# British Slang - Burke **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 1, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870 "2011-09-01T18:49:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AndyLee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@AndyLee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyLee)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/1 "2011-09-01T18:49:01Z")
I have been watching DVDs of the old BBC series “Steptoe and Son.” Both the father and son seem to use the word “Burke” when describing people. “He’s a right burke he is” and so forth I looked it up on Google and I come up with this [Definition of Burke](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=burke) Does it really mean the “C” word? I can’t believe they would let that slide on TV, especially in the 60s. Or does it mean something else in additon to that? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/2 "2011-09-01T19:01:39Z")
Berk = Berkeley Hunt = C\*nt ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/3 "2011-09-01T19:22:08Z")
That’s it origin but it’s nowhere near as strong. Think at the level of asshole or a strong way of calling someone a fool. ---
**Author:** ![Galwegian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galwegian/32/3426_2.png) [@Galwegian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galwegian)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/4 "2011-09-01T19:24:54Z")
Why not? We hear “twat” all the time, and while “berk” means the same thing, its generally not considered anywhere near as strong a word as “c\*nt”. It’s a UK programme, and generally they’re more relaxed about language on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/5 "2011-09-01T19:34:42Z")
> [@Galwegian](#): > > It’s a UK programme, and generally they’re more relaxed about language on TV. Heh, on the PBS newshour once they were playing a clip from the UK where someone called the financial mess of the late 2000’s decade a “cockup”. When the panelists started quoting the clip, Gwen Ifill reminded the panel that they might not be able to say that word in America. Unfortunately, while we _might_ be able to say “cockup” before the safe hour, if we can’t, the FCC doesn’t have to tell us before deciding that we’ve broken their rules. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/6 "2011-09-01T20:20:07Z")
You never hear anyone say ‘berk’ now - can’t think of the last time I heard anyone say it - perhaps because ‘cunt’ has become more acceptable (in this country, anyway). One should add that it was never used to describe the female parts, but just someone who was acting foolishly. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/7 "2011-09-01T20:43:17Z")
People were a lot more innocent in those days. I doubt my parents knew the derivation and I (still a kid) certainly didn’t. However despite the Steptoes use of the word (or come to think of it _because_ they used it) we knew it wasn’t to be used in polite company. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/8 "2011-09-01T21:08:15Z")
I recall hearing it at least once in Only Fools and Horses. It’s sort of like the way feck is to fuck. Feck was used in Father Ted and in other shows and nobody would bat an eyelid. By the way, Burke and Berk are pronounced differently to my ears. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JessMagic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@JessMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessMagic)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/9 "2011-09-01T21:30:29Z")
I know “berk” as an outdated, mild insult that it’s ok to say in front of Granny - yep, mostly likely heard in Only Fools and Horses or shows of that ilk. I never related it to the “c” word - similar to how I never think about what “bugger” actually means. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/10 "2011-09-01T22:53:48Z")
I much prefer “[oik](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=oik).” Some British person once defined an oik as the sort of person who, when at the door, causes one to pretend not to be at home. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/11 "2011-09-02T00:06:55Z")
> [@AndyLee](#): > > Does it really mean the “C” word? I can’t believe they would let that slide on TV, especially in the 60s. Or does it mean something else in additon to that? Yes it does. But then again, British slang includes hundreds of insults with that meaning, many of which are used as fairly mild insults. Fud, fanny, vadge, gash, minge, snatch…you get the idea (and apologies to the mods if this list contravenes rules, but it’s hard to illustrate the point using a list of asterisked words) And just to be more confusing still, the c word that Americans find so offensive can, in many British circles, be used as a jokey term of endearment. “Ya daft c\*\*\*” is as likely to be levelled at a friend as an enemy in Scotland. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/12 "2011-09-02T00:11:22Z")
Who is (or was) Berkley Hunt? ---
**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:** [September 2, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/13 "2011-09-02T00:14:12Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Who is (or was) Berkley Hunt? It’s a thing. [http://www.berkeleyhunt.co.uk/](http://www.berkeleyhunt.co.uk/) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/14 "2011-09-02T00:18:42Z")
Evidently, it was a famous fox hunt (now unlawful in England). [How I learned this.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_hunt) ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/15 "2011-09-02T00:51:03Z")
Cunt is not a proscribed word here, you’re just not allowed to call another poster a cunt. So stop fannying around with asterisks and just type the word out. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/16 "2011-09-02T01:01:54Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > Cunt is not a proscribed word here, you’re just not allowed to call another poster a cunt. So stop fannying around with asterisks and just type the word out. You just wanted to use the word fanny. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/17 "2011-09-02T01:07:09Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > You just wanted to use the word fanny. Mostly, yes. Accusing people or hearing people accused of fannying around makes me giggle like a loon. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/18 "2011-09-02T01:40:18Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > Mostly, yes. Accusing people or hearing people accused of fannying around makes me giggle like a loon. I’m curious, are you British or American or X where X = something else? ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/19 "2011-09-02T02:49:44Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > You just wanted to use the word fanny. is that the American fanny or the Australian one? ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870/20 "2011-09-02T03:41:13Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I’m curious, are you British or American or X where X = something else? X being Australian. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-slang-burke/594870.md?page=2)