In the interests of multinational togetherness, it has been suggested that a thread be started so "English-speaking" posters can discuss words, expressions and phrases that are peculiar to their local version of English.

To start things off, here's an English expression:

"To pop one's clogs" Meaning: to die

keep your hair on =donot loose your temper

Keep your shirt on. Same meaning.

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BOINC WIKI

In the interests of multinational togetherness, it has been suggested that a thread be started so "English-speaking" posters can discuss words, expressions and phrases that are peculiar to their local version of English.

To start things off, here's an English expression:

"To pop one's clogs" Meaning: to die

keep your hair on =donot loose your temper

Keep your shirt on. Same meaning.

Actually...I believe that ' keep your shirt on ' means " Don't be so imaptient " rather than anything to do with temper...lol

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Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

I take it bush firies means Fire Fighters?

Yep... more specifically, firefighters that operate in the "bush"... rural areas. Generally, they are volunteers, and often the equipment they have is sub-standard, compared to the metropolitan firies.

These men and women give up holidays and often pay from their regular jobs to fight bushfires.

Ambulance crews are "ambo's" and cops are... wait for it... cops!

lgmfm - do you 'ave a lot of the fires being started by 'arsonists'? is iT a big problem there . . . in Los Angeles, CA. - i recalled the Media (News) would 'announce' thaT iT was " . . Fire Season" - and there would be 'rash' of fires - MOST of which were started by arsonists . . . is this a problem for your 'firies' too?

Sure is...

Many fires start very close to roads. Plenty of those are caused by thoughtless idiots tossing lit cigarette ends out the window. Most states have big fines for "being a tosser", whether it starts a fire or not.

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There's a lot of naval expressions in our language too. Maybe it is because England was once a maritime nation. One I can think of is, 'That took the wind out of his sails.' Of course, these expressions may not all derive from our maritime heritage, but I bet a lot of them do. Can anyone think of some more?

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'No one can make you inferior without your consent.'
Eleanor Roosevelt.

In the interests of multinational togetherness, it has been suggested that a thread be started so "English-speaking" posters can discuss words, expressions and phrases that are peculiar to their local version of English.

To start things off, here's an English expression:

"To pop one's clogs" Meaning: to die

keep your hair on =donot loose your temper

Keep your shirt on. Same meaning.

Actually...I believe that ' keep your shirt on ' means " Don't be so imaptient " rather than anything to do with temper...lol

Not sure where that one originated, but I took it as a reference to "bare knockle" boxing, where contestants would remove their shirts before commencing to pulp one another. Anybody who knows the origin of this one, come and shoot me down in flames! ;)

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There's a lot of naval expressions in our language too. Maybe it is because England was once a maritime nation. One I can think of is, 'That took the wind out of his sails.' Of course, these expressions may not all derive from our maritime heritage, but I bet a lot of them do. Can anyone think of some more?

"Clear the decks" meaning get out of my way, or prepare for action.

"Hit the deck" meaning take cover.

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Classic:

Would a British Gentleman want his daughter knocked up before breakfast? Yes. Otherwise she might miss breakfast.

American meaning for knocked up: Pregnant.

In the Mill towns of Yorkshire &lancashire there were men that would go round knocking up the workers before the invention of reliable alarm clocks,cheap ones anyway.

I believe they had the same in London, John. I can't remember what they were called, though...

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Classic:

Would a British Gentleman want his daughter knocked up before breakfast? Yes. Otherwise she might miss breakfast.

American meaning for knocked up: Pregnant.

In the Mill towns of Yorkshire &lancashire there were men that would go round knocking up the workers before the invention of reliable alarm clocks,cheap ones anyway.

I believe they had the same in London, John. I can't remember what they were called, though...

Watchmen?

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Account frozen...

A few more UK sayings/exclamations (Dunno if they're used elsewhere):

On yer bike!

Gordon Bennett. (<-- who the hell was he anyway?)

Flipping Heck.

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Join TeamACC

Sometimes I think we are alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we are not. In either case the idea is quite staggering.

Gordon Bennett. (<-- who the hell was he anyway?)

Try this

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flaming balloons

'Not enough room to swing a cat,' refers to the old naval punishment of flogging with the cat o'nine tails.

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'No one can make you inferior without your consent.'
Eleanor Roosevelt.

