Britain has THE BEST SLANG (American reaction)

Thank you for watching me, a humble American, learn some British slang! I hope I can use some of these in my day to day. Thanks for subscribing!

[@mral8145]

That guy explained builders tea badly. It’s not a blend, it’s the style and how it’s made- usually strong, in a big mug, with a dash of milk and probably 12 sugars.

[@martinscott-reed5379]

And builders in the UK spend more time drinking tea than working...............allegedly

[@thatsthat2612]

You can stand the spoon up in it

[@marionpetford7374]

You could stand a spoon in it

[@s9cvx]

​@@martinscott-reed5379nah that's highway maintenance, it takes 4 ppl to watch 1 person do the job 😂

[@s9cvx]

Nah whenever I had to make a builders tea the only thing I put in was the tea bag and boiling water 😂

[@jodiewhiteside4194]

We have so many ways of calling someone an idiot with so many subtle differences and levels of insult its great

[@s9cvx]

And I love how we all, without being told, know the difference between each insult and the multitude of ways to use them

[@joanweightman2275]

Builders tea isn't a blend of leaves, it's extremely strong tea that's almost stewed and served in a big mug

[@nataliestafford6231]

I have my builders tea so strong a lot of people think it's coffee I'm drinking. If I don't have my usual teabags I sometimes use 2 at once ☕

[@paulj5080]

It's like NATO standard tea, hot, strong and 2 sugars.

[@darrenhopgood9348]

@@paulj5080 also, Naffy Tea as well as NATO

[@raythomas4812]

My dad was a builder - and he made a smashing cup - used to have the power to put hairs on your chest !

[@layla1385]

Likely a Sports Direct mug lol

[@heathercampbell2686]

I'm born and bred British and have never heard of the slang Pent teng, never heard anyone ever say it here in UK.

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

Peng ting (not teng)!

[@LK-px6eo]

No all the mandem say in london ur lying

[@carolinequirk6136]

It’s said to be microwave in Welsh, but it’s not.

[@LK-px6eo]

@@carolinequirk6136 old people 😂

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

@@carolinequirk6136- I think you are confused!? I believe you mean "popty ping", and you are right, it's NOT Welsh for a microwave (although many people are trying to promote another urban myth). But 'peng ting' IS a (quite new) London based phrase being used.

[@ZombieATAT]

I probably knew half of these and I've lived my entire 5 decade long life in England. I can proudly say I recognised only 3 people in the entire video :)

[@jinxvrs]

You queried why "Cwtch", Welsh for hug or cuddle, doesn't have a vowel (although you said noun). It does have a vowel - the letter "w", which can be either a consonant or a vowel in the Welsh language. For instance as a consonant "wedi" (has/have) or as a vowel "dwr" (water). Much like the letter "y" in English - a consonant in "yet", or used as a vowel in "sky".

[@jerry2357]

I’ve always though the Welsh word “Bwffe” is brilliant, since I first saw it at Llandudno Junction station in 1979.

[@johngardiner6800]

My late grandmother had Welsh connections and used the word Cwtch for the space under the stairs.

[@frankhooper7871]

I was taught (California - 1960s) that the vowels in English are: A E I O U and sometimes Y & W.

[@jerry2357]

@@frankhooper7871 I can’t think of an English word where “w” is used as a vowel, other than “cwm” (a geographical term, which I remember from my Geography O level “cirque, corrie or cwm” meaning the basin at the top of a glaciated valley), borrowed from Welsh.

[@auldfouter8661]

@@jerry2357 Aw ,ew and ow are representative of vowels though.

[@jonathangoll2918]

Some of these were Scots and Welsh, so I didn't know them. 'At Her Majesty's Pleasure is an old legal term. It used to be used when a teenager had committed a serious crime, or if someone was insane; you could then be detained 'at her Majesty's pleasure, giving you an indeterminate sentence.

[@PanglossDr]

Wrong. It has always applied to any sentence without limit.

[@0utcastAussie]

@@PanglossDr Hence "Indeterminate" !

[@MrBonners]

In Canada you might hear " Guest of the Queen" Not heard much but everybody knows it means in prison.

[@PanglossDr]

@@0utcastAussieThat was not the point. It had nothing to do with teenagers or the seriousness of the crime.

[@BardOfAndromeda]

"Peng Ting"? 48 year old Brit here. *Nobody* over the age of 35 would say that - it's baby talk! :P

[@the98themperoroftheholybri33]

32 year old here, nobody outside London would ever say that

[@grunge_surf_witch_uk9130]

I’m 46 never heard of it?? My daughter never said it either?

[@batman51]

I'm well over 35 and from London and never heard of it.

[@LK-px6eo]

Trust me all the mandem say that ur chatting

[@LK-px6eo]

@@batman51 cap

[@stuartfaulds1580]

We also have a plethora of words for being drunk & the various stages of drunk. To give some as an example:- Merry, happy, guttered sozzled, wasted, blootered, hammered, pie faced, bladdered, stoatered, plastered, shit faced, blotto to mention a few off the top of my head.

