English Slang

All over the world, English is known to be a requirement. Being familiar with the universal language is an important tool especially in professions. This can be attributed to the fact that people will always resort to English if people coming from different countries are different from one another. This way, areas such as business and social interactions can be at a stand-off, meaning that people can communicate freely and understandably.

Most English people do not know the full range and function of the English language - using it is as natural to them as breathing! One all too common complaint made by people attempting to learn English is that there are too many slang words and other types of word that cannot be understood or even found in the dictionary.

Oftentimes, slang comes around in phases so one word might not be used now but in future it may be.This often depends on popular media such as movies and newspapers who have been responsible for the use of mane slang phrases over the years

The first word is the slang word, then the proper English word closest to it, followed by an example of how to use it.

- Airy-fairy - lacking in strength, weak. ‘Don’t give me that airy-fairy excuse! Hand your homework in on time!

- Aggro - Aggressive behaviour, troublemaking. ‘Don’t be so aggro, we can work this out.’

- Airhead - A silly person, someone who doesn’t think well. ‘Why did she get that question wrong? She is such an airhead! ‘

- Alky / alkie - An alcoholic . ‘My uncle is such an old alky - he never stops drinking!’

- Ace! - Brilliant, really good. ‘This food is ace!’

- Action man - someone who does alot of macho things, someone trying to be tough. ‘Peter is a real action man, look at him trying to impress the ladies. ‘

- All-nighter - an event which takes place all night or at least for longer than most events of the same type. . ‘Are you going to the club tonight? I fancy doing an all-nighter ‘

- All to pot - messed up, everything went wrong. ‘The trip was ace until I broke my leg, and then it all went to pot. ‘

- Ankle-biters - young children, babies . ‘What a cute little ankle-biter he is!’

- Botched messed up, made worse. ‘He made a botched job of repairing the door - he completely botched it up’.- Bloke - man. ‘Jon is a great bloke.’

- Bottle - fortitude, courage. ‘Do you have the bottle to tell her you like her?

- Chucking it down - heavy or annoying rain. ‘Oh no! It’s chucking it down outside and I have to walk home!’

- Chuffed - pleased, happy, proud. ‘I feel chuffed to have passed my exam’

- Daft - a little crazy, stupid. ‘Sine is daft, she just ate her pencil’- Dosh - money. ‘Can you lend me some dosh mate?’

- Gobsmacked - very surprised, astounded. ‘When she told me I was fired I was gobsmacked.’

- Gutted - Unhappily surprised, negatively affected. ‘I feel so gutted to have lost the fight - I thought I was going to win.’

More soon..!

By LIBIA GOMESCASSERES B.