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Slang across the borders; what did they just say?
Topic Started: Apr 12 2004, 11:58 AM (205 Views)
doctortobe
Speak softly, and carry a 57 megaton stick!
Okay, we all speak English pretty well right? Well, I have seen many instances where there has been some confusion about certain words and phrases used in other countries. So, to enhance our international understanding and to promote world peace (never know, some people hit first and ask questions later when they don't know what they've been called), I have created this thread to act as a sort of slang database. If you have some question about a term used in another country that you have never heard about, or even a term in your own country, post it here and see if you can be enlightened.

P.S. If a word in question turns out to be some kind of very derogatory word and you don't feel that it should be answered, inform the poster as such. We're not trying to rub anybody the wrong way, we're only trying to learn new things.


I will start things off myself. There have been a couple times when I have heard British individuals say something akin to "Off you go, on yer bike" or something like that. I tried looking it up on Yahoo and all I got was offroad biking. Anybody know what this means?
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Intrepid2002
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UNGH!
When I was in Asia I found this to be very weird and made me uncomfortable.

I guess some Asian friends of mine were short on words and would look you straight in the eye and do an "eyebrow" thing.....

When I finally asked someone what that meant, it was supposedly a form of greeting or acknowledgement.

Whew! Was I relieved.
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captain_proton_au
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A Robot in Disguise

Quote:
 
There have been a couple times when I have heard British individuals say something akin to "Off you go, on yer bike" or something like that. I tried looking it up on Yahoo and all I got was offroad biking



:loling: :loling: :loling:
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LoriCiani
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"Effective against all things... except wood!"
It means, baisically, go away and never come back. I could bamboozle you with a few choice Glaswegian phrases if you like. :lol:
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doctortobe
Speak softly, and carry a 57 megaton stick!
Outstanding! One more mystery in my life solved. So, anybody else have some questions, or am I the only person on the board who doesn't get foreign English slang sometimes?
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captain_proton_au
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A Robot in Disguise

For those english speaking folk outside North America it isnt really a problem, as 80% of our TV programs are American, so we pretty much know American Slang. A lot of the slang in 'the colonies' is derived from english slang so no problem there.

But a strong Welsh or South African accent can get me sometimes.

We also get a lot of pommie programs over here, so we know most of the slang.

If you have cable, delve into some British TV shows, the Brits really do comedy the best - Black Adder, Absolutely Fabulous, The Young Ones, To The Manor Born just to name a few. I think Seinfeld is the only American Sitcom funny enough to rival some of the Brit ones so far.

And you cant call yourself a Sci Fi fan without watching some Doctor Who.

The Third season of Ali - G is pretty funny too, he is in the US, no one knows him, so he does some of his characters with the interviewees think he is real. He totally dupped Newt Gingrich not so long ago.
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Cool Vulcan
Captain
Don't get me started on slag here. I lived here for ten years and still have to figure out what people say here. I say certain word and they look at me like I am from Mars. I say Ten they look at me like what is Ten. "Actually its on ya bike." The word piss off means F*** off. Or my favourite "Bloodly hell" :loling: So wouldn't that mean that the Devils in your blood?
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doctortobe
Speak softly, and carry a 57 megaton stick!
I'm still not getting over you people using "zed" instead of "zee" for the letter Z. Do you say stuff like zedbra or call people Zedack?
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Minuet
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Fleet Admiral Assistant wRench, Chief Supper Officer
Hey - zed came first, zee is the slang not the other way around! :yes:
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Cool Vulcan
Captain
Yeah they do. I refer it a Zee. BTW I just finished the dictionary the Zerbra did it.
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somerled
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Admiral MacDonald RN
Cockney rhyming slang is "interesting"
Quote:
 
Try aht the bleedin' bran' new Chitty Chitty Bang Bang translator! Hairy Biscuits and Cheese type a phrase into the Charles Fox in 'ere, and learn 'a ter Rabbit and Pork like a true Londoner!
what does that mean ?

You figure it out.


Tavener: don't you mean Zed ?
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Fesarius
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Admiral
^^^
It means that Star Trek is on the telly tonight. I've rarely been able to keep up with the British, as to me they often speak quite rapidly.
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