[@clairedavison5607]

What the heck is penguin ting? Lived my whole life in the UK and never heard this before.

[@beccaboo3040]

I've only heard of peng it means beautiful, nice around here

[@Kwekwe]

Much more of a London, Jamaican influenced expression rather than UK

[@mattus3157]

peng ting*

[@benjames9158]

Jamaican slang

[@StormhavenGaming]

There is a suggestion about the dog's bollocks expression. In the 1930s (I think), Meccano released two versions of its engineering toy set. These were called Box Standard and Box Deluxe. A little Spoonerism and minor mangling of the consonant sounds turned Box Deluxe into dog's bollocks, meaning the best version of something. A similar mangling turned Box Standard into Bog Standard, meaning the simplest, most baseline versiojn of something. However, Susie Dent (the lexicographer) stated that dog's bollocks was originally printers slang for a colon followed by a dash, "for obvious reasons :- "

[@the98themperoroftheholybri33]

Most of these are slang used in the south. So some of these words aren't used in the majority of places around Britain

[@wonhung]

On the Raz is the shorter version of On The Razzle Dazzle, which essentially mean enjoying the towns Nightlife, clubs, bars etc.

[@innercircle341]

It would help if the people actually knew the definotions. Her Majesry's Pleasure describes a custodial sentence with no end date. You are held for as long as the authorities decide.The Crown is the highest authority so you are being held by them.

[@grunions9648]

That's just not true. It's any jail time.

[@iaindavidson2363]

​@grunions9648 no its not its a sentence with no end date

[@wessexdruid7598]

@@iaindavidson2363 It's come to mean both.

[@iaindavidson2363]

@wessexdruid7598 if u r using it to mean any jail time then u r just wrong

[@amyw6808]

People don’t really say builder’s tea, they say builder’s brew. On the raz isn’t just going out to town but getting drunk - think bar hopping.

[@auldfouter8661]

Minging is Scottish originally , where it still means stinking ( bowfing ) . For some reason it has spread south with a new meaning in the last 30 years.

[@stephenlee5929]

I think Billy Connolly had something to do with it.

[@peterdenyer3002]

@@stephenlee5929 They got it wrong, here in the south we use it the same as the Scot does. These middle class people don't really understand slang, and totally get it wrong, it's laughable.

[@SwillMith16]

Her Majesty’s Pleasure is just any jail sentence because all the prisons have ‘HMP’ in the name, meaning ‘Her Majesty’s Prison’ such as HMP Belmarsh. So people say ‘Her Majesty’s Pleasure’ as a sort of sarcasm/irony because it’s obviously not pleasurable

[@lo1079]

I never realised bins was from binoculars, but it makes sense. Although we would use it for glasses, or specatacles. And yes, bins are also what you would call trash cans, or rubbish bins, but that's the proper word. Bins for glasses is slang.

[@thatsthat2612]

We call them gigs aswell but I don't know why

[@lo1079]

@@thatsthat2612 same, I say gigs and don't get it either 😄 but have heard bins used.

[@thatsthat2612]

@@lo1079 I've heard bins but I dunno, gigs is funnier for some reason

[@0utcastAussie]

Bins is actually a pisstake for spectacles.. "Where's me fekkin Bins" (Binoculars) means without them your as blind as Mr Magoo

[@lo1079]

@@0utcastAussie I sometimes look for me feckin' bins and they're on me feckin' face 🥸

[@johngardiner6800]

Bins refers to eye glasses

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

Yes, but it originated from the Hooray Henry 'types' out fox hunting, hare coursing, watching polo etc. and 'bins' was short for binoculars... which then began to be used for just eye glasses of any sort (as in "pass me my bins...").

[@peterjf7723]

Bins is only for binoculars not any glasses.

[@andybrown4284]

Prisons in the UK used to be all state run by HMP, or her majestys prisons, so rather than being sent upstate we get to stay at her majestys pleasure. There are private security firms that run some but they are contracted by HMP so term would still apply

[@BackToNature123]

Builders tea means strong tea and if I remember rightly, with one sugar. In some workplaces people take it in turns to make the brews/wets (hot drinks) so theres names for different options of tea

[@frglee]

As a kid I can remember watching builders make tea on a bonfire outdoors. A metal topless barrel (old oildrum?) with water in it was placed on the fire. A pack of leaf tea was dumped in the water. A tin of sterilised milk and a 2lb pack of sugar added. Stirred with a wooden stick, left to boil and stew, served up by the workers dipping their metal mugs in it at regular intervals through the day.

