# Brits using "Brilliant" as a casual superlative? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520 "2011-11-20T04:50:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/21 "2011-11-21T06:13:33Z")
Shiny! ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/22 "2011-11-21T06:27:18Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Shiny! Beat me to it. 😛 ---
**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:** [November 21, 2011, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/23 "2011-11-21T08:01:05Z")
I got the piss taken out of me one time in the US as my hosts noticed how often I use the term brilliant. To them it was hilarious, to me a standard term for good things. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/24 "2011-11-21T11:40:25Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > [Aren’t holidays brilliant?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgMgkl-gRxk) > > From **The Fast Show** I believe ‘The Fast Show’ was known as ‘Brilliant!’ in the US. Or maybe you’re referencing that and I’ll look like a tit. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/25 "2011-11-21T12:24:26Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > I believe ‘The Fast Show’ was known as ‘Brilliant!’ in the US. > > Or maybe you’re referencing that and I’ll look like a tit. I did not know that! 😃 Although I can’t vouch for whether you look like a tit or not… ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/26 "2011-11-21T12:37:07Z")
> [@isaiahrobinson](#): > > Yep, very common. I didn’t realize Americans didn’t use it. In the Inbetweeners they probably use it sarcastically most of the time. “I didn’t hear your mum complaining, although her mouth was full at the time..”, “Brilliant”. No one says “brill” any more though in the south. They still say it in Scotland I think. I too use “Brilliant” as a general superlative. As a softy southerner - though with Scots roots - if I use “Brill” it would probably be ironically (or in a text!). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/27 "2011-11-21T12:39:13Z")
> [@MarcusF](#): > > I too use “Brilliant” as a general superlative. As a softy southerner - though with Scots roots - if I use “Brill” it would probably be ironically (or in a text!). To our deep shame, me and my friends as kids in the early 80s used “Brillo Pads”. ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/28 "2011-11-21T15:00:29Z")
I’ve noticed that “brilliant” can also carry a somewhat different connotation from just “great”. Sometimes it’s more like “awesome” or “terrific”. The guys on Top Gear, for example, will say about a car “It’s just brilliant.” If an American said “It’s just great”, it woudl sound a bit hollow, or even sarcastic. “Brilliant” seems to imply a certain type of good in that case, rather than the non-specific feeling of “great”. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/29 "2011-11-21T16:36:36Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > I suppose a close parallel would be US kids saying ‘awesome’. Or ‘totally awesome’. Normally awesome would be reserved for, well, significant things similar to brilliant. I believe ‘totally awesome’ came from 80s California valley-girl speak. “Awesome” doesn’t seem like a parallel. I hear “awesome” from Americans far less than I hear “brilliant” from Brits, both in meatspace and on the Beeb. To my ears, it sometimes seems like it’s the _only_ superlative they use. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/30 "2011-11-21T16:37:36Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > “Awesome” doesn’t seem like a parallel. I hear “awesome” from Americans far less than I hear “brilliant” from Brits, both in meatspace and on the Beeb. To my ears, it sometimes seems like it’s the _only_ superlative they use. Come on now. Surely they use “fucking brilliant” too? ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/31 "2011-11-21T16:56:42Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > “Awesome” doesn’t seem like a parallel. I hear “awesome” from Americans far less than I hear “brilliant” from Brits, both in meatspace and on the Beeb. To my ears, it sometimes seems like it’s the _only_ superlative they use. Interesting. I hear “brilliant” from Brits far less than I hear “awesome” from Americans. To my ears, it sometimes seems like it’s the _only_ superlative they use. Confirmation bias FTW. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/32 "2011-11-21T17:17:28Z")
> [@isaiahrobinson](#): > > Yep, very common. I didn’t realize Americans didn’t use it. Americans use “brilliant” to mean “very intelligent.” For example, a brilliant scientist. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/33 "2011-11-21T17:32:02Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > Americans use “brilliant” to mean “very intelligent.” For example, a brilliant scientist. We (Brits) do that too. It’s all about context. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/34 "2011-11-21T17:37:44Z")
The Doctor uses it a lot (at least #10 did) to describe how smart people are. Donna was brilliant, so was Martha, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/35 "2011-11-21T18:40:01Z")
Last summer at a bar a British guy said something that my friend didn’t understand. I said it’s because he has an accent! Except what I really said was “he has an accident.” (Pretty sure the wine caused that.) Anyhoo… the Brit laughed and said “brilliant” and then more laughter ensued. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/36 "2011-11-21T18:46:11Z")
I’ve occasionally encountered an American who likes to use “brilliant” in the British fashion. It nearly always comes across as an affectation, and makes them sound pompous. (I don’t have the same reaction to British or Irish folks who use it that way, however.) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/37 "2011-11-21T18:58:44Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > The Doctor uses it a lot (at least #10 did) to describe how smart people are. Donna was brilliant, so was Martha, etc. I think in his case it was more about how wonderful and awesome they were. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/38 "2011-11-22T02:37:28Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > We (Brits) do that too. It’s all about context. It is a contextual language, isn’t it? The tone of voice and phrasing conveys much about how brilliant or awesome something actually is. The term “mega” didn’t last very long did it? I still hear the U.S. equivalent “way” being used but “mega” seems to have gone by the wayside. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/39 "2011-11-22T02:56:12Z")
I first heard “Brilliant!” and “Lovely!” (as the rough equivalent of Americans saying, “Outstanding!” and “Excellent!”) when I went to the UK in the late 1980’s. Back home, the words would have sounded sarcastic: Brilliant = “Smart move, _idiot!_” Lovely = “Well isn’t that just _perfect_” So it caught me a little off-guard. But being a foreigner, my ears were listening for nuances. It also helped that the situations were invariably cordial business. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520/40 "2011-11-22T03:09:46Z")
I’m sure I only hear it being used sarcastically now (in the UK). I’m trying hard to imagine seriously saying “brilliant”, but… no, I just hear “Oh mother, Timmy was absolutely brilliant!” OTOH, I do say “well that’s just _brilliant_ _grumble grumble_”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-using-brilliant-as-a-casual-superlative/603520.md?page=3)