BRITISH SLANG

Major changes in society have affected the way we use language, and slang words are now accepted much more as part of everyday speech. Non-native teachers and learners can feel particularly frustrated when they fail to understand the English in movies, songs, TV programmes, books, newspapers and magazines, where slang has found a regular place. The gap between the language taught or learned in school and the day-to-day language in the streets of English-speaking countries is felt even more sharply if students or teachers have the opportunity to visit these countries.

Here are just a few very common British slang words for your enjoyment and edification.

CHEERS

1. OBRIGADO 2. TCHAU 3. SAÚDE!
1. Obrigado.

“I’ve already paid for our lunch.” “Cheers, mate.”

“Eu já paguei o nosso almoço.” “Obrigado, amigo.”

2. Tchau.

“I’m going now.” “Cheers, then. See you tomorrow.”

“Agora vou embora.” “Tchau, então. Até amanhã.”

3. Saúde.

A saudação inglesa – Cheers! – é conhecida e usada por todos no sentido de Saúde!, quando dita antes de tomar-se uma bebida alcoólica.

BLOKE

HOMEM; SUJEITO, CARA

He’s a really nice bloke.

Ele é um cara muito legal.

BLOODY

PALAVRA USADA PARA EXPRIMIR INTENSIDADE

This is bloody good!

Isso é bom pra caramba!
Pode ser empregado também quando se está bravo ou irritado.

You bloody fool!

Seu burro!
BROLLY
GUARDA-CHUVA

Better take your brolly. I think it’s going to rain.

É melhor levar seu guarda-chuva. Acho que vai chover.

Brolly é uma corruptela britânica da palavra umbrella – guarda-chuva –, item tão necessário em todas as estações do ano na Grã-Bretanha.

CHINWAG
BATE-PAPO, CONVERSA INFORMAL
It was good to see you again and have a good old chinwag.
Foi ótimo te ver de novo e bater um bom papo.

Ao pé da letra, chinwagquer dizer “sacudir o queixo”.

CHUFFED

CONTENTÍSSIMO, MUITO SATISFEITO, MUITO FELIZ

I was really chuffed with the news.

Eu fiquei felicíssimo com a novidade.

These last two slang words featured in an interview with the English actor and musician Hugh Laurie on The Ellen DeGeneres show in the US, where they played a hilarious game of British slang versus American slang. You can watch it YouTube:

And for books on British, American and Australian slang with translation and explanations in Portuguese:

Jack Scholes has a first degree in German/Russian from Liverpool University, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education and EFL from London University, and he is also a Licensed Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. He has over 40 years experience in ELT and is now a freelance writer, trainer and ELT specialist.

Z - Old Posts