Slang and the Gang

[Clyde]

Hiya all!

I'll try my best to explain what this is all about. As Language is very varied; same applies to variants of programming languages, Basic, C and Assembler for instance.

As we deal with different languages. And meet lots of people via websites, ICQ and Messenger, from different countries, and have various dialects depending which part of their country they come from. And we use words that mean something else / shortend versions, for example saying "lets take a butchers ( or a gander )" means lets take a look.

The most well known form of slang from England and the boroughs of London, is Cockney Rhyming slang. Sounds bizzare to someone from a foreign country, but are rhyms of words. Most common ones are, Apples And Pears - Stairs, Current Bun - Sun, Dog And Bone - Phone, Pony And Cart - Fart.  There is a website funnyily enough, http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/

Im pretty sure where ever you come from in the world there are expressions you use that mean the same as other words, but in a short way or sound the same, etc. Also in the states there are things that mean completely different things to us in the UK, like Pants are Trousers in the US, but are Underwear ( Boxer Shorts, Y Fronts ( for those that wear them) ) in the Uk.

You'll also notice I use dude alot for saying cool person. And Cheers, which is a form of saying Thankyou.

Let us know about your ways of communicating from your region. Could be very interesting and a right laugh to boot, also would help people from outside your country understand what the dickens your on about!

Cheers and all the very best,
Clyde.

[slinks]

"allright yezzer?" Manx greating, typically used by the over 50's or people taking the piss.

Genghis - beer can (get it?)

Manx Telecom - Not Sure*

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sure_Mobile

[Clyde]

Hehe, Genghis ( as in Genghis Can )

Geezer is another form of dude.

Ruby Murray - Curry
Plates Of Meat - Feet

Nobody uses Yo for hello these days, when I was at secondary school back in the 90's it was all the rage.

[slinks]

Nobody uses Yo for hello these days, when I was at secondary school back in the 90's it was all the rage.

*cough*

[Jim]

In Australia we wear thongs on our feet.  When I wath in England a thong was thumthing that wath thung.

Jim

[stormbringer]

I live in Switzerland, the french speaking part (Geneva, etc). We basically have 4 official languages and a different slang every 30km or so... that's really a lot. My favorite one is the following.. I hope my attemp to translate it would work.... so here is the story: normally if the weather is going to be bad, it's a negative thing. When the weather is expected to be good, it's a positive thing. In Canton de Vaud (which is the next county to Geneva's County) people use to say: "there are risks of good weather or there are chances to have rain". In French "there are chances to" is regarded as a positive expression (chance meaning luck)... you will never hear such an expression in Paris.

[Pixel_Outlaw]

Unfortunatly my region of the US doesn't have much in the way of slang, just poor grammer. aka "I ain't gonna do nothing."

We do differ from the English in some words.

torch = flashlight
boot = trunk (cars)
flask = thermos (drinking container)


Probably more too.

[Jim]

sidewalk, diaper, eraser...

[slinks]

passifier, fellony

[Shockwave]

Fall (Autumn)
Pants (Trousers)
Ketchup (Tomato sauce)

[stormbringer]

Going quite often to LA, I hear a lot of nice ones that do not exist in Europe...

like "to google" (to search using Google)

[combatking0]

Probably more too.

Fire Hydrant = Bright Red Tripping Hazard.

[Pixel_Outlaw]

Fogetting a bag of chips = packet or crisps.

[gooner]

Clare Rayner-Trainer

Porthcawl-F*ck all

Ronan-Heating

Weston-Nightmare

Damien-Pregnant

Anderton-Sicknote

Kieron-Dire

Pavarotti-Tenner

[Pixel_Outlaw]

I've always wanted to upset a Cockney speaker just to hear the hilarity of scrambled phrases that would follow. 

[Clyde]

Another US to UK translation, Fanny - in US is your Bum, but in the UK it is the other end of the female gender.

[Shockwave]

Another US to UK translation, Fanny - in US is your Bum, but in the UK it is the other end of the female gender.

I nearly wrote something very rude here.

[Clyde]

Hehe, also another couple of examples of slang and rhyming.
Lowering the tone ( making a conversation / piece of work into rude talk ), with a "See you next Tuesday" moment.

Another I just thought of too:

Mail Slot (US) - Letter Box (UK)
Garbage (US) - Rubbish (UK)

Lots of these I know from my brother who lives out in America. and from watching films. Im no English teacher or anything.

We say Tomato, you say Too-may-toe.

[gooner]

Leo Sayer-All day drinking session

Betty Boo-clue

[Clyde]

I've not come across those 2 before dude, Im trying to work out the Leo Sayer one.