On my very first night at the University of York, I found myself in a room full of students speaking the same language as me, and yet it sounded as if we were conversing in different tongues. Between the thick British accents (which may I add, are not accurately portrayed in modern American or British media) and the local slang, I couldn’t help but to find myself constantly asking for clarification. If only there was a beginner’s guide to navigating British slang, written by an American student studying abroad in York, England…
Well, here it is: the one-stop-shop for others out there who are just like me- too embarrassed to ask for translation in day-to-day conversation. *Please note that the following list is comprised of real-life examples so far and continues to grow every day based on my experiences here.*
Food and drinks:
Chips: French fries
Crisps: chips
Chippy: fish shop
Tea: third meal of the day; (the meals are categorized as breakfast, dinner (American version of lunch), and tea (American version of dinner)
Biscuits: cookies
Lemonade: carbonated lemonade
Cloudy lemonade: American lemonade
Soda water: club soda
Pop: soda
Toasty: essentially a grilled cheese or American melt
Bacon: ham
Education:
Uni: college
College 1: 2-year preparatory school before entering university
College 2: Living/learning community at university
Modules: classes/ courses
Flat: apartment or the American version of a dorm
Common Expressions:
Ow do?: How are you?
Cheers!: thank you
Sup up: drink up
Jump it: Down it/ drink it
Miscellaneous:
Quid: British pound
Bloke: non-offensive term meaning “guy”
Bird: offensive term meaning “girl”
Bants: joke/ banter
Mate: friend
Fag: cigarette
Jumper: sweater
Bubble: hair tie
Toilet: restroom (no one here uses “restroom” or “bathroom”)
Legless: drunk
Wankered: drunk
Trolleyed: drunk
Chunder: Vomit
Hoover: vacuum/ vacuuming
Holiday: vacation
As far as the thick accents go, don’t be surprised to hear a lack of pronunciation on hard consonants at the end of a sentence. For example, just the other day, I was having some friendly banter with my flat mate, or as he pronounced it, “ban-tah.”
On the contrary, below is a list of American terms that do not translate to British culture. If you use these terms in conversation with not only locals to England, but with just about any other culture, people will in fact stare at you… you’ve been warned!
Cash
Tap mac
Jawn
Lit
Cheese wiz
A sandwich melt (British “melts” are cheese melted on top of meat, served without bread)
Band-aids
White claws
Twisted tea
Mike’s hard
Chap stick
Grape jelly (or jelly in general- it’s only referred to as “jam” here, and sadly no, they do not carry grape jam in any of the stores)
PB&J
Down the shore
Easy mac
Plastic wrap/ Saran wrap
Cookies
Sidewalk
Sneakers
