18 British words and phrases that Americans do not understand
The differences between American and British English are not so deep that their speakers might have problems understanding each other, but there are many spoken British words and phrases that have no meaning for Americans if they hear them in conversation.
Фото: Depositphotos
Edition USA Today compiled a list of several of them.
Dog's dinner - disorder, serious confusion.
Duff - something useless or false. The word may come from "duffer", meaning a dealer in counterfeit goods, or an incompetent, clumsy person. The term may be the origin of the name of Homer Simpson's favorite drink, Duff Beer.
Gaff - this word means, among other things, a house or apartment.
Gobsmacked - stunned, speechless, surprised. Gob is an old Celtic word for beak and therefore mouth. Something mind-blowing, metaphorically, causes the mouth to open.
Gormless - stupid, inattentive. From gome, an archaic term meaning attentiveness or care.
Chicken - take a nap or sleep away from home.
On the subject: 13 free online English courses that begin in late July
Knackered - exhausted, tired, in a weakened state.
Knes-up - an active party with a lot of dancing.
Legless - very drunk.
Naff - bad, unfashionable, useless. Telling someone to “naff off” means asking them to leave.
Pear-shaped - catastrophic. If something is pear-shaped, it means that something went very wrong, be it a battle, a dinner party, or a business meeting. The word comes from Royal Air Force slang.
Peckish - slightly hungry.
On the subject: Perfect English 17 movies to help improve pronunciation.
Pukka - authentic, expensive, top quality. This word comes from a consonant Hindi word meaning “mature” or “substantial”.
Scrummy - amazing, excellent. Short for “scrumptious.”
Shirty - angry, rude or hot-tempered. Possibly because someone might rip their shirt off in a rage. If you want to calm down a nervous person, you can use the phrase “Keep your shirt on.”
Stroppy - angry, uncontrollable, impudent.
Wind someone up - to irritate someone greatly or to laugh at them.
Yonks - for a long time, for an eternity. Example: I haven't seen you for yonks.
Read also on ForumDaily:
Ship or sheep: 6 secrets of training English pronunciation
10 YouTube channels that will help you learn English
How to quickly learn English: 30 working tips
11 unique ways to learn any language: tips from the polyglot
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google NewsDo you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.
-
Personal experience: who and why you should not move to the USA5614
-
50 diseases whose presence will increase the cost of health insurance in the USA4329
-
Great opportunities with ChatGPT: 12 easy ways to make money using artificial intelligence1324
-
What should not be on your resume if you want to find a job in the USA763
-
Four unforgivable mistakes immigrants make to the United States552
-
Dependence on cars and one supermarket per city: why ours is unusual in one-story America403
-
Ten secret restaurants in the USA: what is their highlight and how to find them254
-
Personal experience: who and why you should not move to the USA5614
-
Where in the USA to buy the medicines we are used to: a list of pharmacies5330
-
How to hit the jackpot: tips from a man who won the lottery 7 times4898
-
50 diseases whose presence will increase the cost of health insurance in the USA4329
-
Street, avenue, boulevard or drive: how to understand the classification of US streets and roads1461
-
Personal experience: what not to do in America1402
-
Great opportunities with ChatGPT: 12 easy ways to make money using artificial intelligence1324
