A TYPICAL BRITISH SAYING

By Johanne James

Good day readers and how are you? As we race towards another lockdown here in England, I see another state of panic on the horizon. Oh my!

Anyway. A typical British saying. Now what constitutes this? There are so many, but in saying that Cockney slang tends to be my favourite as it was used among so called “common people”.
Many of these sayings will mean little or nothing to those who don’t understand the nuances of the English language. So I’ll just give you a few that I use myself.

Give us a butcher’s. Meaning may I have a look. Butcher’s hook = look. I’ve used this a lot.

Bob’s your uncle. You’ve come home from a night out and feeling a bit Hank Marvin = starving. Stick your grub = food in the microwave and Bob’s your uncle = it’s done! 

You’re radio rental = mental = mad, crazy, loopy!  

You’re having a bubble = bubble bath = laugh. The first time I heard this, I did fall about with laughter.

You’re telling me porkies mate = pork pies = lies.

I got a new motor today and I’m well chuffed = happy. Over the moon = very happy.

I was trying to do some DIY today and got myself in a right pickle = trouble.

Knackered = tired. Some of these will be familiar and others not. You have to ask where these sayings came from. As languages evolve and new words are introduced.

I haven’t seen you in donkey’s = I haven’t seen you in years!

It’s brass monkey’s in here = it’s freezing cold!

We had a good chinwag = talk = natter.

I saw a man today sitting on a wall talking to a brick, he’d lost the plot = he’d gone mad!

I was going to wash my car today but it started raining and that’s put “a spanner in the works” = ruined my plans. 

I could go on and on as there is an encyclopaedia of sayings typical to the English language. I’m sure that whatever country you reside in will have an equivalent and there’s no reason why you couldn’t adapt many of these to git your own everyday communication with one another.

Anyway, I thank you for listening.

Johanne James