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November 28, 2005
Flogging Shedloads to the Unwitting
I love that expression -- flogging shedloads to the unwitting -- it's just one of many that friend Kevin at the BBC shared with me during an email discussion about British slang. I knew some slang and Kev humored me by producing a list along with some definitions. Since there are a few of you who know these expressions quite well, I thought I'd invite you to deposit some additions to this list in the comments.
Plebb - someone who's not too bright and maybe a bit out of touch with fashion etc.
Clanger - "dropped a clanger" is a phrase used a lot here
e.g. - A friend of mine congratulated a collegue when she thought she was pregnant. But she was shocked when the collegue said "I'm not pregnant at all, i've just put on a bit of weight". That's an example of "dropping a clanger"
Plonker - you often call someone this if they've dropped a clanger. It's also slang for male genitals
Divvee - sporned, I think from Liverpool and best said with a broad Scouser accent (that's what we call Liverpudlians) Just "Div" is used sometimes.
Lard Arse - someone who has a big backside and is generally overweight
Tosser - someone you don't like but also the same as "wanker"
Dickhead - again someone you don't like (this theme goes on .. Prick, Prickhead etc)
Dweeb - very much like Plebb above
Scum - Someone who'd rob your grandma or any other crime of that ilk
Arsehole - I think this is one of yours too, but maybe you say "Asshole"!
Sporned - to grow or develop
Country bumpkin - someone who lives in the countryside, away from the city
Pyscho - someone with a screw loose - they'd do anything and are best avoided. I guess sporned from that great film.
Headcase - as above, but they're probably not as dangerous.
Daft prick - [note: Kev didn't provide a definition for this one; it's self-explanatory.]
Sod off - piss off
Sod - someone who's a bit of a runt and a bit canny is often described as a "sod"
e.g. - "that little sod's borrowed my car without asking"
Clown: an idiot, fool
Nonce: Someone who's feeble minded and probably on the camp side
Cindy
Comments
so you are a twerp, aren't you? by the way, "a country bumpkin" has a screw loose as well as being born out in the sticks, but they can tell a nice bird when they see one all the same.
ta-ta, luv.
Brain matter deposited by: taliesin on November 28, 2005 1:17 PM
Yay! I hadn't heard "dropped a clanger", I'll try to work it into a meeting today.
Brain matter deposited by: BLUE on November 28, 2005 2:40 PM
you know i'm not really a dopey mare, ya daft bint.
Brain matter deposited by: zed on November 29, 2005 8:19 AM
Zoe, what's a 'bint' ?
Blue - let me know if you did :-)
Nicholas - a twerp, eh? Pfft.
Brain matter deposited by: Cindy on November 29, 2005 10:01 AM
bint = woman or a girl. can be offensive, but not amongst close friends.
oh arse, this is all going to pants.
Brain matter deposited by: zed on November 29, 2005 4:04 PM
The most interesting thing my english co-workers said was that its basically safe to say any of the slang words that start with a 'b' even when it refers to body parts in that those words are commonly accepted as not as offensive ..
Brain matter deposited by: sdy on November 30, 2005 4:53 AM
I only speak completely proper English and have never used a slang expression in my entire life.
Brain matter deposited by: Kat on December 1, 2005 8:16 AM
Fabulous list!!! Happy Post-Thanksgiving. So, what happened to the link to my site? :^ )
r
Brain matter deposited by: rob on December 1, 2005 12:02 PM
Rob - happy early holiday season to u2 :-) As for your link, you've never been removed! You're still here! See my blogroll - under USA...
Kat - :-) did you see my ref to you in the 'after the bird' post?
Steve - and those "b" words are????
Zoe - thanks for the defs.
Brain matter deposited by: Cindy on December 1, 2005 12:44 PM
No, I'd missed it, but I went back and read. I know. Shame is my name.
Herbs make a difference, don't they? They really do. I just love rosemary. Add a little of that to your french bread dough - food of the Gods.
The pictures of the woodpecker were great! He looks like a baby.
Brain matter deposited by: Kat on December 1, 2005 1:08 PM
Oh, for the love of Pete. You've got spam!
Brain matter deposited by: Kat on December 2, 2005 8:22 AM