Forums Latest Members

Need help with my British lingo…

  1. M'Bob Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    6,206
    Likes
    17,492
    So I have an English acquaintance, who has shared with me the joys of Cockney rhyming slang (nice “kettle”), and also told me that a popular English greeting is, “wotcha.”

    But another Englishman I know said that “wotcha” was Australian, and that a more popular British greeting was, “your-right?” (That’s how is was pronounced…I’m guessing it’s, “you alright?” rolled together).

    So for you lads over the pond: which one is correct, or are they both, and it varies by region? Any other common greetings? Thanks mate! :)
     
    noelekal and Mark020 like this.
  2. cristos71 Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    7,001
    Likes
    32,117
    There are many, many different greetings dependent on where one hails from in the UK. There is also generational usage, so a greeting that I may have used in the late 80's and early 90's will now be out of, or in much lesser, usage.

    As for Cockney rhyming slang AFAIK ( and I'm speaking as someone from 'Oop Norf' ) you'll hear it more in the movies than in the real world as perhaps it was in common usage in the 19th century but these days in the East End of London you're as likely to hear an Indian or Asian language as you are to hear a luverly jubberly cockney geezer, innit?
     
    Edited Mar 11, 2023
  3. lillatroll Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    2,673
    Likes
    4,122
    I think South East English might use wothca. Glaswegian’s from the west coast of Scotland probably Alright pal? or Alright hen? Southern Welsh people alright hows it going? or whats occurring ? Lots of regional variations and even variations within a short distance.
     
    Dash1, M'Bob and Peemacgee like this.
  4. pascs Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    1,629
    Likes
    5,517
    As said it varies hugely across the UK. I'm from Scotland and dont think I've ever used "wotcha", more likely I'd use "awright, awright mate, or aye aye?", Doric is probably the dialect I mostly use :D
     
    M'Bob and Peemacgee like this.
  5. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    4,968
    Likes
    7,459
    Very much regional variations throughout the UK.
    Both examples you cite are VERY London-centric greetings.

    The North-East equivalent of the latter would be ‘al-reet?’
    The correct response would be
    ‘Aye, canny’
     
    Turpinr, Pun and M'Bob like this.
  6. Mark020 not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    4,312
    Likes
    5,942
    This is already bewildering...
    1-Dialects-Tea.jpg
     
    tikkathree, Buster, Duracuir1 and 4 others like this.
  7. cristos71 Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    7,001
    Likes
    32,117
    When visiting my nanna she'd ask what we wanted for our 'dinner'....which was lunch and then we'd have our 'tea' later on as the evening meal
     
    Omegafanman, Turpinr, Larry S and 4 others like this.
  8. Hetcins1 Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    659
    Likes
    6,280
    I'm from the north east of England I would greet people with agh reet .:)
     
    noelekal and M'Bob like this.
  9. Mark020 not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    4,312
    Likes
    5,942
    ROFLOL. I saw the pic I posted above only recently and only then realised how strange it is
     
  10. Peemacgee Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    4,968
    Likes
    7,459
    Actually, those who count themselves as ‘upper-middle class’ tend to use supper in lieu of dinner as a social affectation.
     
    cristos71 and Mark020 like this.
  11. Mark020 not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    4,312
    Likes
    5,942
    Another very British thing: class. Upper middle class may be that you are good for GBP 100 mio but did not go to (the right) public school (which is btw expensive contrary to what the name suggests)

    Fascinating read on this is:
     
    522x840 (1).jpg
    Paedipod, akshayluc420 and M'Bob like this.
  12. madjestikmoose Can’t bat, can’t bowl Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    830
    Likes
    1,487
    Where I’m from, ‘How bist?’ is a reasonably common thing to hear as friends greet each other.
     
    Omegafanman and M'Bob like this.
  13. Duracuir1 Never Used A Kodak Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    2,363
    Likes
    25,390
  14. MRC Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    3,191
    Likes
    8,027
    Where I was brought up it would be "Ow bist?" and the reply "Bostin." Where I live now "Y'allright?" is most common.
     
  15. M'Bob Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    6,206
    Likes
    17,492
    Sort of like, “How’s business?”
     
    madjestikmoose likes this.
  16. Walrus Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    8,637
    Likes
    40,058
    Oh bloody hell do we really need this oy
     
  17. MRC Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    3,191
    Likes
    8,027
    Not really, bist can occur in other phrases. For example "Bist yow gannin whum?" meaning "Are you going home?".
     
    Faz and M'Bob like this.
  18. M'Bob Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    6,206
    Likes
    17,492
    In all the British TV shows, they write it as “oi.”
     
  19. DrmexicoII Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    462
    Likes
    653
    People my parent's age would use "wotcha" but it's not very common in anyone under 40 round my neck of the woods (South of Watford). A simple "alright?" is very common.

    Although on a Thursday night in the pub it's not uncommon to hear the greeting "evening c***ts"... Meant affectionately obviously...
     
    Edited Mar 11, 2023
    M'Bob likes this.
  20. Kik_Kat_Kish Mar 11, 2023

    Posts
    81
    Likes
    142
    I live in the West Midlands in a region also known as the Black Country (a term coined durring the Industrial Revolution to describe the smoke and smog from all the foundries in the area). We use the greeting "Am yow alright?" or "alright mate/ chuck/ duck/ love!"
     
    M'Bob and DrmexicoII like this.