Insults that never made an impact this side of the pond

[Ginger Tea]

Thread necromancy time

I was watching a youtube video of an Advent Calender gift parcel type thing (Yogscast2 aka Hanna's channel) and she was saying she got these from when she was 5 onwards, starting off with school things like rubbers etc.

One commenter (either American and not aware of our meaning or trolling) posted "Rubbers for a 5 year old, you do things differently over there."

No, Rubbers as in pencil erasers not condoms, our five year olds arnt that sexually active since Jimmy Savil died.

Also she was hoping none of the gifts would be pants as that would be embarrasing.
Now in the UK pants could mean underpants / underwear, or this is pants (or yahtzies pants on head retarded) aka rubbish, now both are a valid concern for her doing these videos.
she doesn't want to open a box and have something pink and frilly pop out on camera, nor does she wan't something mundaner than mundane to also come out.

Yet Pant's over in the States and Canada predominantly mean trousers, I can't be arsed finding the link, but a year or so ago Mike J from tgwtg posted an English/American song detailing some of the funnier word migrations.

Jerk, I just don't see as that much of an insult, given that in the UK Jerk off, which I'm assuming is the full term, just isn't in use, we have the more dominant Wanker and 2nd best Tosser to even need a third option let alone import one.
if Jerk is how I see it having a Steve Martin movie of the same title might seem risque, but when you compare it to the frequency of Wanker on mainstream TV in the UK, it seems watered down either way
Deep Cinematrailer voice "Steve Martin is <B>The Wanker</B> comming this fall"
yes that was low hanging fruit there, also why Fall?, it's not as if Autumn wasn't around by the time the last or even first boat set sail now was it?

[fireheart17]

Fun Fact: NCIS became really popular in Australia long before it hit #1 in the states.

I loved NCIS early on. Now, possibly because I was working a lot, I haven't bought anything since around Season 5.

Over here in Australia, it changes depending on where you are. People in the state capitals seem to take it as being worse than 'F***' whereas the country areas seem to have forgotten the original meaning and use it as frequently as or in conjunction with 'F***'.
Example (Approval): "Oi man, he's a f***ing mad c***, hey!?!"
Example (Dislike): "Get in there you f***ing c*** of a bitch!" (standard mechanic and computer tech phrasing.)

I've heard both and I'm metro. It's strange....to me it comes down to context.

As for insults down my way, let's see....

I've heard the rubber/eraser one more times than I can count. It made me giggle when my mentor teacher (and my kids) STILL refer to them as "rubbers". The real kicker is that one of my students is a regular commuter between Australia and the US (she's from California). It is going to be REAL interesting in a week when she leaves...(she's moving back overseas permanently ) The term I've heard for condom down here has also been "franger".

If you walk into a department store and ask "where do you keep the thongs?" they will point you to the shoe department. So no, a man asking for thongs is not going to get him thrown out. If he asks for ladies thongs, they will still point him to the shoe section. Basically, there's no way that you could get really perverse with that statement (even if you asked for "lacy" thongs, they would show you some thongs that can be laced up).

One that is unique to my state is the term "minda". It is basically another way to insult someone by calling them a 'retard'. The term actually comes from a group set up in my state called the MINDA association, which helps those with intellectual disabilities. It can be used either as an insult or it can be used to bully or make fun of someone who really DOES have an intellectual disability. And yeah, I learnt the meaning of that in Year 5.

I've also heard the term "wanker" a few times. My friends and I tend to use the term "lazy sod". (between ourselves only)

There's also the term "ranga" which is short for "orangutan" and refers to someone with red hair.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I find that a lot of Americans, even now with the internet and everything, are still amazed that the British can be so damn rude. I think that's cuz a lot of them still see us all as mega polite toffs; they're in for a rude awakening if they ever visit my neck of the woods! XD Here's a few more Brit style insults and their meanings.

Berk - Word meaning a stupid person.

Billy no mates/Nelly no friends - someone with no friends.

Bint - Either a word meaning a stupid woman or a word meaning a slutty woman, depending on context.

Bloody - An exclamation of surprise, shock or anger. All three on occasion. XD

Bollocks - Testicles. Can also be used as an exclamation if you stub your toe, for example. Also, in a different context, can mean something good; ie, saying something is "the dog's bollocks" means that it's the best thing ever. A "bollocking" is a telling off. Finally, saying "That's bollocks!" in response to being told something, means "That's rubbish!".

Bugger - Apart from its obvious meaning, also can mean a stupid person, as in "Daft bugger" as well as an exclamation of anger, pain etc. The term "Bugger off!" means "Go away!". Finally, the term "playing silly buggers" means basically "messing around".

