Comparing Anglicisms and Americanisms is one of those eternally amusing activities for native English speakers. Most Yanks have seen enough Harry Potter and Downton Abbey to know the basic translations – lorry for truck, boot for trunk, lift for elevator. Those looking for a more modern spin on Anglo-American linguistics should brush up, then, with these 10 new slang words. Once you’ve beefed up your own American vocab, practice with some across-the-pond slang.
New American Slang:
Skrilla: money, cash, dough
Every day you work hard to get that sweet, sweet skrilla. Right? Next time your boss asks what you’re doing; this is one way to answer. We can’t say it’s the best way, though.
Chirp: to insult or diss someone
We don’t know what it is about the sounds that birds make: once Twitter arrived, people started tweeting. But there’s a difference between a tweet and a chirp – the latter could land you in some hot water.
Moss: to chill out or relax
Make like a tree and leave. Make like a banana and split. Make like moss and…stay put?
Ratchet: obnoxious, trashy, beat up, in poor taste
Ratchet is one of those catchall words that you can use for anything unappealing, broken down, or tasteless. Just don’t say it to anyone’s face, or you could find yourself in trouble.
Flex: to have cash on you or show off your money
Put away the biceps, bro – that isn’t the kind of flexing we mean, and we certainly don’t have tickets to your gun show. Pull out your wallet instead – that’s the kind of flexing that we mean.
New British Slang:
Wazzock: an idiot
Hailing from the north of England, this word has actually been around for decades – perhaps even dating back to the 1960s. However, it’s only come into broader popularity in recent years. For good reason too – this is one fun insult to level at someone.
Collywobbles: acute nervousness
If you ever thought the phrase “butterflies in my stomach” sounded a bit too twee, try collywobbles on for size. Have a job interview? Going on a first date? You’ve got the collywobbles, mate.
Ron: abbreviation for “later on”
Kids these days are too lazy to use complete words anymore. “Whatever” is now “whatevs” or even “tevs,” and “later on?” Well, it’s devolved into “ron”. Just don’t tell your mate Ron that you’ll meet him ron, because then things will get complicated.
Lash: the process of going out/getting drunk
The English seemingly have an endless supply of slang expressions for getting drunk. It’s hard to choose, but “out on the lash” may well be our favorite.
Prinking: pre-drinking
What pre-gaming is to us Americans, prinking is to our British compatriots. We can never argue with a good portmanteau.
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