# The Britishisms are coming! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 27, 2012, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984 "2012-09-27T09:00:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/61 "2012-09-30T21:01:32Z")
Spunk has been in the US a very long time, but not as a synonym for semen. Spunk was a noun or an adjective use synonymously with ‘energy’. As in “You got spunk, kid.” Or, “That’s a spunky kid.” Maybe an even closer synonym would be ‘moxie’, as they both seem to convey a certain attitude as well. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/62 "2012-09-30T22:42:44Z")
I’ve always thought of that as a universal English word, but now I think about it I can only imagine it [del]cumming[/del] coming from Americans. I also assumed there was a link between the two uses of the word; although the meanings are not quite the same, saying someone has “spunk” is not too different from saying they have “balls”. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/63 "2012-09-30T22:50:44Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > I’ve always thought of that as a universal English word, but now I think about it I can only imagine it [del]cumming[/del] coming from Americans. I also assumed there was a link between the two uses of the word; although the meanings are not quite the same, saying someone has “spunk” is not too different from saying they have “balls”. Yes, that’s fairly close too. It was used in a lot of movies way back when, back into the 30s certainly, so if there was a sexual connotation it wasn’t really in the general public consciousness, and especially as it was commonly attributed to children. ‘Vigor’ combined with ‘fearlessness’ would be another approximation. ---
**Author:** ![cghipp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cghipp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cghipp)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/64 "2012-10-01T19:47:09Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > Do you loty’all seriously call a dance Shagging? It’s the official state dance of South Carolina, most often danced to “beach music,” from artists such as Otis Redding, The Temptations, The Platters, The Four Tops and Al Green. Pop songs such as Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl,” or James Taylor’s “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You),” also come to mind. It’s a fun, relatively easy, versatile and laid-back swing dance. The “capital” of the Shag is North Myrtle Beach in SC. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/65 "2012-10-01T19:59:42Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > Why does no one ever get bored of this? It’s SO RUBBISH! “Keep calm and get the beers in”. Ha ha ha. Genius. That t-shirt was worth £20 wasn’t it? I agree, that’s pants. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/66 "2012-10-01T21:03:47Z")
> [@cghipp](#): > > It’s the official state dance of South Carolina Wikipedia tells me that the unofficial demonym for South Carolinians is “Sand Lappers”. Why anyone would stand for a name like that, when they could legitimately be called “Shaggers” is beyond me. One evening, a few years ago now, I was in a pub (as was my habit at the time). A nice, quiet little place, ideal for a friendly chat: small, not too busy, and without a jukebox – just unobtrusive background music from a CD player behind the bar. The conversation was in full flow among the couples and small groups distributed around the place, and you’d have sworn blind that not a single person there was paying even the smallest amount of attention the music playing softly from the speakers distributed around the room. Until, that is, it reached the chorus of one particular song: [“Dancin’, Shaggin’ On The Boulevard”.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZYOJQ79DOw) You know that scene in westerns, when the Stranger walks into the saloon, and everyone instantly falls silent and turns and stares? It was just like that. Except that in this case the expression on every face was of someone who’s sure he’s just misheard something, and is trying to work out what was really said. Followed almost immediately by about two dozen people saying, “Did he just say ‘shagging on the boulevard?’” ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/67 "2012-10-02T05:01:27Z")
Wot, no {[fill in the blank]}. ---
**Author:** ![cghipp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cghipp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cghipp)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/68 "2012-10-04T21:08:41Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > You know that scene in westerns, when the Stranger walks into the saloon, and everyone instantly falls silent and turns and stares? It was just like that… > > Followed almost immediately by about two dozen people saying, “Did he just say ‘shagging on the boulevard?’” That’s pretty much the feeling I got the first time I ever heard someone on TV say (or perhaps I read) that they “lit up a fag,” or some such statement. Or perhaps it was more “cartoon character violently shaking head, jowls flapping, before having a double-take.” ---
**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:** [October 5, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/69 "2012-10-05T01:45:07Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I agree, that’s pants. I see what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![cghipp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cghipp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cghipp)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/70 "2012-11-11T07:49:02Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Wikipedia tells me that the unofficial demonym for South Carolinians is “Sand Lappers”. Why anyone would stand for a name like that, when they could legitimately be called “Shaggers” is beyond me… I was reminded of this conversation when at the bookstore today. On a display of refrigerator magnets was one with the slogan, “South Carolina: Known for our COCKS and our SHAGGING.” (In case you don’t know, The University of South Carolina’s mascot is the Gamecock.) ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/71 "2012-11-11T10:21:56Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > What’s the Britishism for “cumming”? And don’t tell me Whitney. And if there are several, I want to know them all. That’ll be “shooting yer load”, me old china… ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/72 "2012-11-11T10:43:51Z")
Oh, pish-tosh. What’s next, us circling the roundabouts? Hopefully we can use Britishisms for “avenue” and “boulevard” so we can eliminate the French influence on “Tar-get” department stores. 😃 What’s funny is, although I have no discernible accent, other than “mixed-American”, many have asked me if I was British because I’ve used roundabout instead of rotary or circle, and I always say “quite right”. I blame Black Adder and Monty Python for that. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/73 "2012-11-11T14:43:11Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Wikipedia tells me that the unofficial demonym for South Carolinians is “Sand Lappers”. Why anyone would stand for a name like that, when they could legitimately be called “Shaggers” is beyond me. I don’t know. I had a good friend (British) who used to refer to pimples as “shaggers”. Mind you, he was the only person I ever heard do that, but I did not get the impression he had made it up. Maybe it was a midlands thing, he grew up in the midlands (and I’ve always managed to avoid them). ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/74 "2012-11-11T15:03:51Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I see what you did there. It’s minging ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/75 "2012-11-11T23:59:26Z")
Bob’s yer uncle! ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/76 "2012-11-12T00:30:47Z")
I’ve noticed queue being used more often. Could be by way of Canada, but then, that’s by way of England, probably. Muppet and numpty I’ve heard a few times. Numpty I’m not entirely sure is Brittish. Is fanny’s meaning changing in the UK? Over here it’s actually a substitute for the slightly more objectionable word ‘butt’. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/77 "2012-11-12T02:28:23Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Gastropub hasn’t made it to here in the heart of the Midwest, but we’re still struggling with electrification. Juh? I hear it in Chicago all the time. Then again, [Chicago is better than the rest of the Midwest](http://imgur.com/XJ4SC). ---
**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 12, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/78 "2012-11-12T04:49:35Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Oh, pish-tosh. What’s next, us circling the roundabouts? Hopefully we can use Britishisms for “avenue” and “boulevard” so we can eliminate the French influence on “Tar-get” department stores. 😃 Target itself used to have an in-house brand called “Miss Targé”. Yes, they were laughing at themselves. ---
**Author:** ![dimmy\_derko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@dimmy\_derko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dimmy_derko)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/79 "2012-11-12T14:02:49Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > Yeah, it’s way more offensive than that. > > That being said, when I was about fifteen I thought one teacher telling another teacher “Just because you have hair round your mouth doesn’t mean you have to talk like a cunt” in front of the second teacher’s class was the funniest thing ever. As a teacher myself now, I would report the first teacher for misconduct for acting that way, in front of children or not. I probably wouldn’t bother if it was a ‘less offensive’ phrase though (except if they did it in front of children, that would be seriously unprofessional behaviour). At the age of 13, I refused to go to Religious Education class and was made to sit in on an English class taken by the toughest teacher in the school. Mr Cox, as well as having a love of cricket, also trained the 6th form rugby team and could regularly be seen on the fields slinging the big kids here, there and everywhere. Thing was, I loved English, and Mr Cox recognised that and didn’t mind me sitting at the back of his class reading a book, as long as I kept out of the rest of the mischief. Anyway, one day while sat in his class, another teacher came in and was complaining about something or other when Mr Cox said “See that fucking cricket bat(which was placed ominously behind his chair)? Get out of this classroom or I’ll knock you for 6 with it.” which had the entire class in hysterics and probably resulted in Mr Cox being told to tone it down a bit by the headmaster. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984/80 "2012-11-12T14:44:45Z")
I’m hearing a few people around here refer to “things going pearshaped.” I assume it’s Gordon Ramsay’s influence - that’s where my husband and I got it, and it’s so much fun to say we immediately adopted it. Then I noticed others using it too. Our four year old will spin quite a tale, starting with completely plausible elements, and embroidering as she goes on. I don’t think there’s a better description of what she does than, “talking complete bollocks.” ETA, thanks to watching _Misfits_, every time I read “Wanker” in this thread, I heard it in my head as “Wank-AOW.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-britishisms-are-coming/635984.md?page=5)