It has been most fortunate to meet people from different countries during my time here. Aside from adapting to different English accents, I have had a hard time understanding some slang/local colloquialisms.
If you have any, could you please add them? I feel stupid having to post a message having to ask what this or that means. It clogs the threads and makes me feel, well, stupid.
Taking the piss=pulling someone’s leg
a chin wag=a chat
I lived in Australia for two years as a child. I remember one of my dad
to have a go at someone=to fight them or have words
(Brit)
That’s shite=that’s shi@t(Scottish)
fag=cigarette(Brit)
Dodgy = shady, not on the up-and-up (for people or situations); iffy, close to going kaput (for things)
Bung, munted, stuffed = screwed, broken, etc.
NZ
Sweet as = it’s great or no problem
Said it once in a restaurant in the U.S, one American thought I was talking about the waitress and saying “sweet ass”, nothing wrong with that except that I was sitting with a group of pastors and Christian musicians. But they kept calling one poor guy “Randy”, it was almost like it had become his name or something ( 
Kidding, I know, really I do).
When I was living in Singapore, this a British guy we used to go out drinking with once told us that one of his favorite American movie titles was “Roger the Rabbit”. Took me a while to figure that one out. (Turns out that in British slang, the title of this movie would fit right in with the Open Forum’s “Bestiality In Britain” thread.)
“What are you on about?”, we’d ask him. “It’s one of my little brother’s favorite movies!”
Him: “Yeah, I’ll just bet it is!”, he’d reply, and then start laughing again “BWAHahahahha…!!”
Why is there a thread for what real English means? The yanks on the board should be explaining themselves to the rest of us, not vice versa. George Washington was English, after all. :raspberry:
Perhaps you brits should head on over to the exstasy thread and get some therapy! lol
There are just some things that you don’t seem to be able to deal with! 
:America:
Some SA peculiarities:
Just now: sometime soon, shortly
Now now: sooner than just now!
Lift: elevator
Boot: trunk of a car
Howzit hello (a greeting)
play play: pretend
Robot: traffic lights
Here’s a whole host of them: southafrica.info/plan_trip/t … nglish.htm
Babbelas (hungover) being my favorite, just as I feel today.
“Fair suck of the Saveloy” (oz) = are you pulling my leg?
“I could eat the arse out of a low-flying duck” (0z) = I’m very hungry.
(can’t) give a toss = Couldn’t care less
Rozzers = Police
Pillock = Idiot
rat arsed = drunk
Spend a penny = go for a piss
Grass = Tell on someone
All brit.
[quote=“jdsmith”]Perhaps you brits should head on over to the exstasy thread and get some therapy! lol
There are just some things that you don’t seem to be able to deal with! 
:America:[/quote]
:ohreally:
That’s bollocks, unlike Manchester. Manchester is the dog’s bollocks, unless you’re in Australia. In Australia, Manchester is something you put on your bed. Unless you’ve got a dooner on your bed. Or is a dooner also Manchester? Might be better to get a swag and hang the Manchester across the window in the dunny. You colonials all talk so funny, which is why Cool Britannia should be the standard.
PS my fave australianism: (eg describing someone who is failing to be inconspicuous) “stands out like dog’s balls”
check: action to confirm the status of something.
tick: small diagonal line made to indicate that something has been checked
cheque: written order to your bank to pay someone some money
bill: list of what you bought in a restaurant, with prices and total
receipt: what you get after you pay the bill
I check the bill, ticking each item, write a cheque, and get a receipt.
You check the check, check each item, write a check, and get a check. :loco:
I prefer the Dodgy Brothers variant - as in, geez, that’s a bit Dodgy Brothers (from a comedy TV show where the Dodgy Bros. are constantly trying to flog stuff… er, that is, sell it). I love that expression 
Also “up himself” is invaluable, as in “he’s a bit up himself, but he’s OK”.
And where’s our damn flag??? :fume:
The man’s a poet. 
Btw… stylin’ shades you got there Loretta.
I’ll have to wear my own oh-so-subtle orange sunglasses to the happy hour on Sunday (shown here screening the bright Bali sunshine during CNY)
Wouldn’t want to end up thinking you look drunk just because I showed up wearing inadequate glasses. 
Colonials??? God you remind me of the southern US people I’ve met who still talk about “The War” (the US Civil War for you headscratchers). Take a deep breath. It’s over lads…all over.
I’m thinking maybe the real Colonials altered the language because they couldn’t understand one another!
Here’s a few nice ones:
“All over the place like a madwoman’s shit” = chaotic
“Spit the dummy” = throw a tantrum (people); stubbornly refuse to work, usually in a fairly dramatic fashion (things)
“Too bloody lippy” = don’t know when to shut up, and also possibly a smartarse (quote from movie “Once Were Warriors”)
And one more that I have to add here, even though it doesn’t really mean that much or get used too often:
“Cook the man some fkin’ eggs" (possibly up there with "Uncle fkin’ Bully”)
Pants-terrible (Brit)
Yes…that would be the …War of Northern Agression.
hell…I had family on both sides and some of those were from the same household.