Great Britain, UK, England .. wut?!

RuralKanuck said:
"The term ‘Limey’ had its heyday during the early 20th century where it was used as a shorthand reference for English emigrants arriving in America, South Africa and Australia.

Its roots come from the British navy’s use of lime juice to cure scurvy during the late 19th century."

As an ex Brit now a Canadian with English and Welsh ancestry and a Scott in there someplace (is it Scot, Scott, Scottish or Scotch, and no matter as I prefer Rum anyway!) I dont know what I am but take no offense is being called a Limey with many of the welsh lot being ship-builders for the British Navy in the early 1800s being even a small part of that seafaring heritage is just fine with me!
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Scot...with one T...or Scottish.... but never Scotch..which is Whisky... that's Whisky without the E.....

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Whisky or Whiskey? Why It Matters | Scotch Whisky Experience
 
Sunkist said: "And then we Americans improved it."
hollydolly replied: "you wish... you really wish.."
Holly here's how American English is improved. On this side of the pond, when nature calls, we go to the loo to poop. Had we been American we would: Take a dump. Take it where? Hold on, I think I know.
The large waste container that we call a skip, from the Old English word "skep," meaning an industrial basket or hamper. Historically, skep referred to large, deep containers used in industries like cotton mills and coal mining to hold heavy loads which gradually evolved into the modern term for large, metal waste containers.
Americans call those skips, a dumpster, so that's where they are taking their dump to. Or do they squat behind the dumpster?
 
hollydolly said:
Oh dear...lol.... first you have to explain council house... then you have to explain just how low life you have to be to become a Chav,.... so maybe I'll leave it to you to explain...:ROFLMAO:
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Go on then, but like you, I'll pass on the council house, too complicated.
In short, a chav is essentially a stereotype of a young, working-class person who is being deliberately, almost aggressively, unrefined.
Chav is essentially a "class-based" insult used to mock people for being "common".

However, to put it in a modern context: a chav is the UK equivalent, (or close to,) of the "Jersey Shore" look, or what the Americans might call "trailer trash," but specifically found in British urban concrete landscapes.
So, if you see a young person in a grey tracksuit, with a ponytail pulled so tight it gives them a facelift, and a loud dog... you've found a classic.
 
horseless carriage said:
Go on then, but like you, I'll pass on the council house, too complicated.
In short, a chav is essentially a stereotype of a young, working-class person who is being deliberately, almost aggressively, unrefined.
Chav is essentially a "class-based" insult used to mock people for being "common".

However, to put it in a modern context: a chav is the UK equivalent, (or close to,) of the "Jersey Shore" look, or what the Americans might call "trailer trash," but specifically found in British urban concrete landscapes.
So, if you see a young person in a grey tracksuit, with a ponytail pulled so tight it gives them a facelift, and a loud dog... you've found a classic.
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I think nowdays it usually means people who are unemployed on benefits... and accompanied often with a specific dog.. a Pitbull.... .
 
hollydolly said:
Restroom is the most ridiculous.

It's not a place you go to rest !
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Your post got me thinking, @hollydolly, because it reminded me of the classic, old-fashioned bathrooms on the University of Missouri campus. Many of them had a small room in addition to the room with toilets and sinks (so it was really two rooms). These small rooms would have chairs, and often a sofa. I took a nap in some of them a few times when I was struck down with terrible cramps and couldn't get back to my apartment.

I just now got around to searching for the origin of the term "restroom" and got this result:

"Restroom" originated in the United States around the turn of the 20th century (circa 1887-1900s) as a polite euphemism for a public toilet. It originally referred to lounges in public buildings, department stores, or theaters that provided comfortable chairs or sofas for women to "rest," wait, or freshen up, which eventually included, or were adjacent to, toilet facilities.

Just thought people here might be interested.
 
KSav said:
I've been thinking about your post, @hollydolly because it reminded me of the classic, old-fashioned bathrooms on the University of Missouri campus. Many of them had a small room in addition to the room with toilets and sinks (so it was really two rooms). These small rooms would have chairs, and often a sofa. I took a nap in some of them a few times when I was struck down with terrible cramps and couldn't get back to my apartment.

I just now got around to searching for the origin of the term "restroom" and got this result:

"Restroom" originated in the United States around the turn of the 20th century (circa 1887-1900s) as a polite euphemism for a public toilet. It originally referred to lounges in public buildings, department stores, or theaters that provided comfortable chairs or sofas for women to "rest," wait, or freshen up, which eventually included, or were adjacent to, toilet facilities.

Just thought people here might be interested.
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yes that is interesting.... Ksav.... what did Americans call the toilet /bathroom before they decided to call it a restroom ?

In all honesty here in the UK in all sorts of entertinement venues.. nightclubs, some pubs..restaurants.. have in the Toilets... some luxury seating......but we still call it the toilets..or the Loo... or even at base level.. the BOG...lol

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Bugger UK, Gt Britain, England etc I am really pissed off that as a dual national I now have to get a British Passport to visit the UK. I can no longer use my Australian passport. As my last British passport expired in 1982 I have to apply as a new applicant. Bastards!

