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History of British Slang

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The first English dictionary of slang produced in 1699, origin of the Canting Crew
r/discworld • 1
What are some standard English words that were originally slang?
r/etymology • 2
60 British slang words that will confuse anybody who didn't grow up in the UK
r/HPfanfiction • 3
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History of British Slang

Early Origins and Documentation

The history of British slang can be traced back to the late 17th century, with one of the earliest documented collections being the English dictionary of slang produced in 1699. This dictionary was associated with the "Canting Crew," a term referring to thieves and beggars who used their own form of language [1]. The dictionary served as a guide for foreigners to understand this unique vernacular and protect themselves from scams [1:4].

Evolution into Standard Language

Many words that originated as slang have evolved into standard English over time. For example, "soccer" was originally British slang for "association football" [2]. Other terms like "blowing a raspberry," derived from Cockney rhyming slang, demonstrate how playful linguistic transformations become part of everyday speech [2:2]. Some words, such as "OK," began as slang abbreviations and filled linguistic needs, becoming widely adopted across languages [2:7].

Regional Variations and Cultural Influence

British slang varies significantly by region and is heavily influenced by cultural factors. Cockney rhyming slang from East London is a notable example, where seemingly polite phrases often have rude origins [2:4]. Additionally, British slang has been shaped by historical events and societal changes, such as the influence of Polari, a secretive language used by various subcultures including actors and sailors during the early 20th century [4:1].

Modern Usage and Global Spread

Today, British slang continues to evolve and spread globally, partly due to media and entertainment. Words like "geezer" have different meanings in British versus American contexts, showcasing the nuances in slang usage [3:4]. The global dissemination of British slang through television and film has led to its incorporation into other cultures, making it an interesting study of linguistic adaptation and adoption [3:1].

Resources for Historical Slang

For those interested in specific eras, such as the 1920s, resources are available that focus on period-specific slang. While many lists online may lean towards American slang, British sources like Polari offer insights into the unique lexicon of the time [4]. These resources are invaluable for writers and historians looking to capture authentic dialogue from various periods in British history.

In summary, British slang is a rich tapestry woven from historical, cultural, and regional threads, reflecting the dynamic nature of language and society.

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Source Threads

POST SUMMARY • [1]

Summarize

The first English dictionary of slang produced in 1699, origin of the Canting Crew

Posted by Sewitbackon · in r/discworld · 8 months ago
8 upvotes on reddit
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nopogo · 8 months ago

Is that two different s shapes or was this written by igor?

1 upvotes on reddit
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_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ · 8 months ago

ſ was the regular s, with s used only at the end of words.

Similar to Greek, which has both σ and ς.

1 upvotes on reddit
N
nopogo · 8 months ago

Aaaaah that makes ſenſe!

1 upvotes on reddit
ThatCherenkovBlue · 8 months ago

One's an old version of a typeset f-looking s, but without the crossbar. Mostly used like a long s I think. Not overly sure if it's linked to the German B-like long s...

1 upvotes on reddit
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_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ · 8 months ago

Yes. ẞ is ſ + z

1 upvotes on reddit
DeathofRats42 · 8 months ago

The original Urban Dictionary.

1 upvotes on reddit
DerekW-2024 · 8 months ago

Ufeful for all forts of People (efpecially Foreigners) to fecure their Money and preferve their Lives; befides very Diverting and Entertaining, being wholly New.

Ah, the translated version of Twoflower's fine Agatean Travel guide, Dictionary, Phrasebook, Language guide, Handbook of the Sights, Guidebook, Apodemica, Directory for Patriotic Travellers, Traveller's oracle.

1 upvotes on reddit
lavachat · 8 months ago

Oh, lovely find, thank you!

1 upvotes on reddit
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evasandor · 8 months ago

This is a great resource, and one I consulted it lot when writing my own criminal characters. Sir Pterry knew what was up.

1 upvotes on reddit
See 9 replies
r/etymology • [2]

Summarize

What are some standard English words that were originally slang?

Posted by nacrosian · in r/etymology · 2 years ago

For example, soccer was originally British slang for "association football".

