Words you wish your language had.

[Pete Zicato]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

But really, when I want to say "that really throws a wrench in the works" I have to make myself say "wrench" because I so like the British (is that the right classification?) word spanner better...as in "Well, that really throws a spanner in the works."

I would go ahead and use 'spanner' if that's what you like.

I've used "Bob's your uncle" at work. I like it better than "there you go".

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

To really bring it up to speed.

You need to do a circular motion with your hand (pointer finger), parallel to ground, to indicate "all of you in this immediate area up around here."

Youse guys should copy us!


FTR: Japanese:
Watashi: I / me
Anata: you
Watashi-tachi: We/us
Anata-tachi: Youse, y'awll

[limey]

Originally Posted by Beest

French and German have second person plural case and pronoun, but English is lacking, fortunately the southern US has filled this void with "y'all"

Very handy, probably sounds a bit funny when I say it, but then y'all can go whistle dixie.

The Russians also have second person singular and plural, and so do the Scots. "You" and "Youse" - although the latter is considered déclassé.
Now there's a word the English language needs, déclassé!

[DanaC]

I use 'youse'. Most of my lot do. Mainly because of my niece Amelia, who used to say it when she was little. We kind of adopted it.

It is used in various parts of the country actually, but as with the Scots, it's not really considered proper.

[Undertoad]

I have thought about this, and here are the Brit words that America needs to start using.


Bin - this can be a free exchange with "dumpster". It's far more elegant than "trashcan" or "garbage can". What I especially like about this one is its migration into a verb ("bin it"), something that only the best words get to do.

Torch - much more colorful than our "flashlight", especially since the light is almost never intended to flash.

Plaster - to avoid the proper noun Band-Aid.

[Shawnee123]

But your flashlight isn't bursting into flames, either.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Plaster - to avoid the proper noun Band-Aid.

Although remember we use the brand name Hoover where you mean vacuum. In cleaning floor terms of course, not scientific.

Blimey, so complicated.
Where's Brian Cox when you need him?
(probably in bed with Captain Jack Harness. In my dreams)

[monster]

We need a word to describe things which have no word to describe them

[Undertoad]

Hoover is now altogether wrong, since the best vacuums are Dyson and Dyson is a Brit.

[glatt]

The Germans beat both of us with "dust sucker."

[Shawnee123]

Plaster goes on walls. Or in Paris.

Hoover is like our south calling all soft drinks "Coke."

I got made fun of by a moron from Minnesota years ago for saying that I was going to the grocery. He insisted it was incomplete, without store following it.

What do you guys say?

[Sundae]

Grocery is a section in a supermarket, or is followed by the word store.
I'm sorry, Shaw, the moron was right.

I love that you guys call Polyfilla "Spackle". I've read Patrick Ness. I know what they really are.

[Shawnee123]

Yeah, but he was still a moron. Must be a local thing.

Grandma asked my ex one year what he wanted for Christmas. He said a new butt 'cause his had a crack in it. Grandma gave him a jar of spackle and a putty knife.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Plaster goes on walls. Or in Paris.

Hoover is like our south calling all soft drinks "Coke."

I got made fun of by a moron from Minnesota years ago for saying that I was going to the grocery. He insisted it was incomplete, without store following it.

What do you guys say?

A man goes to a supermarket and asks to buy half a head of lettuce. The very young produce assistant tells him that they sell only whole heads of lettuce.. The man persists and asks to see the manager. The boy says he’ll ask his manager about it.
Walking into the back room, the boy said to his manager,
“Some idiot wants to buy half a head of lettuce.”
Just as he finishes his sentence, he turns to find the man standing right behind him, So he added,”And this gentleman would like to buy the other half.”
The manager approves the deal, and the man goes on his way. Later the manager said to the boy, "I was really impressed with how you got yourself out of that situation earlier, where are you from?"
"Minnesota." the boy replied.
"Oh, why did you leave?"
'‘Sir, The only things from Minnesota are hookers and hockey players."
"I'll have you know that my wife is from Minnesota." Said the manager.
"No kidding?" replied the boy. "What team did she play for?"

[monster]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

"Oh, why did you leave?"
'‘Sir, The only things from Minnesota are hookers and hockey players."
"I'll have you know that my wife is from Toronto." Said the manager.
"No kidding?" replied the boy. "What team did she play for?"

Did you miss changing a city there?