JohnnyDos

12 British sayings that North Americans don't understand Travelling to a country with common language should be a breeze, right? You'd be surprised how quickly so many lose the plot union jack flag british britain english england united kingdom REUTERS/Paul Hackett We're chuffed to bits about the launch of Business Insider UK. Everyone knows that for the Brits, an elevator is a “lift,” an apartment is a “flat,” and those chips you’re snacking on are actually called “crisps.” But British people also say some other really weird, confusing things. To celebrate the launch of Business Insider's UK website, we compiled 12 British phrases that will leave Americans utterly flummoxed. You might just see these on our new site. 1. “They lost the plot.” When someone has “lost the plot,” it means they have lost their cool. The phrase is particularly common in English football, where it is generally used when a player or coach gets in a fight or performs poorly during the game. 2. “I haven’t seen that in donkey's years.” “Donkey’s years” translates to “a really long time,” mainly because “donkey’s ears” kind of sounded like “donkey’s years” and became a rhyming slang term. The phrase was underscored by the belief that donkeys live a long time (which can be true) and have very long ears (definitely true). 3. “Quit your whinging!” union jack boots british britain english england united kingdom rain REUTERS/Eddie Keogh Quit your whinging — it's always raining in London. When someone is “whinging,” it means they’re whining or crying. The next time your coworker is complaining about something, feel free to call him a whinger. 4. “He’s such a chav.” This is a pejorative epithet in Britain that’s used to described a specific kind of stereotype: A working-class person who is loud or brash and wears (usually fake) designer clothes — especially the classic Burberry check. It is essentially the British version of “white trash” and should be used sparingly. 5. “You’ve thrown a spanner in the works.” When you “put/throw a spanner in the works,” it means you’ve ruined a plan. A spanner is the word for a wrench in England, so it’s the British equivalent of “throwing a wrench in the plan.” 6. “Let’s have a chin-wag.” Though fairly self-explanatory, having a “chinwag” (sometimes "chin-wag") means that you’re having a brief chat with someone, usually associated with gossip. Just imagine a chin wagging up and down, and you’ll get the idea why. 7. “I’m chuffed to bits.” If you’re “chuffed to bits,” it means that you’re really happy or thrilled about something. It’s also acceptable to say “chuffed” all on its own: “I’ve just scored free tickets to the Beyoncé concert, and I’m well chuffed!” 8. “That’s manky.” Something that is “manky” is unpleasantly dirty or disgusting. Its slang usage dates back to the 1950s and was probably a combination of "mank" (meaning mutilated or maimed), the Old French word "manqué" (to fail), and the Latin "mancus" (maimed). You can also feel “manky” if you’re under the weather. 9. “My cat? She’s a moggy.” union jack cat flag british britain english england united kingdom REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov This moggy is quite patriotic. A “moggy” or “moggie” refers to an alley cat or a cat without a pedigree, but it is often used interchangeably as another word for “cat." 10. “This was an absolute doddle to do.” A “doddle” is a task or activity that is extremely easy. Though the origin is unknown, it dates back to the 1930s and is still common. 11. “You’re taking the piss.” When you “take the piss” with someone, that means that you’re being unreasonable or taking liberties. For example, if a cashier overcharges you on something, he is taking the piss. It can also be a stand-in phrase for when you’re mocking or teasing someone, though this is more commonly said as “taking the piss out of” someone or something. For example: “They’re always taking the piss out of John because he likes Taylor Swift.” 12. “I’ve dropped a clanger.” When someone makes an embarrassing gaffe that upsets someone else, that person has “dropped a clanger.” For example, if you offer your seat to a pregnant woman on the subway and she tells you she’s not actually pregnant, you may have dropped a clanger. Then I found this(not my mother she was Italian) . My mother was one of the few women of her generation admitted to Cambridge University. She wrote this for me when I was about 8, to illustrate the many illogicalities of English spelling: . I take it you already know, Of tough and bough and cough and dough? Others may stumble, but not you, On hiccough, thorough, lough and through. Well done! And now you wish, perhaps, To learn of less familiar traps. Beware of heard, a dreadful word, That looks like beard and sounds like bird, And dead; it’s said like bed, not bead, For goodness sake don’t call it “deed.” Watch out for meat and great and threat, They rhyme with suite and straight and debt. A moth is not a moth in mother, Nor both in bother, broth in brother. And hear is not a match for there, Nor dear and fear for near and pear. And then there’s dose and rose and lose, Just look them up, and goose and choose. And cork and work and card and ward. And font and front and word and sword. And do and go and thwart and cart. Come come, I’ve hardly made a start! A dreadful language? man alive! I’d mastered it when I was five.

