So, in my conversations with Dodgy, from the land of OZ (Australia), we both encounter slang terms used by each other where, I at least, have to stop and look them up. Australians are apparently quite fond of their slang, you see. Anyway, this got me to thinking (which I don’t do that much, so I’m out of practice), and I’ll pose this query to all of you; from your experience, “Which nationality has the most use of slang in their normal conversation?”
I hate it when people force me to think. It hurts…
Mate I reckon it’s the Brits, closely followed by the the Kiwi’s and Oz. We do love our slang and it is normal practice for us to insult each other in our normal conversation, to which no one takes offence. Mind you if someone does take offence, I couldn’t care less. In fact they can take the bloody gate as well…[:D].
You would do very well in the office I work. Heck. The women are even worse than the men.
Down south here in the states - it’s like their own language.
Got that right, bears no resemblance to American. Spent over two years MS and SC.
I say the British use the most slang.
( it was years of Monty Python that helped me keep up with them.)
Ain’t y’all heard of “ain’t” and “y’all”? [:P]
Not to mention “All Y’all” …(Plural of Y’all, which is singular.)
In Hawaii, the most commonly encountered word that trips up people from the outside is “puka”. A puka is a hole, opening, aperture.
For example “Eh, your shirt stay have one puka! Bettah change em braddah!”
I have seen many a mainland contractor suddenly look confused when “puka” is used on the jobsite. I don’t really speak in pidgin, but “puka” is part of the local lexicon, and I do use it.
And then there is the maddening island navigation system. We use a form of polar coordinates to give directions. Towards the center of the island is always “mauka” (towards the mountains), towards the ocean is “makai”. On Oahu, “Ewa” is to the west, “Diamond Head” is to the east. But it only works if you are in Honolulu. If you are in Hawaii Kai, Diamond Head is to the west! And we use places, not roads, to give specific directions. So if you don’t know where Rainbow Drive-In is, for example, you are out of luck. Time to hit Google Maps.
There is a book titled “Pidgin to da Max”, which should help the neophyte visitor understand the local slang. But to be honest, I have never heard of a lot of what is in there!
Ho, and I stay live here all my life!
Thats reminds me of the first time i was in Canada. We were in a bar in Jasper and the locals thought we were Australians because we called each other mate. You would have thought the Canucks would know where the Ozzies got their language from. I’ve always thought the candians were like us but more laid back, and the Australians were like us but with an even better sense of humour (which says a lot).
I’m sure you guys have heard of Cockney Rhyming Slang.
I think I’d agree, Dodgy, although I’m not sure whether to be [:)] or [:$]. We have so many local accents & dialects crammed in to our small islands, influenced by so many languages, that words & phrases just get absorbed into everyday use. New words are not a problem for me - they can enrich our language. It’s the erosion of grammar that does the damage.
In my part of the country, the local “Geordie” dialect is almost a language unto itself. A mix of old Scots, English, and Norse (old Scandinavian) tongues, it’s practically unintelligible to outsiders, unless moderated - which can be a source of some amusement to us[:D]. Other parts of the UK (Yorkshire, the West Country, etc.) have similar claims, and London’s Cockney rhyming slang is well-known (despite the efforts of Dick Van Dyke[:D]).
EDIT - Ah, I see the AutoProtect robot has been at work. I meant, of course, that fine actor, Mr Richard Van Water-Restraining-Earthwork.
And yes, friendly insults are (usually!) taken in the spirit intended.
Noo haddaway wi’ ya barra, an’ gan canny!
You should try a bit of Broad Norfolk Bor, even i struggle. Real Broad Norfolk isn’t as common as it used to be, it seems to have been more watered down than many other reginal dialects and its near impossable to immitate. But it was good enough for Nelson.
I can just imagine[:D] And real Geordie is watered down a lot these days, too.
Aye, no argument there.
Don’t ask me, I’m from the colonies, we’all talk normal, don’t y’all?
lol So true!
Yuze people talk funny
Southern English . . . a whole different ball game!!! Once had a girl friend who commonly said “Well y’all, I might could do that.” Might could; what the heck is ‘might could’? She’d just smile . . .
Another from the South…red-up.
But then the French snuck into Canada for the fur trade.
Your part of the world is not alone Real G. On Norfolk Island the local speak is mainly pidgin. These people are the decendants of the Bounty mutineers and the their language is very unique.