60 upvotes on reddit
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Arcenies · 2 years ago

"Blowing a raspberry" comes from Cockney rhyming slang

fart (imitation of the sound) -> raspberry tart -> raspberry

45 upvotes on reddit
N
neiljt · 2 years ago

Some of the seemingly polite ones are actually quite rude, which should surprise no-one who has ever visited the East End of London: Grumble (& grunt), Berk(ley Hunt), Pony (& Trap), and many more. Guessing the actual rhymes is left as an exercise for the reader.

9 upvotes on reddit
P
Ploddit · 2 years ago

Don't all words start as slang?

15 upvotes on reddit
N
nacrosian · OP · 2 years ago

No, most words in English were borrowed from other languages or come directly from Old English.

17 upvotes on reddit
P
Ploddit · 2 years ago

OK, but those words were all coined somewhere so could reasonably be defined as slang at some point.

The question you're actually asking is, "which words were invented in modern (however you choose to define this) English and can't be shown to have been borrowed from other languages?"

The answer would be long.

4 upvotes on reddit
mcmanninc · 2 years ago

Oh, I have a quote for this: "Its Because English is not one language, it's three languages wearing a trench coat pretending to be one language that then beats up other languages in dark alleys and rifles though their pockets for loose grammar and spare vocabulary."

Credit to - u/Squaredsocks for the quote.

16 upvotes on reddit
lo_profundo · 2 years ago

Ok

From etymonline: "all right, correct," 1839, only survivor of a slang fad in Boston and New York c. 1838-9 for abbreviations of common phrases with deliberate, jocular misspellings... In the case of O.K., the abbreviation is of "oll korrect."

It likely caught on because it filled the need for a neutral affirmative word in English. Other languages have one (like Latin American Spanish with "está bien"), but English didn't have one until "ok" was widely adopted. Now it's the most widely spoken English word in the world.

I suppose we could debate whether it's still slang or not, but I think it's largely accepted as a normal word by now.

53 upvotes on reddit
virtutesromanae · 2 years ago

Right! It pops up in all sorts of other languages now - for better or worse.

7 upvotes on reddit
markjohnstonmusic · 2 years ago

Cool is unquestionably still slang.

6 upvotes on reddit
Eternal-Souls · 1 year ago

The issue here is that they are all still words, just new applied meanings

1 upvotes on reddit
Canes-Venaticii · 2 years ago

Guy

"Named after Guy Fawkes (1570–1606), an English Catholic executed for his role in the Gunpowder Plot" (Wiktionary)

47 upvotes on reddit
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hononononoh · 2 years ago

To me, this is the most interesting and mysterious part of this unique word’s etymology. I can see logically how it was derived from a popular language game, engaged in by at least one popular periodical. But to me, the part that begs for an explanation is how it caught on so quickly and was embraced so wholeheartedly in Britain (and then it’s colonies), despite the Brits not having any exposure to the meme it referenced.

And then beyond the Anglosphere, of course. A lot of languages that have adopted the word /.o'ke:/ of something like it, have retrofitted pseudoetymologies from their own word stock to explain and give precedence to it. What this says to me is that this word served a very useful phatic and/or semiotic function, possibly one opportuned by modernity, that everyone benefitted from having. Either that or much the opposite — OK is basically the resurrection of a long-suppressed protoword, whose practically made it insuppressable any longer.

1 upvotes on reddit
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r/HPfanfiction • [3]

Summarize

60 British slang words that will confuse anybody who didn't grow up in the UK

Posted by OfAnOldRepublic · in r/HPfanfiction · 9 months ago

I thought y'all would be interested in this. Several words and phrases in the list should be familiar. 😁

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/60-british-phrases-confuse-anybody-184632768.html

5 upvotes on reddit
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mlatu315 · 9 months ago

Like half of these are just English, not specifically British. I heard a lot of them just growing up in 90's Midwest culture.

2 upvotes on reddit
Seamewn · 9 months ago

Oh, if muggle comes from mug then it is kinda derogatory.

