# Britishisms I've adopted **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626 "2015-07-19T18:20:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/161 "2016-11-08T18:53:22Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Glad you asked. 🙂 > > Fanny: Are you done _fannying_ about? Can we go now? > > Faff: That trip to the mall was a complete _faff_. Interesting, those are not part of my dialect, but the meaning is quite understandable of course, they may be regional variations or recent changes (I have lived in the US for the last decade). (But remember that unless you’re talking about Pall Mall, we don’t have malls, we have shopping centres! I’m pretty sure that hasn’t changed.) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/162 "2016-11-08T19:04:29Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Interesting, those are not part of my dialect, but the meaning is quite understandable of course, they may be regional variations or recent changes (I have lived in the US for the last decade). Me too! (I’m Canadian.) > [@Riemann](#): > > (But remember that unless you’re talking about Pall Mall, we don’t have malls, we have shopping centres! I’m pretty sure that hasn’t changed.) I was going to use the word “shops” but somehow that sounds pretentious to me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/163 "2016-11-08T19:23:49Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I was going to use the word “shops” but somehow that sounds pretentious to me. 😉 It may help dispel your sense that it’s pretentious if I tell you that when I was growing up in an zeitgeist of generally mild but pervasive xenophobia, “the Paki shop” was a widespread term. Literally “Pakistani”, of course, but a generic racist term, deliberately failing to distinguish between immigrants from anywhere in the Indian subcontinent. Just as in many countries, immigrants were often the most hardworking and entrepreneurial shopkeepers, running local convenience stores that would be open long hours when everything else was be closed. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/164 "2016-11-08T19:41:07Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Glad you asked. 🙂 > > Fanny: Are you done _fannying_ about? Can we go now? > > Faff: That trip to the mall was a complete _faff_. Those sounds like correct usages to me (native Londoner), and neither are particularly unusual or new. Example of fannying from 1990s sitcom: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l63RSzqpwHQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l63RSzqpwHQ) ---
**Author:** ![KatTP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@KatTP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KatTP)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/165 "2016-11-09T10:31:18Z")
> [@Graymalkin](#): > > I love Britishisms when the British do it. I cringe, with embarrassment but more with annoyance, when an American does it. Agreed! As a Canadian living in the U.K.(2.5yrs)there are many things I won’t say for fear of sounding like I’m taking the piss. For example a normal greeting around here is, hiya, ya’allright? I’ve picked up the hiya part, but the y’allright part I can’t say without(to myself) sounding like an arse. And though I’m called duck at least once a day I don’t think I can bring myself to say it. I do love to say bits n bobs, I use the occasional cheers, and love eating bacon baps. Take away=to go. I picked that one up pretty quick when the first time I said I’d like my coffee ‘to go’ I got a rather confused look. When I’m crossing the street I STILL get confused about the direction of traffic. Though I have no problem driving. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/166 "2018-12-20T19:48:01Z")
Bumped. Emma Stone learns British slang from Rachel Weisz: [Emma Stone Learns British Slang From Rachel Weisz | Vanity Fair - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbC0xszlyHo) ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/167 "2018-12-21T18:40:30Z")
A friend of mine is an annoying anglophile. He’ll use UK spelling, date format, and say “shedule.” I caught him by the bullocks though. I asked him “does that mean you’ll be celebrating July 4th on November 5th?” “What’s November 5th?” “Guy Fawkes day, ya wanker.” He hadn’t heard of it. Poser. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/168 "2018-12-21T19:43:41Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > A friend of mine is an annoying anglophile. He’ll use UK spelling, date format, and say “shedule.” > > I caught him by the bullocks though. I asked him “does that mean you’ll be celebrating July 4th on November 5th?” > “What’s November 5th?” > “Guy Fawkes day, ya wanker.” > He hadn’t heard of it. Poser. He was right. November 5th isn’t anything. Bonfire Night is the 5th of November. And bullocks are bovines, perhaps you mean bollocks. Even so, although “bollocks” has several slang meanings, “caught by the bollocks” does not have any meaning other than the literal one. It doesn’t mean “caught out”. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/169 "2018-12-26T23:42:08Z")
