‘What are some Britishisms that would confuse a non-native speaker?’ 21 potential pitfalls

12.

‘I’m just waffling on’ – I am talking endlessly and without real direction.
Remarkable_Egg22

13.

Bengalish
Via

14.

Up the creek without a paddle.
PeRoMor

15.

Bollocks = rubbish ( that’s Bollocks ) The Dogs Bollocks = good ( you should try this it’s the Dogs Bollocks)
RobotAdept

16.

Came a cropper.
Honest-Register-5151

17.

I’ll eat my hat.
ReDeSassify

18.

Wind your neck in.
Olafur-Barbbour

19.

I once used “stingey” in a conversation with an American and had to explain that it means “tight b*stard”.
Medical-Return-2350

20.

My grandad likes to say ‘couldn’t stop a pig in a ginnel’ if he sees someone with particularly bandy legs.
Garsiddel

21.

NichBetter
Via

GargleHemlock had the perfect anecdote to illustrate the problem.

American but I’ve lived in England for 8 years.

Working one day, got a call from a client. Nice guy, I’ve talked to him before and we were shooting the breeze. Talking about the weekend coming up. Then he says “So…. what do you have on?” I froze. Was he perving on me??

I stammered: “Uh..jeans and a hoodie?!” He pissed himself laughing. And that’s how I learned “what do you have on” means “what are you doing this weekend”, not “what are you wearing”.

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