2 upvotes on reddit
OfAnOldRepublic · OP · 9 months ago

Yeah, I was borderline on whether this was worth posting until I got to that one. I think most Americans don't grasp the subtle dig there. That even the "accepted" and "polite" way to refer to non-magical folks, muggle-borns, etc. is a thinly veiled insult.

1 upvotes on reddit
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hrmdurr · 9 months ago

Huh, I never knew the meaning of geezer was different let some that different - probably has caused some confusion both ways in fanfic.

(Across the pond, it refers to an old man in an often derogatory fashion: frail, decrepit and possibly senile. Old geezer is often used, but it's also like saying young baby lol.)

3 upvotes on reddit
HPfanfiction-ModTeam · 9 months ago

Hi OfAnOldRepublic. Your submission has been removed from /r/hpfanfiction because:

Your submission breaks Rule 1:  

Discussion must be fanfiction related.

If you have any issues with this decision, please contact us via modmail

1 upvotes on reddit
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Laxien · 9 months ago

I am not British (nope: Evil German here!), but I knew most of these...then again: I love English as a language, it's just too usefull and a like the expressions native speakers use (colloquialisms and idioms/speech figures)...you can't understand jokes in another language without them after all and frankly I like watching TV-Shows (from the US and Britain) without dubbing (I don't need it, so why would I want it?)

3 upvotes on reddit
See 6 replies
r/writing • [4]

Summarize

British 1920s slang?

Posted by MTheLoud · in r/writing · 6 years ago

Where can I find info about 1920s British slang? I’m writing a period piece, and a few young characters are up on the latest lingo, particularly from the London nightclub, dance hall, and theatre scene. I want their speech to be pretty much incomprehensible to the more staid, traditional characters. I’m finding lots of online lists of 1920s slang, but they seem very American, with a lot of words about prohibition and bootleg liquor. Is there a more British list out there somewhere?

2 upvotes on reddit
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MTheLoud · OP · 3 years ago

I came back to say, in case anyone finds this old thread: Polari. It was the language of actors, circus and fairground showmen, professional wrestlers, merchant navy sailors, criminals, sex workers, and the gay subculture.

1 upvotes on reddit
See 1 replies
r/hardimages2 • [5]

Summarize

British slang

Posted by FaxMann · in r/hardimages2 · 6 months ago
post image
i.redd.it
27 upvotes on reddit
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FingerNamedKid539 · 6 months ago

https://preview.redd.it/eaaqmbgxahue1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=439b68ce980b06bc13c6fa3a9cec8d41543058db

2 upvotes on reddit
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r/books • [6]

Summarize

To anyone who can understand early 20th century British slang, can someone interpret this?

Posted by 0bush · in r/books · 3 years ago

There was this that was peculiar about the stranger's back: that instead of being flat it presented a decided curve. "It ain't a 'ump, and it don't look like kervitcher of the spine," observed the voluble young lady to herself. "Blimy if I don't believe 'e's taking 'ome 'is washing up his back."

This passage is from “Passing Of The Third Floor Back.” I have no idea what “Blimy” or “kervitcher” means, and nothing shows up on google either.

Edit: can someone also interpret the last sentence? I literally have no idea what the person is saying.

518 upvotes on reddit
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[deleted] · 3 years ago

It’s just phonetic spelling of a working class English accent. To say we invented the language some of us don’t half butcher it lol

16 upvotes on reddit
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johnsgrove · 3 years ago

Ok except Blimey can stand. It was a very common expression and fuck me most certainly was not

110 upvotes on reddit
reddit-less · 3 years ago

Oh, I completely agree that "blimey" was (and in some parts) is still a common expression. But I was simply updating with modern sensibilities. If it were written today, for today's audience, I think "fuck me" would ring more true.

132 upvotes on reddit
O
Own_Confection4645 · 3 years ago

I didn’t realize that blimey was a portmanteau! Thanks for the etymology lesson :)

10 upvotes on reddit
[deleted] · 3 years ago

Curvature of the spine. "blimey" was like "golly" or "gee whiz" for cockneys and working class, but more of an expression of bewilderment. Not sure of its origin, its still used by older folk now and then

116 upvotes on reddit
I
Ireallyamthisshallow · 3 years ago

I was told 'caw blimey' comes from 'God blind me' but changed over time to remove the blasphemy from it. I don't have any source to say if that's true or not though!

24 upvotes on reddit
bermondseybrick · 3 years ago

Sorry this made me giggle … it’s not cockles (they are a type of sea food it’s actually cockney

Source : from London

42 upvotes on reddit
plantmic · 3 years ago

> "blimey" was like "golly" or "gee whiz" for cockneys and working class,

Very much still in use throughout England, but probably moreso in the south.

8 upvotes on reddit
[deleted] · 3 years ago

Indeed...quite

Blimey = ye gods!

Kervitcher = he's a hunchback with likely a massive cist on back.

36 upvotes on reddit
D
DJYoue · 3 years ago

Cor Blimey, shortened to Blimey, is a way of not blaspheming by saying "God blind me" which was apparently something people would say. I just found that interesting.

61 upvotes on reddit
N
NotSmert · 3 years ago

Yeah it's not slang, it's typed out cockney lmao

918 upvotes on reddit
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Diregnoll · 3 years ago

It makes me wonder if voice assistants understand cockney.

57 upvotes on reddit
See 12 replies
r/linguisticshumor • [7]

Summarize

Anglo-Saxon peasants changing their vocabulary after the Norman invasion of 1066

Posted by Brave_Travel_5364 · in r/linguisticshumor · 9 months ago
post image
i.redd.it
32 upvotes on reddit
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Any-Passion8322 · 9 months ago

I don’t like Biden, but I still laughed harder than I should have.

If you want to be realistic, even before the Norman invasion and Hastings in 1066, there was likely a Germanic substitute for all of those words, perhaps compound words like you see in Anglish or German.

3 upvotes on reddit
EreshkigalAngra42 · 9 months ago

I sometimes wonder what if the norman invansion never happened and how different would english be today

3 upvotes on reddit
T
TheChtoTo · 9 months ago

someone was wondering that too and made Anglish. Check it out, it's pretty fun

1 upvotes on reddit
DefinitelyNotErate · 9 months ago

Bold to assume that Harald Hardrade wouldn't have conquered England without the Norman invasion.

1 upvotes on reddit
S
so_im_all_like · 9 months ago

It's flowery, but only 7 of those words are Latinate, right?

7 upvotes on reddit
Flacson8528 · 9 months ago

Ignore COVID, if you count afternoon (arguable cuz it's a compound) & American (neo-latin), then it's 9

1 upvotes on reddit
Shoddy-Tank-6747 · 2 months ago

10.

When English becomes abstract, the percentage of words of French origin immediately increases sharply.
1 upvotes on reddit
S
so_im_all_like · 2 months ago

I see: test*, positive, covid (which I treat as a single word in context, but is built on latinate elements), during*, isolate, recover, continue, American, and people.

*Those are the ones I must have missed, as I had to check just now.

I assume you count "covid-19" as equivalent to "coronavirus + disease nineteen".

1 upvotes on reddit
norude1 · 9 months ago

wait, COVID comes from "corona virus disease"?

1 upvotes on reddit
PostingList · 9 months ago

u/repostsleuthbot

1 upvotes on reddit
Brave_Travel_5364 · OP · 9 months ago

No it was me using an old account who first posted it 😭

3 upvotes on reddit
turner-account · 9 months ago

when was this

3 upvotes on reddit
See 12 replies
r/wikipedia • [8]

Summarize

Glossary of Scottish slang and jargon

Posted by Sparkling_Beverage · in r/wikipedia · 1 year ago
en.m.wiktionary.org
12 upvotes on reddit
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Sparkling_Beverage · OP · 1 year ago

“Ah booted her right in the fud, man!”

3 upvotes on reddit
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r/HPfanfiction • [9]

Summarize

What examples of British phrases and slang do you want to see more of?

Posted by BarfingOgres · in r/HPfanfiction · 3 years ago

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that most fic writers don’t live in the British Isles, and therefore are not as in tune with the local vocabulary.

