# British English and "s\*\*te" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 8, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992 "2007-07-08T21:16:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/1 "2007-07-08T21:16:03Z")
For the overall fecal expletive, North Americans use “shit”, and those across the pond say “shite”. I’m curious about how Brits say and spell the word when it’s used as a different part of speech. I’ve only heard British usage as an expletive/interjection, and not as a noun, adverb or adjective. Noun: an American might say “Damnit! I stepped in some shit.” Do Brits say “My word! It appears as if I have ambled into some shite. God save the Queen!” 😃 Adverb: an American might say “They treated me really shitty.” Would a Brit say “They treated me real shitey?” Adjective: an American might say “I had a shitty day.” Would a Brit say “I had a shitey day?” ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/2 "2007-07-08T21:20:14Z")
Noun: an American might say “Damnit! I stepped in some shit.” Do Brits say “My word! It appears as if I have ambled into some shite. God save the Queen!” 😃 **Fuck! I just walked through dog shit. God save the Queen.** Adverb: an American might say “They treated me really shitty.” Would a Brit say “They treated me real shitey?” **They treated me shittily.** Adjective: an American might say “I had a shitty day.” Would a Brit say “I had a shitey day?” **I had a shitty day.** ---
**Author:** ![wendigo1974](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@wendigo1974](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wendigo1974)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/3 "2007-07-08T21:32:47Z")
Shite is northern England Shit is southern England ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/4 "2007-07-08T21:44:27Z")
We use both. Shit and Shite both have the same form when used as a noun (I stepped in some dog shit/shite). As an adjective, shit can be both that and shitty, but i’ve only ever heard shite as shite (so it would be “a shite day” not “a shitey day”). But then i’m a southern git. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/5 "2007-07-08T22:03:58Z")
I’ve only seen it in print. Does shite rhyme with kite and spite? ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/6 "2007-07-08T22:07:36Z")
“Shit” is more common than “shite”. As with other nouns in British English, both can be used as adjectives. “I had a shit day”. Cf. “I had a crap day”, “this is a rubbish post”. Using an adjective as an adverb, as in your example, is less usual in British English. We would say “they treated me like shit” or “they treated me shittily”. ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/7 "2007-07-08T22:33:15Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] I’ve only seen it in print. Does shite rhyme with kite and spite? [/QUOTE] Yes. It’s also believed to be closer to the original Anglo-Saxon pronunciation than “shit”. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/8 "2007-07-08T22:38:19Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] We use both. Shit and Shite both have the same form when used as a noun (I stepped in some dog shit/shite). As an adjective, shit can be both that and shitty, but i’ve only ever heard shite as shite (so it would be “a shite day” not “a shitey day”). But then i’m a southern git. [/QUOTE] I dunno. I’ve heard the curse ‘shitey bollocks’ used from a fellow Scot. That’s curse as in swearie word and not witchcraft. I’m sure she wouldn’t really wish that on anyone. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/9 "2007-07-08T22:41:19Z")
[shit | Etymology, origin and meaning of shit by etymonline](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=shit) has many answers. I particularly like the relationship with ‘science’ 🙂 Here in the south, ‘shit’ is the norm. ‘Shite’ is pretty much saved for occasional substitution for ‘pile of shite’ etc. For the adverb in the OP, I might expect “they treated me real shit” as the most likely vernacular. _“Damnit! I stepped in some shit.”_ - this would translate to “Shit.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/10 "2007-07-08T22:45:45Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] [Shit - Etymology, Origin & Meaning](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=shit) has many answers. I particularly like the relationship with ‘science’ 🙂 Here in the south, ‘shit’ is the norm. ‘Shite’ is pretty much saved for occasional substitution for ‘pile of shite’ etc. For the adverb in the OP, I might expect “they treated me real shit” as the most likely vernacular. _“Damnit! I stepped in some shit.”_ - this would translate to “Shit.” 😛 [/QUOTE] You forgot to say God save the Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/11 "2007-07-09T10:31:42Z")
‘Shite’ was given a boost in popularity amongst us genteel southerners a few years ago with Steve Coogan’s character [Paul Calf](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Calf) who had the catchphrase ‘Bag o’ shite’. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/12 "2007-07-09T10:39:57Z")
[QUOTE=Staggerlee] ‘Shite’ was given a boost in popularity amongst us genteel southerners a few years ago with Steve Coogan’s character [Paul Calf](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Calf) who had the catchphrase ‘Bag o’ shite’. [/QUOTE] The Roddy Doyle films helped, too, as did Father Ted with ‘feck’. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/13 "2007-07-09T11:16:45Z")
‘Shite’ is often used in humourous mock-politeness, in my experience - in the same sort of way that one might see euphemism employed. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/14 "2007-07-09T11:36:09Z")
“Oh shite, I’ve stepped in some shit” “corgi shit” God save the Queen ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/15 "2007-07-09T13:39:58Z")
My northern cousins (Yorkshire, Cumbria) always said _shite_. I thought it a bit daft. I’m now friends here in Baltimore with a chap from Newcastle. He pronounces it _shite_ also. Shite is shite. Nobody says _shitey_. “I’ve had a really shite day”. would be heard in any northern pub. I’m also a yuppie southern git. 🙂 God Save The Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/16 "2007-07-09T13:56:12Z")
[QUOTE=MrFloppy] Shite is shite. Nobody says _shitey_. [/QUOTE] In Scotland it’s not unusual to describe something as being “shitey”. God bless you Ma’am. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/17 "2007-07-09T14:30:33Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] The Roddy Doyle films helped, too, as did Father Ted with ‘feck’. [/QUOTE] Feck is, I believe, the usual Irish pronunciation of “fuck” God save the Queen ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/18 "2007-07-09T15:06:37Z")
It could well be of Scottish provenance. The oldest cite I can find in OED for shite is this one: > [@](#): > > 1795 in G. MacGregor Coll. Writings of Graham (1883) II. 247 For honour of the Scots, we have his [Wallace’s] effigy in the shite-houses to this very day. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/19 "2007-07-09T15:36:15Z")
[QUOTE=aldiboronti] It could well be of Scottish provenance. The oldest cite I can find in OED for shite is this one: [/QUOTE] The [Dictionary of the Scots Language](http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/) gives the example “Ye brocht with you under your plaides … the thing that ye callit to me ane pharisie, quhilk was blak dyn cullourit, lyk unto ane aip or ane **schitt** ”\* from around 1600. They suggest the historic adjective in Scots was “shitten,” though a “shitt bairn” seems to be a child unable to control its bowel movements. This site is worth visiting for the quotes alone: “Ma wormes hes thow **schittin** Than thair is gers on grund” [You have shit (have shat?) more worms than there is grass on the ground]. As for Old English, the word was _scitan_, pronounced something like _sheet-ann_, so “correctly” the verb, at least, should have the long \* in Modern English. The noun looks like it is a short \* in Old English, so either we’ve re-created the verb or the noun has influenced the pronunciation of the verb in the South, and vice-versa in the north. ETA: Vowel length in Old English texts is beyond me, so the long / short variation may well go back to Old English, I don’t know. \*[You bought with you under your plaids… the thing that you called a fairy to me, which was of a dull black color, like an ape or a piece of shit.] ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992/20 "2007-07-09T15:56:08Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Feck is, I believe, the usual Irish pronunciation of “fuck” God save the Queen [/QUOTE] Yike. So that’s what “feckless” means! :smack: Shiver me timbers. God bless 'em, Erica. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-and-s-te/410992.md?page=2)