'Not enough room to swing a cat,' refers to the old naval punishment of flogging with the cat o'nine tails.

Still found as a potential punishment in the Isle of Man!

The Naval version of the Cat had lead tipped tails for better effect!

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It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues

I remember visiting an old naval museum near Portsmouth. Among the items on display were a number of square plates that sailors used to eat from. Maybe the term, 'Haven't had a square meal for ages,' came from this.

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'No one can make you inferior without your consent.'
Eleanor Roosevelt.

I remember visiting an old naval museum near Portsmouth. Among the items on display were a number of square plates that sailors used to eat from. Maybe the term, 'Haven't had a square meal for ages,' came from this.

As might "three squares a day".

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BOINC WIKI

Another naval expression is, 'He ran the gauntlet.' This also refers to an old punishment meted out to sailors. What they had to do was run - or walk - through two rows of sailors, one row on each side, while being whipped by their fellow shipmates. I bet they were pretty sore once they got to the other end.
There was a scene of 'running the gauntlet' staged on one of our TV series, called 'Hornblower.' I remember watching it, and it was a good seafaring yarn. Although in that, the captain referred to it as 'walking the gauntlet' as opposed to running.

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'No one can make you inferior without your consent.'
Eleanor Roosevelt.

Another naval expression is, 'He ran the gauntlet.' This also refers to an old punishment meted out to sailors. What they had to do was run - or walk - through two rows of sailors, one row on each side, while being whipped by their fellow shipmates. I bet they were pretty sore once they got to the other end.
There was a scene of 'running the gauntlet' staged on one of our TV series, called 'Hornblower.' I remember watching it, and it was a good seafaring yarn. Although in that, the captain referred to it as 'walking the gauntlet' as opposed to running.

Hornblower was a series of novels. Hornblower kept increasing in rank throughout the series. I do not remember the name of the author. If I recall, running was considered a sign or cowardice when walking the gauntlet. Two other punishments were keelhauling (being dragged the length of the ship under the keel) and being flogged around the fleet (a whipping on each ship available). Both of these were usually fatal.

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BOINC WIKI

There is another term I remember being used in the film 'Mutiny on the Bounty,' when Captain Bligh announced to one of the crew that he would 'kiss the gunner's daughter.' I don't know why they referred to it in that way, but the unfortunate felon was tied over a cannon and flogged. I don't think they made that up for the film but it might be an old naval expression. However, unlike some, it seems that it has not passed into the English language.

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'No one can make you inferior without your consent.'
Eleanor Roosevelt.

one of the most common is cold enough to freeze the balls of a brass monkey
the aforementioned monkey was a storage devive for ammo, it was brass to stop the balls rusting to it ,but in cold weather it contracted and hence the cannon balls fell off

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Another naval expression is, 'He ran the gauntlet.' This also refers to an old punishment meted out to sailors. What they had to do was run - or walk - through two rows of sailors, one row on each side, while being whipped by their fellow shipmates. I bet they were pretty sore once they got to the other end.
There was a scene of 'running the gauntlet' staged on one of our TV series, called 'Hornblower.' I remember watching it, and it was a good seafaring yarn. Although in that, the captain referred to it as 'walking the gauntlet' as opposed to running.

Hornblower was a series of novels. Hornblower kept increasing in rank throughout the series. I do not remember the name of the author. If I recall, running was considered a sign or cowardice when walking the gauntlet. Two other punishments were keelhauling (being dragged the length of the ship under the keel) and being flogged around the fleet (a whipping on each ship available). Both of these were usually fatal.

Pretty rough treatment, when you realise that many sailors of the era were "press ganged". Equivalent to the draft system, gangs of roughnecks, employed by the Royal Navy would patrol taverns in dock areas, pressing "The King's Shilling" into the hands of drunks. Possession of the aforementioned coin was taken as a sign the unfortunate owner had been paid by the King, and he was dragged away to serve as a seaman.
Glass bottomed beer tankards were invented, so drinkers could see if they had a shilling planted in their beer, before lifting the tankard. If you had a tankard containing a shilling in your hand, you were in possession of the King's Shilling.

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Gordon Bennett. (<-- who the hell was he anyway?)

Try this

Very interesting... I always wondered about that one ;)

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