Git - An insult meaning someone you don't like.

Numpty - An insult meaning someone is stupid.

Pillock - An insult meaning someone is stupid. We have a lot of these. XD

Plonker - Yep, here's another insult meaning someone is stupid.

Prat - Another one.

Scrubber - Meaning a woman of loose morals.

Shite - Shit. Used a lot in football chants. ie "Man U-Shite-ed".


That'll do for the moment. XD

[BlaqueKatt]

He then pointed out they didn't have cheerleaders and played American football. -.-

He is incorrect.
They only cheer in Lambeau, as they are students at UW Green Bay.

[Ginger Tea]

One that is unique to my state is the term "minda". It is basically another way to insult someone by calling them a 'retard'. The term actually comes from a group set up in my state called the MINDA association, which helps those with intellectual disabilities. It can be used either as an insult or it can be used to bully or make fun of someone who really DOES have an intellectual disability. And yeah, I learnt the meaning of that in Year 5.

Kinda like the 1980's "Joey Deacon"? normally some arm waving infront of the cheast and *durrn* "joey deacon."

I've also heard the term "wanker" a few times. My friends and I tend to use the term "lazy sod". (between ourselves only)

Lazy sod means nothing more than Lazy sod (sod not short for sodomy or owt like that) over here, less used lazy so and so, so sticking it next to wanker seems off unless wanker means something else over there

There's also the term "ranga" which is short for "orangutan" and refers to someone with red hair.

Me likey, I oftimes refer to my self as part Orangutan, I have the hair and long arms, although my right turn clyde would get the driver thwacked as they would be on my right side seeing as we drive on the left (like in Oz)

Never knew Pom was short for Property of HM mind, Limie for Limes and scurvy I get, I just find it insulting in its lack of insultingness, mind you Yanks who are not from the south probably don't like it as much as Welshmen don't like being called English (or brittish for that matter )

Also from the reclaiming words thread I saw when necroing this, faggott, also some meatball thing that I refuse to eat.
Honkey and cracker I also find offencive in their unofenciveness, funny white hetrosexual males can call everyone else a thesaurus of insults, yet what do we get in return? honkey

[Lace Neil Singer]

Never heard the term "ranga" for a ginger insult; the following are ones I remember from school directed towards ginger people.

Duracell (as in, the battery which has a copper top)
Ginger Minger (cuz it rhymes; "minge" is a slang word for pubic hair)
Wotsit Head (a wotsit is a savoury snack which is orange)
Ginga (pronounce with hard Gs)
Ginger Tosser (from a TV programme called "Game On")
Gingernut (referring to a ginger flavoured biscuit)

[Ginger Tea]

Never heard the term "ranga" for a ginger insult

IIR the poster is from Austrailia and no, I had not heard the term before, but I am owning it with pride.

Yes I got my fair share of Ginger jokes (pre Gingers don't have souls meme) when I was at school and post school the worst I've got are "Mick Hucknall" or "Chris Eavans", the last ones to call me Hucknall must have been 5 when Simply Red last had a hit, so I dread their up bringing if they can remember him envisions Chavs muffling Chris Deburgs Lady in red with a pillow over their head as their parents get with the dirty

[Lace Neil Singer]

The most stupid ginger insult ever has to be "carrot top"... cuz carrot tops are green, not ginger. XD

[Ginger Tea]

One guy at school asked if I had ginger pubes, no they are pink with polka dots on them I believe I said or words to that effect.

OT but speaking of school, you know that episode where Millhouse is leaving to a new school and calls Krobopple (sp) Crabb Apple and Munsen (?) goes "It was right infront of me all the time." well one girl at school was called Cuthy (sp) firstname no idea what Cuthy meant for sure, it was a northern thing, but come on, her last name was rife for misspronounciation Cunlyffe, yet no one used it, mind you the amount of times I had to re write a job application to one Virginia Crank were unreal.

[Nyoibo]

Fun Fact: NCIS became really popular in Australia long before it hit #1 in the states.

Probably because of Ducky.

I've heard the rubber/eraser one more times than I can count. It made me giggle when my mentor teacher (and my kids) STILL refer to them as "rubbers".


One that is unique to my state is the term "minda". It is basically another way to insult someone by calling them a 'retard'. The term actually comes from a group set up in my state called the MINDA association, which helps those with intellectual disabilities.

