I wish I’d never mentioned it. I really never thought it would get quite as mad as it did. Oh well.
No one here in Britain has ever wished me “happy holidays” and I would find it a bit odd if they did - I would assume they were taking the piss as it is an expression that we simply don’t use. I’d feel much the same about “have a nice day”. I wouldn’t be actively offended though - I’d just assume they were a bit of a berk.
BTW Britain most definately DOES have a state religion - the CoE. The Monarch has to belong to it (This is one of the difficulties with Camilla - she’s a catholic, although as she’s past child-bearing age it’s not that big a deal).
The PM can be any religion, or none and it’s an open secret that Blair will fully convert to RC after he retires - it’s only the delicate situation in N Ireland that’s stopping him right now). Michael Howard is a practicing jew and Iain Duncan Smith was a practicing Catholic. I think Charles Kennedy is one of those odd scottish denominations.
After googling, I think we’ve both got it wrong. The CofE is the state religion of England only - in Scotland it’s the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and Wales and N Ireland are fully disestablished.
But anyway, in the context it was brought up (“The U.K. has a state religion, hasn’t it? No wonder it wouldn’t be an issue…”) ignores the complexity and secularity of Britain.
Little vox pop test: we were just having a toast in the office (drinking red wine in the morning :eek: ), and we all said “merry Christmas”, then after that I said “happy holidays”, and all the six other people laughed at me.
Does Scotland have an official religion? Perhaps so,but I never quite know. Oh well, as long as they don’t come chasing me with Spanish Inqusitions or anything, that should be all right.
jjimm…“then after that I said “happy holidays”, and all the six other people laughed at me…”
Heheh - correlation, causation and all that. I mean, were you also perched on a photocopier wearing a silly hat at the time? Anything like that? Nah, OK, I’m sure "happy holidays " was the only reason they laughed at you.
Actually, that is just what i was looking for. (again, as long as you weren’t being otherwise silly when you said it.) Anyone tried the same on “Seasons Greetings”?
OK, Brits - just what do you mean by “taking the piss”? Can someone translate that into American, please? Because I have literally never heard that expression before and I’m not sure I’m getting all the nuances. I’m pretty sure, though, it has less to do with the use of urinals than with being somewhere other than at work for awhile…?
I was being my usual dignified: I didn’t say “wibble” once.
It usually means sarcastic mockery (q.v. owl’s thread, that people appear to be taking too seriously), usually between friends, with affection. In most of my experience, one would tend only to take the piss out of people with whom someone feels comfortable or close to.
However, the phrase can also be used in an agressive fashion - e.g. “is he taking the piss???” or “that’s taking the piss!!”
