Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Language Lesson #1

Let's all learn how to speak like an Irishman!
Here’s a bit more slang that I’ve just learned and I wanted to keep everyone updated.

Challenge of the semester to all of you reading:
Use these key words and phrases in everyday life.  Let’s start a new trend in the States!

“That’s grand.”
Ok, so to all of us Americans this seems obvious.  It seems that they would be saying that something is fantastic, or marvelous.  Wrong.  “Grand” mean’s fine, or ok.  So, there’s not that much enthusiasm associated with “That’s grand.”  For instance if someone asked you to borrow a pen, you could reply “That’s grand,” but you wouldn’t be super excited to lend your pen, would you? 

Question of the Day: If this did happen, what would they say to thank you for allowing them to use your pen? (Answer to be revealed at the end of this blog post)
Hint: It’s the name of a classic American TV show….

“Brilliant”
Alright so THIS means something like “that’s great!” or “awesome!”  This expresses a happy emotion, unlike “that’s grand.”

“Class”
This means “cool” or “very good.”

“Fair play”

This is used to indicate approval with something someone has done or said.  For instance, if someone told you a funny joke or tells you a story where they told someone off, you could respond with “Fair play” or “Fair play to you.”

“Gas”

This does not mean gasoline or someone’s reason for their burping.  It actually means “fun.”  So when talking about a good night out or a fun party someone might way “That was a gas!”

“Slagging”

This means “kidding” or “making fun of.”  So, if someone is making fun of your outfit (say you’re looking particularly American wearing UGGS and a North Face jacket) as you soon as you start to get really annoyed they might say “Hey, I’m only slagging you.”

“Shifting”
Irish guys in pubs will try to get American girls with this ALL THE TIME.  They will come up to you and ask if you want to “shift.”  It means to make-out; definitely one of the more unexpected slang words!

“A Rubber”
This is an eraser!  NOT a condom!  So, this is important to remember especially when dealing with Irish children—they are asking to borrow each other’s erasers, not condoms! 

Answer to the Question of the Day: “Cheers!”

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