definitely remember it being used in the 80s.
lucg@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
A surprising number of people from 1920 were alive in the 80s!
AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Ok... but if someone told you they found their wife and neighbor boffing, would you assume that meant they were doing scientific research?
glimse@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 1y
Sure but with that context, I'd also assume it was sex if I heard a lot of unknown verbs.
carl_dungeon@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
I’d think you mispronounced boofing which involves taking drugs with your butt.
swizzlestick@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 1y
Which in turn can be slang for vomit. Wonderful :)
carl_dungeon@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
These:
SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y
Some of those are British versions of American terms and some are slang.
carl_dungeon@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Half of them are total jokes, I’ve just always thought it was hilarious. Cold on a cob!!!
Stimpy@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
Cock Womble
crawancon@lemm.ee · 4 pts · 1y
hated, well there are lots, but I think the word "bellend" is stupid for its purpose.
mixed, also like hearing some brittish dialects say the word "water bottle" as wuh-er boh-ol. like wow. lol
loved, "bullocks!" has always been a chuckle-able reaction to things. like wtf is that.
idiomaddict@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 1y
I had a beautiful moment related to the word “bellend,” and now I love it.
I was one of two native English speakers in a German class in Germany, and we’d been together 20 hours/week for a few months, so the teacher and students knew each other pretty well. The other native English speaker was blatantly on his phone one day, which was his choice in an adult education class, but it’s disrespectful. The teacher going through gerunds with us (-ing in English, but in German, it’s -end), and after trying to get his attention for a few moments, just shouted, “Mickey, weißt du was “bellend” bedeutet?” (“Mickey, do you know what “barking” means?”) Mickey froze for a second, then told the teacher he was sorry and she was right.
The teacher (who did not speak good enough English to have done it intentionally) was completely caught off guard and I suddenly put it together and nearly lost my shit, but Mickey didn’t know we were doing gerunds and I wasn’t about to explain the meaning of bellend to everyone in the class, so I experienced this perfect crossover of language alone.
Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 1y
Bellend it’s just the tip of the shaft - the bell shaped bit at the end… also used to signify a stupid person.
crawancon@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y
that is a good explanation, thank you.
Pumafred9@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
'Bollocks' as in another way of saying 'bullshit'... When you hear someone say something that's totally not true... What a load of bollocks.
SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y
A bullock is a bull. You’re thinking of bollocks. I found this explanation.
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Bullocks is great!
TIN@feddit.uk · 4 pts · 1y
Only if you're doing it right!
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Lol ya freak
Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com · 4 pts · 1y
I can't pick a mere one.
Duk
Blimey
Bloody
Bugger
Cracker-Yank
Chuffed to bits
Hench
Knackered
On the drag
Plooked
Pillock
Tired and emotional
Wanker
mojofrododojo@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
I know both of these words individually but not the combo. Lived in manchester in the 90s, what am I missing?
my fav britishism was probably 'bloody texan' lol
Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com · 2 pts · 1y
It's that kind of White American with a superiority complex and is certain that they aren't racist, but even if they were it's just as bad in Europe so it doesn't matter and Europe should follow the US's lead on race relations. Because obviously other countries' historical context and events don't matter, nor make race relations in the UK, France, or Romania unique and not analogous.
mojofrododojo@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
TYVM. TIL
cm0002@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
"Wanker" is what I remember most of the time, ya f'in wanker lol
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Wanker is great!
WhiteRabbit@lemmy.today · 4 pts · 1y
American’s Guide to speaking British
https://www.effingpot.com/
StarlightDust@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 1y
British slang really depends on your region just because there are so many accents. Overall though, I'm quite a fan of plonker, pillock, (all)reet, mooch, and bog (as in shitter).
coffeeismydrug@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y
cockwomble, wankstain, pillock, cretin, prick, jobsworth, nutjob, absolute.. (insert anything, e.g. biscuit, sausage). oh slang not insults? i think cheers is good it's not too indulgent like thank you very much but it's also a way to give some appreciation
sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 3 pts · 1y
"Loads a money!"
More of a meme than slang, but I also like "dosh".
DWin@feddit.uk · 1 pts · 1y
I think you mean lods of emone?
https://youtu.be/ULeDlxa3gyc
BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz · 2 pts · 1y
Menschlicher_Fehler@feddit.org · 2 pts · 1y
My most hated is definitely how some (all?) Brits say "Leftenant" instead of "Lieutenant".
Most beloved is a bit harder... "Blimey" is a nice one though.
essell@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 1y
But we do say Lieutenant!
We just don't call em Lou-Tennants.
idiomaddict@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
What do you say in lef of that?
Dasus@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
https://www.etymonline.com/word/lieutenant
Menschlicher_Fehler@feddit.org · 2 pts · 1y
Listen here, you little...
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Blimey is great!
sxan@midwest.social · 2 pts · 1y
Are you sure that anima you ascribe to "knackered" isn't coming from the adjective? "Fucking exhausted!" sounds, to my ear, just a full of feeling. Whereas, "I'm knackered" sounds just as lifeless as "I'm exhausted." I wonder if you're mis-attributing the vigor from "fucking," which is, indeed, a potent word.
funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1y
The knacker was the person who took your old tired horse and butchered it into meat, leather and glue, so it often carries that connotation too
gothic_lemons@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Your opinion is your own my friend. Knackered resonates with me, but if it don't with you that cool
sxan@midwest.social · 1 pts · 1y
Of course! It's just, the example you have included a powerful adjective, and I was just making sure you were rally talking about the colour of "knackered" and not "fucking."
undeadotter@sopuli.xyz · 2 pts · 1y
I love 'dreich' (rhymes with 'greek') because it perfectly sums up British weather most of the time.
Also a fan of 'banging', as in top, class, right good.
massive_bereavement@fedia.io · 2 pts · 1y
The dog's bollocks and the dog's breakfast.
BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
The sexual slang is hilarious. Vadge, bugger, shag.
SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y
Knob. Do. Plough. Basically anything can mean you’d want to shag someone. All genders and orientations do it.
tetris11@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 1y
"Shaking hands with the unemployed"
Just kidding, that one's a cracker
jerkface@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 1y
I like a good "ooer" now and then.
CheeseToastie@lazysoci.al · 1 pts · 1y
That's minging!
reddwarf@feddit.nl · 1 pts · 1y
Pear shaped (things have gone pear shaped, i.e. things have gone wrong a bit)
Bellend (basically calling someone a dick, stupid or annoying)
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast (I'll get this thing done before you know it)
Never liked : Govna/Guv/Guvner
TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works · -1 pts · 1y
most loved: literally any insult from Gordon Ramsay ever
my most hated: literally any name of food. It's like they picked one of those huge spinning wheels and chose names at random
lucg@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 1y
I was in Britain for only a handful of days and think I saw at least two meanings for the word bubble and none of them were "air pocket inside a liquid" (or even "fizzy drink" or something related to bubbles). One was mashed potatoes, I can't remember the other one. You'll simply need to ask to find out what it is they're selling!
Fleur_@aussie.zone · -2 pts · 1y
British people are fucked. They say shit like hi Marvin and then think you're an idiot for not recommending somewhere to eat.
SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y
Hank Marvin. Starvin.