I can’t say I’ve really picked up any Britishisms, except maybe a couple. For some reason I now find “I might have done” and similar constructions more natural than “I might have”, though I usually still say the latter. Particularly in online interactions, I find myself using the word “university” to mean “college” in the sense of attending any tertiary degree granting institution. Outside of the United States, “college” can mean certain kinds of technical or secondary schools, so I’ll say “university” if it seems necessary to underscore the distinction. Other than that, I got nothing. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/170 "2018-12-27T00:22:47Z")
I use the word “bollocks” occasionally and once inadvertently said it on the radio. It’s a word that can be used as a vulgarity in Britain, or not. I don’t remember the context but I didn’t mean it in a vulgar sense, but it flashed through my mind right after I said it that it could have been taken as such. Fortunately I didn’t get called on it, since people don’t pay close attention to what radio DJs say anyway. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/171 "2018-12-27T02:20:36Z")
I have decided I really like the Britishy phrase “the red mist descends” for getting pissed off, but haven’t had an opportunity to use it yet. ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/172 "2018-12-27T03:48:57Z")
Theatre = The site of a military campaign. Theater = A place you see movies. I know it makes no sense. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/173 "2018-12-27T15:02:05Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > I have decided I really like the Britishy phrase “the red mist descends” for getting pissed off, but haven’t had an opportunity to use it yet. Not quite, the red mist descends often in situations of high competition or confrontation, where the protagonist takes over the top action without any regard whatsoever to consequences for themselves or others. Example - imagine you are riding your motorcycle and someone else passes you, you catch up and the pace gets higher and higher, until eventually the ‘red mist’ descends and one rider takes utterly insane chances just to have the bragging rights. It can happen when alcohol is involved too, inhibitions are left far behind and common sense goes out of the window. The window of judgement is clouded over. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/174 "2018-12-27T15:11:34Z")
What’s British for zombie? Pretty much as back in post #77 but I do find myself adding a couple car-related terms here and there; especially “boot”. I blame it all on Captain Slow and the Hamster. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![johnod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@johnod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnod)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/175 "2018-12-27T16:50:56Z")
I use rather a lot apparently. However I was raised in Canada, where I think we use them more than the USA to start with. Then I spent twenty two years living in the BVI, so I think they’ve come about naturally, rather than intentionally. One I used to use fairly often , but the occurrence doesn’t pop up much anymore is " took a runner" As in, Richard took a runner. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/176 "2018-12-27T17:33:17Z")
I’ve been trying to work part or all of “do go and see if you can find pater, I believe he’s flushing a badger out of the ha-ha” into conversation ever since **RobDog** posted it some weeks back. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/177 "2018-12-28T14:09:12Z")
> [@johnod](#): > > One I used to use fairly often , but the occurrence doesn’t pop up much anymore is > > " took a runner" > > As in, Richard took a runner. Do you mean “Richard \*did \*a runner”? As in, he scarpered from the rozzers or suchlike. ---
**Author:** ![johnod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@johnod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnod)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/178 "2018-12-28T15:40:26Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Do you mean “Richard \*did \*a runner”? As in, he scarpered from the rozzers or suchlike. Yep that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![johnod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@johnod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnod)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/179 "2018-12-28T15:42:57Z")
Bitsa, is another one, I play about with old motorcycles , so… ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626/180 "2018-12-28T17:26:58Z")
I’ve had someone say that me saying “innit” for “isn’t it” was British sounding. It’s not intentional, just occasional laziness in enunciation. I like the term “fuck all” for it’s blunt directness, even if so many ( make that, most ) think it means the opposite of what it actually means. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britishisms-ive-adopted/725626.md?page=10)