Need help with my British lingo…

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M'Bob

·Mar 11, 2023

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! 😀

 

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cristos71

·Mar 11, 2023

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

 

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lillatroll

·Mar 11, 2023

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.

 

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pascs

·Mar 11, 2023

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 😁

 

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Peemacgee

·Mar 11, 2023·Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers

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’

 

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Mark020

·Mar 11, 2023·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

This is already bewildering...

 

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cristos71

·Mar 11, 2023

Mark020

This is already bewildering...

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

 

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Hetcins1

·Mar 11, 2023

I'm from the north east of England I would greet people with agh reet .😀

 

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Mark020

·Mar 11, 2023·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

cristos71

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

ROFLOL. I saw the pic I posted above only recently and only then realised how strange it is

 

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Peemacgee

·Mar 11, 2023·Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers

Mark020

This is already bewildering...

Actually, those who count themselves as ‘upper-middle class’ tend to use supper in lieu of dinner as a social affectation.

 

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Mark020

·Mar 11, 2023·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

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:

 

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madjestikmoose

·Mar 11, 2023

Where I’m from, ‘How bist?’ is a reasonably common thing to hear as friends greet each other.

 

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Duracuir1

·Mar 11, 2023·Never Used A Kodak

 

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MRC

·Mar 11, 2023

M'Bob

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! 😀

Where I was brought up it would be "Ow bist?" and the reply "Bostin." Where I live now "Y'allright?" is most common.

 

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M'Bob

·Mar 11, 2023

madjestikmoose

Where I’m from, ‘How bist?’ is a reasonably common thing to hear as friends greet each other.

MRC

Where I was brought up it would be "Ow bist?" and the reply "Bostin." Where I live now "Y'allright?" is most common.

Sort of like, “How’s business?”

 

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Walrus

·Mar 11, 2023

Oh bloody hell do we really need this oy

 

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MRC

·Mar 11, 2023

M'Bob

Sort of like, “How’s business?”

Not really, bist can occur in other phrases. For example "Bist yow gannin whum?" meaning "Are you going home?".

 

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M'Bob

·Mar 11, 2023

Walrus

Oh bloody hell do we really need this oy

In all the British TV shows, they write it as “oi.”

 

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DrmexicoII

·Mar 11, 2023

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

 

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Kik_Kat_Kish

·Mar 11, 2023

M'Bob

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).

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!"