Are there expressions belonging to the variety of English spoken on the opposite side of the Atlantic (assuming that you live either in Europe or in North America) that you are particularly fond of?
For instance, I'm a Yank, and there are certain British expressions that I find quite charming. I got the idea of starting a thread on this topic after reading some posts by SpoiledPrincess, in which she described something as "dodgy" and described someone as "too shy to say boo to a goose." Almost all the indecent expressions that are used in the UK and Ireland but that we don't use over here seem charming to me, perhaps just because they are foreign: "arse," "bugger," "sod," "bollocks," "shite" (perhaps the last one is only current in Ireland, but it is perfectly good Englishjust old-fashioned). I am delighted that "wanker" and "wank" have begun to catch on over here, but I am appalled to find that some ignoramuses use "wanker" to mean "penis" (it means "masturbator").
The word "arse" merits some special comment. I consider it our linguistic misfortune in North America that we lost this word by conflation with the word "ass," which originally signified nothing other than a donkey. "Arse," the word with the longer historical pedigree in this sense (I remember encountering it in Chaucer, spelled "ers"), seems to me to have a more satisfying sound and also avoids confusion with the animal (as when children in Sunday school giggle at the commandment against coveting "thy neighbor's ass"). I also find it amusing that, as I understand, "arse" can be used as a mass term for anything very unwelcome ("This is the sort of arse that I have to put up with!"), or even as an exclamation by itself ("Arse! I forgot my wallet!").
I would be particularly interested in hearing if members in the British Isles have any favorite (favourite) American expressions.
For instance, I'm a Yank, and there are certain British expressions that I find quite charming. I got the idea of starting a thread on this topic after reading some posts by SpoiledPrincess, in which she described something as "dodgy" and described someone as "too shy to say boo to a goose." Almost all the indecent expressions that are used in the UK and Ireland but that we don't use over here seem charming to me, perhaps just because they are foreign: "arse," "bugger," "sod," "bollocks," "shite" (perhaps the last one is only current in Ireland, but it is perfectly good Englishjust old-fashioned). I am delighted that "wanker" and "wank" have begun to catch on over here, but I am appalled to find that some ignoramuses use "wanker" to mean "penis" (it means "masturbator").
The word "arse" merits some special comment. I consider it our linguistic misfortune in North America that we lost this word by conflation with the word "ass," which originally signified nothing other than a donkey. "Arse," the word with the longer historical pedigree in this sense (I remember encountering it in Chaucer, spelled "ers"), seems to me to have a more satisfying sound and also avoids confusion with the animal (as when children in Sunday school giggle at the commandment against coveting "thy neighbor's ass"). I also find it amusing that, as I understand, "arse" can be used as a mass term for anything very unwelcome ("This is the sort of arse that I have to put up with!"), or even as an exclamation by itself ("Arse! I forgot my wallet!").
I would be particularly interested in hearing if members in the British Isles have any favorite (favourite) American expressions.