I didn't know the meaning of rubbers when I went to school in the US, how do you think that went? Although I also didn't know the meaning of the word nigger, the first time I did "eeny meeny" I got sent to the principals office, had no freaking clue why.

I remember minda from way back in my early primary school days.

Duracell (as in, the battery which has a copper top)

I seem to remember using coper top itself rather than duracell.

[Ginger Tea]

copper knob and the feminine form fire crotch.
Dad used to always call out Ginger Moggie when the cat appeared on the intro to corrie, which was then the cue to change the damn channel, seeing as moggie is another word for cat as is pussy, im glad it never developed an alternative use as my mum had brown hair and I had no sisters.

there is an ASL swearing youtube channel (could do with a BSL counterpart) I found a few years ago, but even before that I signed to captain dickhead something about eating cat (hey I had to work with what I knew at the time) and it goes over his head and hes thinking Korean cuisine resulting in me thumping the table and saying "No! Lesbians eat cat." which got us a few looks, but not as many thankfully as the place was quiet.

Mind you he didn't get my pirate name blank blank the pirate, I gave him the 2nd word beard and the clue "a rude four letter word begining with C".
nope he didn't get that and when I told him "That's not a rude word." he replied, "well go call your mum one then" I challenged.

Also when I moved oop norf for 3rd year (13 year old) I had never met an asian guy irl although I had learnt more about other religions the two years previously, so when 'dared' to say "Johnny the pigs are here." in a class roleplay, knowing Pigs meant police and in the role play the police were indeed there for Johnny, I didn't a the time know that his religion forbid pork and the whole plan was for them to trick the new guy (me) into making a racial comment.

But as the town I lived in had Hindu, Muslim ans sihk I would not have a clue who was what or owt like that, he was just a kid in my class.
Hell I had an epiphany when I read the ingredients to scotch eggs once infront of an asian co worker, in all my years of eating them (off and on) I never looked into them save it was an egg in grey stuff that tasted nice, so when I exclaimed I never knew it had pork in it to another co worker an onlooker was sure I was making veiled comments to asian co worker, who as above could have been of another religion other than Muslim.

for the record I am using Asian as in Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi etc not including the Oriental side, iir there is a post about using the word Oriental being frowned upon here or on CS, but I've found it easier to use Asian for India etc and Oriental or East Asian for Japan etc (when not being specific eg Japanese).

[KabeRinnaul]

The most stupid ginger insult ever has to be "carrot top"... cuz carrot tops are green, not ginger. XD

If I were ginger, I'd be offended enough by that one.

Who wants to be compared to the star of "Chairman of the Board"?

[wolfie]

I find that a lot of Americans, even now with the internet and everything, are still amazed that the British can be so damn rude. I think that's cuz a lot of them still see us all as mega polite toffs; they're in for a rude awakening if they ever visit my neck of the woods! XD Here's a few more Brit style insults and their meanings.

Berk - Word meaning a stupid person.

Billy no mates/Nelly no friends - someone with no friends.

Bint - Either a word meaning a stupid woman or a word meaning a slutty woman, depending on context.

Bloody - An exclamation of surprise, shock or anger. All three on occasion. XD

Bollocks - Testicles. Can also be used as an exclamation if you stub your toe, for example. Also, in a different context, can mean something good; ie, saying something is "the dog's bollocks" means that it's the best thing ever. A "bollocking" is a telling off. Finally, saying "That's bollocks!" in response to being told something, means "That's rubbish!".

Bugger - Apart from its obvious meaning, also can mean a stupid person, as in "Daft bugger" as well as an exclamation of anger, pain etc. The term "Bugger off!" means "Go away!". Finally, the term "playing silly buggers" means basically "messing around".

Git - An insult meaning someone you don't like.

Numpty - An insult meaning someone is stupid.

Pillock - An insult meaning someone is stupid. We have a lot of these. XD

Plonker - Yep, here's another insult meaning someone is stupid.

Prat - Another one.

Scrubber - Meaning a woman of loose morals.

Shite - Shit. Used a lot in football chants. ie "Man U-Shite-ed".


That'll do for the moment. XD

You forgot one - Sod off is not the misspelled description of an illegally-modified shotgun.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Round my neck of the woods, "sod off" is too polite. We say, "Bugger off". XD

[fireheart17]

I didn't know the meaning of rubbers when I went to school in the US, how do you think that went? Although I also didn't know the meaning of the word nigger, the first time I did "eeny meeny" I got sent to the principals office, had no freaking clue.


I seem to remember using coper top itself rather than duracell.

Ummm....dare I ask what version you used? I was always taught catch a tiger by the toe...