I want to record some of the British expressions and vocabulary I have learned in the time I have been in England. Here is a sampling of some expressions:
"I'm feeling knackered." I'm completely exhausted.
"Y'alright?" How are you? (A bit like the Southern US version, except a bit less drawl and much less l in alright.)
"That's a bit dodgy." Looks a bit sketchy to me.
"Essex girls" Teen girls who dress provocatively (read, "tramp") and parade around pubs and night clubs, particularly at weekends
"In'it?" Isn't it?
And here's vocabulary that was either new to me, or used in a different way than I am used to.
loo and toilet--used to refer to the entire room in which the toilet is housed; they don't use the words bathroom or washroom here.
subway--a walkway under busy streets enabling pedestrians to cross safely.
tube--what in Toronto is called the subway; an underground train.
full stop--period.
rubbish bin--garbage can
trousers--pants
pants--underwear
jumper--pullover sweater
rubber--eraser
braces--suspenders
crisps--chips
chips--fries
courgette--zucchini
aubergine--eggplant
swede--turnip
cornflour--cornstarch
playtime--recess
headteacher--principal
aeroplane--airplane
telly--T.V.
flat--apartment
Tom-Tom--Sat-Nav
I fancy--I want/desire
snog--kiss
We'd better get practiced up, Jules.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I understand sketchy any better than dodgy!
Sketchy/dodgy means a rough-looking area, not the kind of place you want to spend a lot of time in if you're an upstanding citizen.
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