British kids speak English. But combine their slang with the words for common objects and you’d think it was another language. (They must think the same thing about our slang when they visit the U.S.!)
Getting down the slang
ace: fantastic
aggro: aggravation
bangers and mashed: sausage and mashed potatoes
bin man: trash man
bum: butt
busker: street musician
cheeky: wise-cracking
footie: football or soccer
gobbier: more big-mouthed
goss: gossip, dirt
on holiday: on vacation
ice lolly: ice pop on a stick
knackered: exhausted
knickers in a twist: undies in a bunch
lorry: truck
loo: bathroom
natter: chat
nick: steal
on the dole: on welfare
petrol: gasoline
quid: English currency, the pound
queue: line
slag on: to bust on
spot: little bit
telly: television
Yank: American
Putting it to work
“Here’s the goss Nigel was on the dole, his lorry low on. `I could nick a few quid from that Yank busker on holiday, but I’m knackered,’ he said. He saw a cafe: `Ace! I’ll wait in the loo queue and have a natter with that cute waitress.’ He ordered bangers and mashed, an ice lolly and a spot of tea. But the waitress got her knickers in a twist. She slagged on Nigel, and cheeky she was — even gobbier than the local bin man. Nigel tried watching footie on the telly, but got booted on his bum for being broke. It was pure aggro.”
