# I love this British shit and I move move to England! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [April 28, 2021, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998 "2021-04-28T22:41:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/342 "2021-09-01T16:30:59Z")
_Alan Partridge_ is available on BritBox. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2021, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/343 "2021-09-02T11:55:54Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > I’ve seen several British police shows where the superior officers are routinely called “Guv.” It seems to be pretty common. On TV, at least. I don’t know about actual British police practice. As a class ridden society, we have many accepted slang terms for ‘boss’, often regional. ‘Guv’ is quite London, and as many crime dramas focus on Scotland Yard, that would fit. My Dad, who owned a clothing factory in the Midlands, was always referred to by staff as the Gaffer. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/344 "2021-09-02T12:07:17Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > As a class ridden society, we have many accepted slang terms for ‘boss’, often regional. ‘Guv’ is quite London, and as many crime dramas focus on Scotland Yard, that would fit. > > My Dad, who owned a clothing factory in the Midlands, was always referred to by staff as the Gaffer. I was going to agree with you there, but the only recent (I think supposed to be Manchester set, but Belfast filmed) UK cop show I’ve watched was Line of Duty, and I think they said Guv, so it might be more traditional UK (at least in dramas). It was originally London though in the 70-80s, and specifically police. Not sure if even in London they’d use it to describe their boss in a factory. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/345 "2021-09-02T12:22:12Z")
They use Gaffer a lot in Line of Duty but our favorite slang term which came up A LOT in this past season was the Chiz (not sure how its actually spelled) which took us a while to figure out it meant an informant. That was just a very funny piece of slang in some contexts. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/346 "2021-09-02T12:45:38Z")
All acronyms in that show, Confidential Human Information Source might be what it stood for. I still bawked at OCG for a while. Why not just call it a gang? ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/347 "2021-09-02T12:59:58Z")
Thanks- I knew it must stand for some acronym , that makes sense. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2021, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/348 "2021-09-02T15:14:16Z")
> [@LVBoPeep](#): > > They use Gaffer a lot in Line of Duty but our favorite slang term which came up A LOT in this past season was the Chiz (not sure how its actually spelled) which took us a while to figure out it meant an informant. That was just a very funny piece of slang in some contexts. Ah, Line of Duty is famous for its relentless use of acronyms none of us have heard of. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/349 "2021-09-02T15:18:54Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > I was going to agree with you there, but the only recent (I think supposed to be Manchester set, but Belfast filmed) UK cop show I’ve watched was Line of Duty, and I think they said Guv, so it might be more traditional UK (at least in dramas). They never say where Line of Duty is set, and I think some of the hints they throw around (postcodes, maps) are Birmingham rather than Manchester. Of course the accents are all over the shop, which adds to the mystery. Guv isn’t restricted to the Police (back when I lived in London I certainly had taxi drivers use it, even though I’m a woman). I guess it has just survived in the Police more than other workplaces because they are still so hierarchical, using Sir and Ma’am when normal folk would just call their boss Dave or Debs. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/350 "2021-09-02T15:20:21Z")
> [@LVBoPeep](#): > > our favorite slang term which came up A LOT in this past season was the Chiz (not sure how its actually spelled) which took us a while to figure out it meant an informant. Aaah, a grass. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/351 "2021-09-02T17:37:31Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > They never say where Line of Duty is set, and I think some of the hints they throw around (postcodes, maps) are Birmingham rather than Manchester. Of course the accents are all over the shop, which adds to the mystery. I’ve missed those given I live near Birmingham. The proximity to Liverpool, where, from the accent, the lady who Arnott was visiting last season was tends to infer a quickish drive, far longer from Birmingham (and stuck at Stoke or Wolverhampton on the M6). I suppose she could have moved there, but, I dunno. Perhaps it’s always supposed to be nowhere, and they move it around. Can’t claim the locality from the housing because it’s Belfast. Probably Crimetown UK. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/352 "2021-09-02T18:26:51Z")
I think the Guv shouter is based on John Thaw’s character in the Sweeney, and the other 2 are based on Bodie & Doyle from the Professionals. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/353 "2021-09-02T18:56:43Z")
And not _ **Starsky and Hutch** _. That makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/354 "2021-09-02T19:00:22Z")
> [@LVBoPeep](#): > > ur favorite slang term which came up A LOT in this past season was the Chiz (not sure how its actually spelled) which took us a while to figure out it meant an informant. That was just a very funny piece of slang in some contexts. As any fule\* kno. \*Or Molesworth fan. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/355 "2021-09-02T19:13:11Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Aaah, a grass. aka a “nark” ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/356 "2021-09-02T22:57:24Z")
I just saw a video where a guy called a cop “squire” after trying to get his attention calling him “guv”. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/357 "2021-09-02T23:01:34Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Guv isn’t restricted to the Police (back when I lived in London I certainly had taxi drivers use it, even though I’m a woman). I guess it has just survived in the Police more than other workplaces because they are still so hierarchical, using Sir and Ma’am when normal folk would just call their boss Dave or Debs. I’ve heard the police use guv in real life (when giving statements as a witness). It’s hierarchical but does have the benefit of being gender-neutral. Definitely can’t imagine it being used in most other workplaces. Maybe some building sites or something, so you don’t have to worry about remembering people’s names. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/358 "2021-09-02T23:37:24Z")
“Squire” is much lower on the totem pole. I’ve had Englishmen call me “Squire,” but never “Guv.” ---
**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:** [September 3, 2021, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/359 "2021-09-03T06:44:55Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Probably Crimetown UK. Yeah, I think that’s the point. It’s anycityville. Hence you’ve got an East Midlander, a (fake) Londoner and a Northern irishman all in the same nick. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/360 "2021-09-03T13:40:02Z")
Yep, agreed that the point is it could be any city in the UK. That said, I think (no cite) that I’ve heard Jed Mercurio describe it as being “somewhere in the West Midlands”. Whenever they need to talk to someone from a different force (such as Anna Maxwell Martin’s character) it’s always someone from the “East Mids Police”, suggesting that it’s the next-nearest force. It was also a plot point that Steve Arnott’s estuary English accent was unusual. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998/361 "2021-09-04T16:29:56Z")
Ha! There’s a blast from the past. I treasure the dog-eared copies of _Young Elizabethan_ that somehow made it to South African second-hand book exchanges in the late 70s [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-this-british-shit-and-i-move-move-to-england/940998.md?page=19)