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Need help with my British lingo…

Pastorbottle
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Aroxx Aroxx
I’ve been watching a lot of old Top Gear re-runs lately and something that surprised me is the liberal use of the word “cock” on television. Not sure I’ve ever heard that on TV before. I guess it’s more referring to the bird than the male organ?
No they’ve not referring to rosters!
 
noelekal
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Pastorbottle Pastorbottle
No they’ve not referring to rosters!
Roster.jpg
 
Peemacgee
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Aroxx Aroxx
I’ve been watching a lot of old Top Gear re-runs lately and something that surprised me is the liberal use of the word “cock” on television. Not sure I’ve ever heard that on TV before. I guess it’s more referring to the bird than the male organ?

The intended meaning of the word 'cock' depends on the context:

You cock - you are a dick
Oh cock - an exclamation with no real meaning other than to sound a bit rude (James May says this a lot)
Cock-eyed - (of a person) cross eyed (of a thing) off centre / unbalanced
Cocked it up - derivation of making something cock-eyed (messed it up)
Me old cock - a cockney term of endearment (truncation of cock-sparrow)
Alreet cock - a midlands / north western greeting to a male mate - derived from a male bird (however you might also find yourself called 'duck')
 
MRC
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Tere ar
Aroxx Aroxx
I’ve been watching a lot of old Top Gear re-runs lately and something that surprised me is the liberal use of the word “cock” on television. Not sure I’ve ever heard that on TV before. I guess it’s more referring to the bird than the male organ?
There are quite a few usages, the only ones I can think that are chicken related are cock-a-hoop, which is crowing about something. and cock-fight - pretty obvious what that is.

You could also have:
half-cock - not ready
on the cock - twisted, not aligned (also as cock-eyed)
cock-up - snafu
cock or stop-cock - a faucet or valve
cock and bull story - BS
cockboat - small ship's boat
cockpit - I'm guessing derived from site of cockfighting
cocktail - OED says "unknown origin"
cocky - conceited or saucy

and I'm sure there must be more
 
Aroxx
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Thank you @Peemacgee and @MRC ! I’m aware of a couple of those used in the US like cock-eyed and cocky. Also, the use as a valve makes sense and I’m familiar with the fuel valve as a pet-cock. I guess it would be more common to hear “dick” here if someone were being vulgar. I don’t watch enough TV to know what’s acceptable. I know later at night here they can be more vulgar on broadcast television. James May is the main offender for sure saying “oh cock” or “cocked it up” and always calling Jeremy Clarkson a cock of course.
 
Davidt
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In the UK ‘cock’ is a step down from ‘dick’ or ‘prick’.

As @Peemacgee says, it can be used as a term of slight aggression when referring to someone who has irritated you, or a term of endearment to someone you know “na then cock!”
 
M'Bob
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Does anybody still say, when asking someone if they made any progress with something, “Did you have any joy with that?”
 
TimeODanaos
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M'Bob M'Bob
“thanks” and “ta.” Interchangeable?
No. It's a class thing, with overlaps depending on context. Also, a Britisher will often ape vocabulary not their own, either to blend in, or to make fun of the whole shooting-match. (Which is what James May is doing, as the class grown-up, with his deliberately feeble insult.)
 
Davidt
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M'Bob M'Bob
Does anybody still say, when asking someone if they made any progress with something, “Did you have any joy with that?”

Yes but typically shortened to “any joy?”
 
TimeODanaos
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Here's one for ya. On failing to hear what someone just said to you.
Upper class: "Wha'?"
Upper middle class, educated bourgeoisie: "Sorry?" (i.e. not-sorry of course)
Lower middle class/climbers: "Pardon?"
Ordinary folk: "Wha'?"
Edited:
 
MRC
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sheepdoll sheepdoll
Just do not use the word in an eBay message 😵‍💫
Or in an email to the Environment Agency to tell them one of their waterway bridges is damaged, although their own name for it is "Cockup Bridge".

In this case the "Cockup" part refers to an earlier bridge on the same site that lifted up to allow boats to pass. Here is a modern version from The Netherlands.
PC8A8W.jpg
 
M'Bob
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Okay: any discernible difference between the Australian and New Zealand accents?
 
MRC
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TimeODanaos TimeODanaos
Here's one for ya. On failing to hear what someone just said to you.
Upper class: "Wha'?"
Upper middle class, educated bourgeoisie: "Sorry?" (i.e. not-sorry of course)
Lower middle class/climbers: "Pardon?"
Ordinary folk: "Wha?"
Akcherly ol' boy, "Say again." has become quite popular from aircraft pilot-speak.

"Say again all after...." has not hit the streets yet, but it may.
 
Peemacgee
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M'Bob M'Bob
Okay: any discernible difference between the Australian and New Zealand accents?

Definitely
Easy tell
Six = Sux and Sex respectively
 
Syrte
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Wow-this is intense.
How did I previously miss this thread? Guess what, it’s all Chinese to me 😜
i’ve barely been able to wade through the first three pages but it’s so captivating I might have to read the rest if I can. 😲
Thanks for the treat,
In real life language is so much more interesting than watches.
 
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