HXTR you should watch this it might help you more than your water machine.LOL

Fantastic,I liked that one.Worth spreading around.

I've always done it that way.

Great sound track Hxtr,bravo.

Absolutely NoEars.I'm hoping to live a bit longer so I can get my 31 years I spent at Chryslers back,I've got 20 years more to live I hope.

I told you the bush is making a comeback.LOL

I could have kept working till i was 65,but then think, I would have prevented a kid or person not being able to have that job for 14 years.I was making $28/hr and if I stayed now I would be making $34/hr and that boy or girl would be on some type of assistance.The longer you stay in the work force the harder it will be for our sons and daughters to find work.Then how long do you think you are going to live on this planet and be able to move around as well as you did.I check obits daily and people die,some old and quite a few do not make it to retirement.A lot of this depends how well you get paid.I'm glad I was in a union that allowed me to be able to retire at an early age and even more lucky cause my wife also retired 2 years after I did.

No I've been retired since I was 51 years old,going to be 63 in Dec.I worked 31 years 7 years at the car plant(now mini van) and the rest at the Pillette Rd Truck Plant(large vans)

Hey get a few good strong friends that aren't lazy and then some beer but that only comes out after the move.I rented a big U-Haul it had the fridge cart and a ramp that is the way to go no hopping into and out of the truck.Then follow Sammy's directions.Good Luck

I did work for Chryslers for 31 years,I spray painted and then to paint reapair,then 20 years in the body shop at the large van plant(Pillette Rd assembly)also after 20 years there i went into the Audit Bay where I inspected vans from top to botom and inside and outside also took them for an 18 mile test drive from there I went to Federal Torque then I retired on June 1st 2003 at the age of 51,been married for 40 years will be 41 this comming Feb 2015,I have 2 sons and 3 grand kids.Oh I play games in the morning take my dog a (Boxer) for a run every day no matter what the weather and I vapourize weed and drink beer in the afternoon.I've had a pretty good life and I can't complain.

Happy Birthday Tyntje.

Hey folks, have a nice and rockin day & evening :-)

And sometimes when I post to the SHOUT BOX I edit the pic and resize it so it doesen't take up the whole BOX.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeWhUL7kS80

Welcome Bor 2013 see you in the morning.

AN IRISHMAN'S FIRST DRINK WITH HIS SON I was reading an article last night about fathers and sons, and memories came flooding back of the time I took my son out for his first drink. Off we went to our local bar, which is only two blocks from the house. I got him a Miller Genuine. He didn't like it – so I drank it. Then I got him an Old Style, he didn't like it either, so I drank it. It was the same with the Coors and the Bud. By the time we got down to the Irish whiskey, I could hardly push the stroller back home.

Happy Birthday Cheese.

AND THE BABY SAYS can't you see I'm sleepy. Nice Mazda congrats.

I've got the same one,had it for 2 years now.But I'm still lousy LOL.

Congrats Mazda,now you're getting older too.Ha Ha your going to catch up to me all your daughter needs is one more good screwing after this baby and maybe number 3 will come along.Then we'll be tied.No I'm kidding 2 grand kids will be great for you.They will make you stay young at heart.

Just stop this thread,I've been here in this clan for quite sometime and it never really got like this arguing stuff that's going on over this BF4 game.Play what mode you want and just leave it at that.