Ask a foreigner

[Rose White]

@Friday thanks, I found out that he’s a comedian and his schtick is saying he doesn’t understand stuff, so it wasn’t entirely authentic.

For those out of the loop: I posted about a German not understanding an English offensive slang.

 

[Freddyt]

Language can be interesting - especially slang and local expressions.

I had a customer a few years ago who came in and was obviously British. He was looking a little distressed and asked for rain gear and motioned for lowers. It took a second for me to say "Oh rain trousers" his relief showed immediately and he replied, "yes, yes, rain trousers."

He went on to say how the word "pants" was a difficult thing for him. In Britain, pants are underwear. He had a hard time with that apparently and told me the horror he felt the first time he went golfing and his golf buddy asked what color pants he was wearing......it took him a minute to translate.


We used to have a local expression here that came from the SCTV television show - The Schmenge Brothers Polka Band (John Candy and Gene Levey) shortened to just Schmenge, slang for cannabis.

 

[Rose White]

@Teasel and all the Brits “spotted dick” to an American sounds like a disease.

Kind of embarrassing to hear like if we said, “I’m wearing my fanny pack over my tight pants.”

Speaking of… does Regina rhyme with vagina in UK?

 

[Shaylee]

“spotted dick” to an American sounds like a disease.

I feel a bit of relief I wasn’t the only one . I haven’t brought myself to look it up on Google because ‘what if it looks good’ and then it would be all weird

 

[Teasel]

@Rose White yeah, spotted dick is an unfortunate name. ;) I heard something recently it's name derives from an old word for pudding and the spots are the raisins etc.

From Wikipedia
Dick" and "dog" were dialectal terms widely used for pudding, from the same etymology as "dough" (i.e., the modern equivalent name would be "spotted pudding").

Also, pudding refers to shed loads of different things in the UK

Regina rhyming with vagina, something to do with the queen, one of her many labels- think had to do with being royal - just looked it up, tis the Latin for Queen.

 

[Freddyt]

Regina.....

It's also the capital city of the province of Saskatchewan in Canada...of course named for Elizabeth the 2nd.

 

[Rose White]

also the capital city of the province of Saskatchewan

And is it pronounced Rejeena or Rejyna?

 

[Friday]

He went on to say how the word "pants" was a difficult thing for him.

I’m a bad person.

I ADORE making Brits uncomfortable by talking about pants, and Fanny anything, but especially fanny-packs.

And is it pronounced Rejeena or Rejyna?

Rhymes with vagina. Or not. Depending on which region you come from. IE it USED to be re-jeee, but is “now” re-jay. Ish. Newscasters tend to split the difference. Re-jshaie-na. Still rhymes with vagina. Either way. Still means queen. Or pussy. It’s Sask. (half my family comes from a middle of fawking nowhere farm in Sask. So I’m biased).

 

[Teasel]

I'm a bit surprised you've found any brits that get embarrassed about the word pants or fanny packs but fair doos if you have. Maybe that says more about me lol

Am i right the c-word is much more shocking in the US? Here it's often a term of endearment.

 

[Rose White]

c-word is much more shocking in the US?

Yes, considered one of the worst. Not even the bad kids at my school say it.

I heard that the most foul word in Ancient Rome, which was never written even in the nastiest poetry was clitoris.

Re-jshaie-na

Lol! Reminds me of how a slang for vagina is vagine, pronounced something like Va-Zheen

 

[Friday]

Am i right the c-word is much more shocking in the US?

Qualifies as a “fighting word” (reducing criminal charges and sentences), here in the US.

Streaming means a few states have “dropped” the EXTREME nature of it, as it’s as common / unrecognisable as bitch/bastard/ass/f*ck/shit no-notice swear words. But it’s still an immediate provoke to violence in over 38 states out of 50… legally speaking.

The US military still uses it (to describe a certain type of hat; c*nt covers; because the hat looks like a vagina), and streaming means that most younger people DGAF. But baby boomers & older? c*nt is a “fighting word”.

Lol! Reminds me of how a slang for vagina is vagine, pronounced something like Va-Zheen

Always loved the “va-jay-jay”… can’t remember where it came from. But cracked me up so much I started using it, almost immediately.

 

[Shaylee]

Always loved the “va-jay-jay”

Oh yes, me too. I use ‘hoo-ha’ and the above both. Hoo-ha usually in conjunction with ta-ta’s.