On the bright side I guess I could sell it afterwards or register for the dole :LOL:

Talking of toilets I still haven't got over my last visit when I was charged 30p to visit a toilet, I had forgotten that my mother used to call going to the toilet "Spending a penny", they wouldn't dare charge for toilets here.
 
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Wombat said:
Bugger UK, Gt Britain, England etc I am really pissed off that as a dual national I now have to get a British Passport to visit the UK. I can no longer use my Australian passport. As my last British passport expired in 1982 I have to apply as a new applicant. Bastards!

On the bright side I guess I could sell it afterwards or register for the dole :LOL:

Talking of toilets I still haven't got over my last visit when I was charged 30p to visit a toilet, I had forgotten that my mother used to call going to the toilet "Spending a penny", they wouldn't dare charge for toilets here.
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it's very rare these days to have to pay to use a public toilet..:ROFLMAO:
 
Sunkist said:
When I was a young child, it cost ten cents to get into a stall in store restrooms.
I'm glad that practice was discontinued.
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when I was a kid it was a penny... and you'd put the penny in the slot in the toilet door handle, and it would open..like this...

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..however in those days they had lavatory attendants, and it was their full time job... so they had to pay them somehow.. I suppose. In fact my step grandfather after he retired from his job... he went onto be a lavatory attendant in a public toilet... I didn't learn this until after his death and it was on his death certificate..

Later prices rose.. it was many years before they rose to more than One penny.. and then about the 1990's or so they started to get ridiculous, so that some places were charging up to £1.00.... and many people couldn't afford to even use a public toilet then...

Eventually the councils refused to pay business rates on public toilets and removed them, so now there are none or very few if any Public toilets in the UK...

Instead people have to use instore toilets, cafe's toilets, and toilets in the Malls.. which are all free .... altho' places like Burger king, and MAcDonalds get their knickers in a twist if they see you using the toilet and not buying anything..


As an aside did you know that Chicago was the first American City to remove the charges for using a public toilet ?
 
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hollydolly said:
when I was a kid it was a penny... and you'd put the penny in the slot in the toilet door handle, and it would open..like this...

file.png
..however in those days they had lavotary attendants, and it was their full time job... so they had t pay them somehow.. I supose. In fact my step grandfather after he retired from his job... he went onto be a lavaotary attendant in a public toilet... I didn't learn this until after his death and it was on his death certificate..

Later prices rose.. it was many years before they rose to more than One penny.. and then about the 1990's or so they started to get ridicuous, so that some places were charging up to £1.00.... and many people couldn't afford to even use a public toilet then...

Eventually the councils refused to pay business rates on public toilets and removed them, so now there are none or very few if any Public toilets in the UK...

Instead people have to use instore toilets, cafe's toilets, and toilets in the Malls.. which are all free .... altho' places like Burger king, and MAcDonalds get their knickers in a twist if they see you using the toilet and not buying anything..


As an aside did you know that Chicago was the first American City to remove the charges for using a public toilet ?
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No, I didn't know about Chicago.. interesting!

The stores I recall didn't have attendants.. maybe they could have stopped people from sliding under the door without paying- which I'm sure some people did.

As for not wanting anyone to use restrooms unless they're buying something- it's still the same in the places where I've been.
 
Sunkist said:
No, I didn't know about Chicago.. interesting!

The stores I recall didn't have attendants.. maybe they could have stopped people from sliding under the door without paying- which I'm sure some people did.

As for not wanting anyone to use restrooms unless they're buying something- it's still the same in the places where I've been.
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That's the difference, I've ehard about US toilets havig a sace at the top and bottom of the doors... ours generally don't they are full length...like this...

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or like these below which are in our Local Shopping mall....

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Unless I missed it on a posting, did anyone discuss that one does not take a 'fanny pack' to the UK as we call it in the states? Every annual trip over to the UK I have to drill into the wife that she has to call it a 'waist pack'.
If Hollydolly would like to gently explain and doesn't think everyone will be gobsmacked, alright.
 
retiredtraveler said:
Unless I missed it on a posting, did anyone discuss that one does not take a 'fanny pack' to the UK as we call it in the states? Every annual trip over to the UK I have to drill into the wife that she has to call it a 'waist pack'.
If Hollydolly would like to gently explain and doesn't think everyone will be gobsmacked, alright.
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it's called a Bum Bag..here.. because the word Fanny, here in the UK means Vag ina

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Huuumph!


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Though, frankly I am much more annoyed about having to get a useless British passport than paying for toilets. I say "useless" purely because of Brexit and the visa free travel to the rest of Europe, it has no advantage over my Australian passport

Actually last time I went to an EU country from the UK the entire plane rushed for the four EU gates whereas a yank girl and I had a lovely immigration official all to ourselves.
 
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