British slang

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Mart48a

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Jun 30, 2017
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I'm an English reader and have noticed lots of uses of British slang in this book. For example 'gob' for mouth, 'gobsmacked' for shocked, and 'fags' for cigarettes.

This seems odd, as it seems such an American book. Can anyone offer an explanation as to why the author has done this?
 

Mart48a

Member
Jun 30, 2017
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Thanks - I didn't know that, very interesting! I'm still perplexed as to why he would use them in the book though, because A) I would think they are unfamiliar to most American readers and B) I didn't read anything about the character having any English roots or experiences.
 

Moderator

Ms. Mod
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Jul 10, 2006
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Thanks - I didn't know that, very interesting! I'm still perplexed as to why he would use them in the book though, because A) I would think they are unfamiliar to most American readers and B) I didn't read anything about the character having any English roots or experiences.
They're not as unfamiliar to Americans as you might think. :smile2: They may not be used in everyday conversation as they would in England but not totally unheard of either.
 

fljoe0

Cantre Member
Apr 5, 2008
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I'm an English reader and have noticed lots of uses of British slang in this book. For example 'gob' for mouth, 'gobsmacked' for shocked, and 'fags' for cigarettes.

This seems odd, as it seems such an American book. Can anyone offer an explanation as to why the author has done this?


Gobshite is one of my favorite words. ;-D I learned it watching Shameless.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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Cambridge, Ohio
Thanks - I didn't know that, very interesting! I'm still perplexed as to why he would use them in the book though, because A) I would think they are unfamiliar to most American readers and B) I didn't read anything about the character having any English roots or experiences.
....welcome mate!.....being a child of the 60's, I heard and read those terms and others as a young man....most have fallen into disuse-but were period appropriate for the novel....I'm guessing that those expressions trickled into our speech/writing here in the States because of WW2 and our close affiliation with England, and further-with the British Invasion of music......
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
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I'm an English reader and have noticed lots of uses of British slang in this book. For example 'gob' for mouth, 'gobsmacked' for shocked, and 'fags' for cigarettes.

This seems odd, as it seems such an American book. Can anyone offer an explanation as to why the author has done this?
I agree with Ms. Mod (Moderator ) but also he does have British ancestry as it turns out (according to a show I saw on TV) plus down East they do use a lot of British sounding words.

Pretty cool, huh?

Welcome to the SKMB Mart48a
11-22-63 Welcome.JPG
 

Mart48a

Member
Jun 30, 2017
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Welcome Mart! Teach us some British slang. I'd like to hear more. The ones you referenced are pretty well known here in the states, but I'm sure there are plenty that aren't so common for us.

Well, some of my favourites are tasty (aggressive - as in 'he got a bit tasty in the pub last night'), plonker (idiot), knackered (tired) and rozzer (police officer)
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
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Apr 11, 2006
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Well, some of my favourites are tasty (aggressive - as in 'he got a bit tasty in the pub last night'), plonker (idiot), knackered (tired) and rozzer (police officer)
okay, tasty, plonker and rozzer were definitely new to me. I watched a guy on Netflix this week who does a BBC show on criminals -- I forget his name. Young guy and he goes and talks to former Ireland terrorist (skelly) and many cage fighters and football hooligans. He was coming up with all sorts of terms I had never heard before!
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
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Apr 11, 2006
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I am watching a show on Netflix called Grand Design. People in England are taking old barns, old cinemas, trash lots etc... and making these beautiful modern homes.

The one I am watching now, the owner man said:

"My old job was cleaning Becky's hair out of the poke hole."

what this translates to in American words is:

My old job was cleaning Becky's hair out of the shower drain.

Oh my lord, you learn something new every day.