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I (a Brit) was a councillor on summer camp in the US in the 1980s. One of the other Brit councillors asked an American councillor to "hold my fag" (in the UK fa

I (a Brit) was a councillor on summer camp in the US in the 1980s. One of the other Brit councillors asked an American councillor to "hold my fag" (in the UK fag=cigarette). The American looked very confused. I also still chuckle every time I hear an American talk about being "bummed" (in the UK bummed=anally penetrated). So just bear that in mind next time you tell a British person "I was bummed when ...". The common American name "Randy" is also a source of some humour (in the UK randy=horny).

thaumasiotes 5y ago
> The common American name "Randy" is also a source of some humour (in the UK randy=horny). We know that sense of the word in America too. I saw a friend once try to forestall that interpretation after saying "I'm Randy" by elaborating "Randy with a capital R". Since that's a standard way to express emphasis, it did not succeed at disambiguating what "I'm Randy" meant. We all had a good laugh.
- Lio 5y ago
  I can remember seeing British comedian Frank Skinner explaining to Kenny Rogers why his name was funny to Brits. Still raises a smile when I think about it. The phrase “to love… forcefully” was used.
hashimotonomora 5y ago
I like Dick… he’s a cool dude.
bch 5y ago
> hold my fag > American talk about being "bummed" (in the UK bummed=anally penetrated) But isn’t “bum a fag” still acceptable Brit phrasing? Also reminded the Cannondale bicycle company (American) used to have a child trailer called “Little Bugger”, where in Britain bugger is principally associated with buggery, but in America, could be swapped with “ankle biter” or some such nickname for “child”.
- hermitcrab 5y ago
  >But isn’t “bum a fag” still acceptable Brit phrasing? Yes. To 'bum' something is quite different 'bum' someone! English is weird.
- Lio 5y ago
  > But isn’t “bum a fag” still acceptable Brit phrasing? Well, er, I guess it depends on if you went to Eton or not… Certain very old “public” schools[1] have a tradition of using the younger boys as a sort of personal servant for the older boys. The system is known as “fagging” and the servants/slaves are known as “fags”. 1. Where a public school in the UK is a very posh private school. It’s a public school vs a private tutor don’t ‘cha know.
  - bch 5y ago
    > Well, er, I guess it depends on if you went to Eton or not… This is going in a direction I wasn’t anticipating - I thought “bum a fag” would realistically mean “ask for a cigarette”.
    - Lio 5y ago
      That would be a good assumption in general to be fair. Those going to that kind of public school would be a tiny percentage of the population. Roald Dahl wrote extensively about "fagging" and all that went with it: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/biographyandmemoirreviews/7932061/Roald-Dahls-schooldays.html https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/biographyandmemoir...
marstall 5y ago
^counselor :)

thaumasiotes 5y ago

> The common American name "Randy" is also a source of some humour (in the UK randy=horny). We know that sense of the word in America too. I saw a friend once try to forestall that interpretation after saying "I'm Randy" by elaborating "Randy with a capital R". Since that's a standard way to express emphasis, it did not succeed at disambiguating what "I'm Randy" meant. We all had a good laugh.

Lio 5y ago
I can remember seeing British comedian Frank Skinner explaining to Kenny Rogers why his name was funny to Brits. Still raises a smile when I think about it. The phrase “to love… forcefully” was used.

hashimotonomora 5y ago

I like Dick… he’s a cool dude.

bch 5y ago

> hold my fag > American talk about being "bummed" (in the UK bummed=anally penetrated) But isn’t “bum a fag” still acceptable Brit phrasing? Also reminded the Cannondale bicycle company (American) used to have a child trailer called “Little Bugger”, where in Britain bugger is principally associated with buggery, but in America, could be swapped with “ankle biter” or some such nickname for “child”.

hermitcrab 5y ago
>But isn’t “bum a fag” still acceptable Brit phrasing? Yes. To 'bum' something is quite different 'bum' someone! English is weird.
Lio 5y ago
> But isn’t “bum a fag” still acceptable Brit phrasing? Well, er, I guess it depends on if you went to Eton or not… Certain very old “public” schools[1] have a tradition of using the younger boys as a sort of personal servant for the older boys. The system is known as “fagging” and the servants/slaves are known as “fags”. 1. Where a public school in the UK is a very posh private school. It’s a public school vs a private tutor don’t ‘cha know.
- bch 5y ago
  > Well, er, I guess it depends on if you went to Eton or not… This is going in a direction I wasn’t anticipating - I thought “bum a fag” would realistically mean “ask for a cigarette”.
  - Lio 5y ago
    That would be a good assumption in general to be fair. Those going to that kind of public school would be a tiny percentage of the population. Roald Dahl wrote extensively about "fagging" and all that went with it: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/biographyandmemoirreviews/7932061/Roald-Dahls-schooldays.html https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/biographyandmemoir...

marstall 5y ago

^counselor :)