Colloquial Expressions

[Andrew Fergus]

Thanks for the link. I'm not sure I'd call the list anywhere near complete given 4 of the first 5 words I checked weren't there (doona, esky, 'bring a plate' & bach) - maybe a complete local version?

Cheers, Andrew

This is quite an interesting site:

http://www.geocities.com/informalenglish/dictindex.html

Basically a complete dictionary of slang phases in the English language!

 

[Lewiy]

Thanks for the link. I'm not sure I'd call the list anywhere near complete given 4 of the first 5 words I checked weren't there (doona, esky, 'bring a plate' & bach) - maybe a complete local version?

Cheers, Andrew

This is quite an interesting site:

http://www.geocities.com/informalenglish/dictindex.html

Basically a complete dictionary of slang phases in the English language!

Well...when I said complete, I didn't mean it had everything, just that it is a "whole" dictionary.

 

[Pyromantic]

In South Africa "Just now" can mean I did it just now indicating the past

More South African words --
tackies -- running shoes / sandshoes
stoep -- balcony
braai -- barbeque

Don't forget, Robots! In South Africa we call traffic lights Robots.
Bakkie - Pickup Truck
Cheers - In the UK means thanks but in SA it means bye!

 

[Marbles]

"He's got a Want in him" is the local version of "A sandwich short of a picnic".

 

[Lewiy]

A dictionary of ****ney Rhyming Slang for all the non-Londoners out there!!!

http://www.****neyrhymingslang.co.uk/

 

[Oorang]

Adding to to "Not The Sharpest Knife In the Drawer":
Not playing with a full deck.
A few cards short of a full deck.
Not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Not the quickest fish in the pond.
His/Her elevator doesn't go to the top floor.
A few cookies short of a dozen.
A slice short of a loaf.

 

[Jon von der Heyden]

More South African ones (Afrikaans):

Dit is 'n lekker dag om boom to klim. (It's a nice day to climb a tree) - means 'you're looking for trouble, you had better back off'

Hy het met sy gat in die botter geval. (He fell bum first into the butter) - means 'he had a stroke of good luck'

Gaan kak in die millies. (Go to the toilet in the corn field) - means 'get lost'

Jy maak droog. (You're making it dry) - means 'you're messing it up / making mistakes'

Of course I have been in the UK for so long now that I forget so many more of these.

 

[Pyromantic]

Don't foget the most descriptive Afrikaans word ever....

Gatvol

meaning fed up in a way!

 

[Scott Huish]

This is quite an interesting site:

http://www.geocities.com/informalenglish/dictindex.html

Basically a complete dictionary of slang phases in the English language!

Well this typo has interesting implications:

Acid, also LCD :an effective drug that causes an eye problem or one to see things in an unusual way.

No wonder LCD monitors are popular

 

[dwyckoff]

Got to hang out with some Brit fellas while in the sandbox and they said a couple things (actually more than a couple) that had to translated.

Apparently if someone "nicks" something, the meaning can land anywhere in the spectrum from outright stealing it to just borrowing it with a wink.
Also if they are really hungry...they were "marvin"...or something like that. I think I mucked it up.

Also they kept referring to me and my partner as "yanks" and asking how things were in the "colonies". Which was interesting because here in Alaska we refer to everyone else as the "states".