Exploring British cities can sometimes feel like a maze of languages, as many discussions can seem like esoteric codes to outsiders. There are several secret terms and phrases that can be puzzling to people who are not familiar with them.
But don’t worry, if you want to communicate well with British natives and avoid feeling completely lost, the Brits on Reddit are here to help you.
Jump to
- We bet you don’t know what these everyday phrases really mean!
- Here are some more phrases.
We bet you don’t know what these everyday phrases really mean!
As a Brit, what are some of the British keywords we use? byu/Mistyheart_ inAskABrit
A member started a recent discussion on the Ask A Brit subreddit with the question: “As a Brit, what are some of the British keywords we use?” What followed was a fascinating investigation into the nuances of language for non-English speakers.
“If you ask someone if they want to go to your house and they say, ‘I don’t know if I’ll be able to attend,’ that translates to: ‘I’m not going, I don’t want to, and you both know it,'” the user stated.
unpack
Shortly after the message was shared, many more Britons enthusiastically joined the debate and offered more examples of common words and phrases that can be confusing to non-Britons.
Here are some more phrases.
According to one user, when someone asks, “Is there anything else I can help you with?” It’s a polite way of saying, “Why are you still here?”
Another commenter noted that while statements like “I won’t keep you,” “I’ll let you move on,” and “I’d better let you go” may seem kind, they typically indicate “I have nothing more to say to you.” and you no longer wish to interact, now please leave.”
Comment byu/Mistyheart_ from the discussion on AskABrit
Additionally, one user claims that the common greeting “How are you?” It is often arrogant, meaning “we really don’t want to know how you are.” “That was wonderful, thank you, thank you, lovely, phew! I’m so full,” one person said. “What a joy,” can be translated as “I will never eat here again.”
Another possibility is: “What’s wrong?” It translates to “Your face bothers me.” “He’s quite a character” simply means “What an idiot” and “Anyway” simply means “I’m leaving now, you’re boring me.”
Comment byu/Mistyheart_ from the discussion on AskABrit
Another person said: “My mother has dementia, and after about 15 minutes, she says ‘well, it’s nice to see you…’.” “Here in Wales, ‘now in a minute,'” one user noted, “means an indeterminate period of time slightly longer than a minute.”
While the British have their own style of communicating, it was recently revealed that the Spanish have given them a nickname. When an English tourist visits Spain, they are often referred to as ‘guiri’, a phrase indicating a white person who is paler than most Spaniards.
What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments.
For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn