Some Language Differences I Find Funny

When I first came on London I had to not only adjust to the
different accent, but also to the funny way the British speak.
Many times when I was at my hotel when I asked them where was the trash bin was,they would say," Pardon me?!!" They didn't know what I meant by that.
Immigrants are a bit slower than British in their awareness of American English. Often I would go to a off license store and ask the Pakistani clerk for batteries or to TOP UP ( TOP UP,is another phenomena in the UK which I will get into in my next blog) my cell phone, the clerk would reply with " Sorry!" I didn't know what they were sorry about, because they certainly had not offended me. But that was their way of saying could you repeat yourself Madam. BESIDES EVERYONE SAYS SORRY HERE IN THE UK even if they bump into you in the que.

That's another thing people are quite formal in the UK, and they often call me
Madame.Personally, I prefer Madamoiselle or Miss. Service people at groceries stores and boutiques ask, " how may I serve you?" or have you been served?".Americans say:"How may I help you? or Have you been helped?" To me, asking someone,"how can I serve you?",seems a bit subservient. I don't like the way it sounds. It supposedly has to do with the British sense of knowing your place in society. British are very status and class conscious even in the 21 st century. Interestingly enough,similar mores of status and decorum still apply in Mexico.For example, when they say,"Como puedo servirte?"( How can I serve you?)I don't like the way that sounds either.But,I am entitled to my opinion. And, as long as I get paid for my opinions I will keep giving them(LOL !).

Anyway, here are some of the language differnces that I find very funny
and wanted to share with you. Many are slang terms
that I find terribly charming and most enjoyable.

1. Goolies-
Noun:
1. Private parts
2. Family Jewels
"I kicked him in the goolies"
2. Rubbish- for trash.
It's quite frequently used. For example, I am rubbish
at tennis. Or, Paris Hilton acting is rubbish.
3. You are getting on my tits.= means you are annoying me.
4. You got your knickers caught in a twist= means you
are bambuzzled and frazzled.
5.Pissed- drunk, not angry or mad
6. wanker- jerk.
7. bullocks-that's a lie. As in that 's bullocks!
Bollocks 1660 up, 102 down
A highly flexible term commonly used by the English.

1. something rubbish
2. a falsehood or series of lies
3. something great
4. the best possible
5. testicles
6. exclamation on making a error.
1. That Mel Gibson movie was a load of bollocks.
2. That Tony Blair is talking bollocks.
3. That curry was the bollocks!
4. That your wife is the dog's bollocks when it comes to cooking!
5. Then she kicked him in the bollocks.
6. Bollocks!

Some funny phrases:
"You honestly expect me to believe you're going to tell John what I did with his wife? You haven't got the bollocks."
"Two Stellas, a Fosters, a Bacardi and Diet Coke and a Carling-top please. ...oh, make that half a Fosters - that's bollocksed you, hasn't it? Let's call it a tenner for cash, eh?"
8. fag-cigarette
In BrE the phrase "I could murder a fag" may refer to a compulsion to smoke a cigarette, while in AmE it indicates an intention to kill a homosexual.
9. take the mickey (out of someone) Vrb phrs. To tease, to ridicule. Also shortened to take the mick. An abbreviated form of the Cockney rhyming slang take the mickey bliss, meaning 'take the piss'. E.g."Stop taking the mickey out of Billy, he's very sensitive and you're upsetting him." Cf. 'take the Michael' and 'extract the Michael'. [1930s]
10. take the piss Vrb phrs. 1. To ridicule, to tease, to make fun off. Cf. 'extract the urine'. 2. To take advantage of, to exploit. E.g."Just because they like looking after their grand children, doesn't mean you can dump the kids on them every weekend whilst you go out clubbing. That's just taking the piss."
take the mickey (out of someone) Vrb phrs. To tease, to ridicule. Also shortened to take the mick. An abbreviated form of the Cockney rhyming slang take the mickey bliss, meaning 'take the piss'. E.g."Stop taking the mickey out of Billy, he's very sensitive and you're upsetting him." Cf. 'take the Michael' and 'extract the Michael'. [1930s] take the piss Vrb phrs. 1. To ridicule, to tease, to make fun off. Cf. 'extract the urine'.
11. airy-fairy. non substantial. They often think Californians are airy fairy with their New Age thinking.
12. bugger off-Verb. Get lost. Usually said in annoyance. " Bugger off you wanker!"
13. knackered- verb.to be tired. I just got done playing with my grandchildren and I am knackered.
14. tenner- a ten pound note. For example,I had fish and chips and a pint of beer, all for a tenner. ( I made this one up)

FOR BRITISH SLANG TERMS
or to understand the context and meaning of slang terms consult http://www.urbandictionary.com/


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