By my observations it can be a real struggle to find fics that incorporate any at all. Maybe a quarter of all fics feature something, but even then a lot of it is featuring passages and phrases from the books/films. Ron saying “bloody hell” being the main example of this, and often the only one.

Question is thus: what phrases and slang would you like to see more of for a more immersive or better experience?

104 upvotes on reddit
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Demandred3000 · 3 years ago

General swearing. Fuck, wanker, bastard were very popular in my primary school in the 90's. Just whenever you're invited into anyones home they automatically ask if you "fancy a cuppa tea." It's just polite.

54 upvotes on reddit
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ceplma · 3 years ago

Is that “a cuppa tea” or just “a cuppa”?

16 upvotes on reddit
Puzzled-You · 3 years ago

Depends on the person. Some say cuppa, which implies they only have tea, others are more specific if they have other drinks.

15 upvotes on reddit
LSUsweetie · 3 years ago

Moonfairy13 on AO3 has done a series, called Hermione’s Writing Workshops, where she addresses British swear words and a few other similar topics. The fics are cute and helpful!

44 upvotes on reddit
Grumplesquishkin · 3 years ago

The lack of swearing is more unrealistic than the magic, tbh. "Cunt" in particular should probably feature in every conversation except between kids and adults.

70 upvotes on reddit
Llayanna · 3 years ago

As someone with lots if british friends I would agree with that.

Though the c*nt word actually rarely comes up.

The favourite are right now tosser and tit XD

11 upvotes on reddit
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emong757 · 3 years ago

The use of "cock-up".

79 upvotes on reddit
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LittenInAScarf · 3 years ago

"Malfoy you are such a cunt"

"HARRY JAMES POTTER WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL HIM?!"

"A Cunt, Hermione. I called Malfoy a Cunt because he was being a Cunt"

- If Harry was a real 90s Teen.

164 upvotes on reddit
Puzzled-You · 3 years ago

If Harry was Australian

7 upvotes on reddit
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Hookton · 3 years ago

I think you're underestimating the prevalence of the use of the word "cunt" by British teenagers, here. And adults. And children, in fairness.

39 upvotes on reddit
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ayeayefitlike · 3 years ago

He went to school in Scotland - they’d all be saying ‘cunt’. Watch the Billy Connolly sketch!

12 upvotes on reddit
iDarkLightning · 3 years ago

Just a reminder that Hermione was also a real 90s Teen, and was the one to slap Draco in the face :)

6 upvotes on reddit
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Related

British slang words and meanings

common british phrases and their origins

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AI Answer

🤖

history of british slang

Key Considerations in the History of British Slang:

  1. Origins: British slang has roots in various languages and dialects, including Old English, Norse, Latin, and French. It has evolved over centuries, influenced by social changes, trade, and cultural exchanges.

  2. Regional Variations: Slang varies significantly across different regions of the UK. For example, Cockney rhyming slang from East London, Scouse from Liverpool, and Geordie from Newcastle each have unique terms and phrases.

  3. Historical Context: The use of slang often reflects social class and identity. In the 19th century, slang was sometimes associated with the working class and criminal underworld, while the upper classes used more formal language.

  4. Influence of Media: The rise of mass media, including literature, music, and television, has popularized certain slang terms. For instance, the Beatles and other musicians introduced slang to a wider audience in the 1960s.

  5. Modern Evolution: Today, British slang continues to evolve, influenced by youth culture, technology, and globalization. Terms like "lit," "fam," and "bants" have emerged in recent years, often spreading through social media.

Takeaways:

  • British slang is a rich tapestry reflecting the country's diverse history and culture.
  • Understanding regional slang can enhance communication and cultural appreciation.
  • Slang can change rapidly, so staying updated with current terms is beneficial, especially in informal settings.

Recommendation: If you're interested in exploring British slang further, consider reading books like "The Oxford Dictionary of Slang" or "The Slang Dictionary" by John Camden Hotten for a comprehensive overview. Engaging with British media, such as films and music, can also provide context and examples of slang in use.

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