What Brits say, what they mean and what others think they mean

Tez3

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Sukerkin

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:chuckles: I think I linked that for Don a while back when we were discussing the "Two nations Separated by a Common Language" concept :D.
 
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Tez3

Tez3

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Mind, this will be 'soft' Southerners, Northerners call a spade a spade even if you can't understand what they are actually saying due to accents! :) Ee by gum!
 

K-man

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If you would care to change the accent slightly, like add a bit of nasal twang, we would have identical meaning down here. :)
 

jezr74

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In my department we have two Brits, an Irishman, two Scots and an Aussie. The Americans in the office think we are talking in code.


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K-man

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In my department we have two Brits, an Irishman, two Scots and an Aussie. The Americans in the office think we are talking in code.


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Elementary my dear jezr. That's because you guys are speaking English! :asian:
 

grumpywolfman

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Tez - thank you so much for this list!

I saved the image, and I'm printing it out to memorize these wonderfully polite phrases (oh yes I am). Gentlemen, I do believe that there is a reason why the author chose to put last column in pink :rtfm:
 
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Tez3

Tez3

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The phrases work extrmely well too when delivered in a cut glass English accent, they have a sort of chilling effect lol. I think that's why Hollywood chooses English actors ( not Scottish/Welsh/Irish) for it's baddies, they deliver lines with a dead pan face and perfect enunciation which leaves you smiling at first until it sinks in just those few seconds later.

I enjoy British understatement but I absolutely love Aussie understatement, I'm a big fan of the Aussie ( and NZ) reality tv series such as the one about Customs, the Bondi beach life savers ( masters of the deadpan understatement....'she's lying face down in the water, not a good look' roflmao) as well as the police ones. I'm a big fan of the NZ dog programme where the prison officer and his dog 'Ted' work, I love the officers pronounciation of 'Ted'.
I love too the total lack of panic these guys have.
 

Sukerkin

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We'll bear that in mind and act upon it accordingly should it become relevant in the future ... :angel:.
 

grumpywolfman

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In my expert opinion, this is actually a secret coded message from British Intelligence intended to help preserve the sanity of all men.
 

Steve

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It's the cockney rhyming slang that is completely incomprehensible to me. Whenever I hear the tired allegation that Americans don't speak the Queen's English, I laugh. In light of the domestic maiming of your language, the butchering done by Americans is mild by comparison. :)

$cockney1.jpg

$cockney2.jpg
 

K-man

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Reminds me of this from the 60s.

F U N E X ?
S. V F X .
F U N E M ?
S. V F M .
M N X 4 2.

:asian:
 

Bob Hubbard

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I think the translator is drunk.

I fin' you're aw Mum and Dad. madder than Mum and Dad jack mcmad, the bloody maddest madman ever. seriously, you're 6s and 7s. but then again, if ya fancy a Bruce Lee bit of shaggin', I kna this Gooseberry Puddin'....but it'll cost ya a few pence, and ya might get the Cardboard Box.
 
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