Take It From The Brits

By Trilby Goouch
Blogs Editor

I tend to regard the holidays as a time to catch up on TV seasons, books, movies and magazines. Over the past few weeks I tuned in to some quality British reality television, which includes Made In Chelsea, The Only Way is Essex and Geordie Shore. Having grown up in a British household, I was particularly drawn to the British cultural aspects of each show (although admittedly, these shows did lack a bit of substance.) Perhaps the most noticeable factor that distinguishes British reality television from our North American shows is the vocabulary, and I consequently picked up a host of new words and phrases that are a refreshing alternative to “YOLO”, “sick” and “true”.

Reem: Looking good coined by Joey Essex from “The Only Way is Essex”
Example: “You’re looking reem!”
Salty Potato: A good-looking person
Example: “She was such a salty potato”
Proper: Used before an adjective
Example: “That suit is proper stylish”
Mint: Looking fresh
Example: “You’re looking mint tonight”
Getting mortal: getting drunk
Example:“Let’s get MORTAL”
Pulling: Hooking up
Example:“I pulled him last night”
Pulling a bird: Hooking up with a girl
Example:“You pull a bird last night?”
Bell-end: an idiot
Example:“You’re being a real bell-end”
Doin’ my head in:Annoying
Example:“That song is doin’ my head in”
Tashing on:Making out
Example:“Were you two tashing on last night?”
Worldy: An attractive person
Example:“That guy you were talking to was worldly”
Baff:Looking blank
Example:“You look baff, mate”
A slag: a slut
Example:“She was a real slag”
Take the piss: Make fun
Example:“Are you taking the piss?”

Next time you’re looking to break your common vocabulary, give some of these phrases a try!

British, Pop Culture, slang, TV

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