[@the98themperoroftheholybri33]

Builders tea is a mug of strong tea, often with as many sugars as you can fit in there, but the sugar Isn't the main point of it

[@robertofraser101]

Wasn't expecting brilliant Ryan thanks have a nice day now 😀🇺🇸

[@hayzee4429]

Got to be the Scottish word Jobby, my mates in London love it.

[@simonbutterfield4860]

Does that mean 'avin' a sh..?

[@sharonrowland9030]

@@simonbutterfield4860 yes.

[@markthomas2577]

In prison 'at her majesty's pleasure' means you're serving an indeterminate sentence ... until it pleases Her Majesty to let you out ! Our prisons are known as HMPs ..... so Wandsworth prison in London is called HMP Wandsworth ..... Her Majesty's Prison Wandsworth

[@jockkardashian.9407]

There's a professional football player called Tyrone Mings, and I sometimes childishly think "oh does he, that's a shame" when I see his name (Tyrone Stinks).

[@thyop89]

His explanation of builder tea was wrong, it just means very strong tea.

[@joanmatthews2570]

Love your reaction to British slang!! React to some comedians like Peter Kay,

[@robertjackson3552]

scouser comes from the dish scouse a type of stew made with potatoes, carrots, swede/turnip (optional), onions and meat frequently lamb,

[@dogwithwigwamz.7320]

I remember walking into an Off - Licence on Hessle Road, East Yorkshire, a few years back - having seen a a four pack of the Dog`s Bollocks Ale for sale. There is, of course, a peculiar kind of slang over here called `Cockney Rhyming Slang," which is a whole other ball of fun.

[@suetatlock8328]

I love the way you stopped the Vids to try and guess. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

Builders tea is STRONG eye wateringly strong tea, rudimentarily made with imprecise amounts of milk and sugar … 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@frombrum]

raz = razzle dazzle the lights of the town

[@cockneycharm3970]

Some of these slang words are what some kids use today. I'm a Brit, so I use the old slang.

[@annicecooper8105]

Bollocks is multi-functional and can mean good OR bad depending on the context. Use carefully 🤣

[@richardcook9794]

Builders tea is strong and loads of sugar so can be drunk cold, depending on when you can get to it

[@innercircle341]

The dogs is the usual contraction of the dogs bollocks as in 'We went out for a dinner and the syeak was the dogs'

[@sbrykeddie]

Builders tea refers to the colour of your tea,builders being very dark and strong.

[@Ad-gy7gn]

I'm from the midlands and only ever heard of "bins" used to refer to glasses!

[@matthewboshoff8043]

8:24 it's called builders tea because it got very popular with builders

[@nickgrazier3373]

Her majesty’s please used to be a formal saying almost in prison for life. As in “you will be held in prison at Her Majesty’s Pleasure” Cheers Aah Kid!

[@Broadercasting]

Welsh has more vowels than English. For one, W, the clue is in the letter - double u. Peng teng and Dench is used only by middle teens. I've never used bins for binoculars; 'bynoe's', perhaps. Builders tea is really strong tea, usually with the added formula of milk and two sugars. Peas, pure barry, Baggamans, gallus. I've NEVER heard of these in my life! Well, peas obviously, as veg, but never as loose change, or 'shrapnel'. Technically minging isn't used as a verb, but a gerund and can be used as a participle/adjective. To ming is the verb form

[@PanglossDr]

Nice to see some precision here.

[@bradleybrown8428]

It's ting not teng, ting/thing, peng/good looking, I think people would say that's peng as in really good, but I'm old and propper posh so I'm not sure if it's still used like that.

[@AndyMmusic]

I moved to California from England in 2001. Most of this slang I knew, but some of it seems to have developed since I left. I do know that Take the Mickey comes from Cockney rhyming slang. The full rhyme is Mickey Blisss.

[@the98themperoroftheholybri33]

Whereas take the piss is a Scouse expression which comes from when they would ship literal urine which was used in the dyeing process of linens

[@eh-i1841]

Micky Bliss…piss.Take the mick,or mickey is an old slang term.

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

Never heard of Peng Ting tbh 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@daveofyorkshire301]

Builders tea is thick, black, strong tea that you can stand your spoon up in (figuratively not literally)....

[@kevinpugh3291]

minging - a gerund, which it is continuous action. I would say smelling as synonym Her Majesty's Pleasure: Every prison is named HMP Holloway - Her Majesty's Prison.

[@innercircle341]

Never heard of bahooky

[@bobbybigboyyes]

At Her Majesties Pleasure is because the prisons are H.M Prison Service. A lot of things are run by The Crown, which is the monarchy. Same as our Royal Mail.

[@frombrum]

builders tea is a very strong brew in a big mug

[@barnabymoules]

Her/His Majesty’s Prison is abbreviated to HMP, so a UK prison is a HMP (insert location) HMP then restyled to Her/His Majesty’s Pleasure

[@Jbatley1]

Her Majesties Pleasure is because all prisons are called HMP (Her Majesties Prison) followed by the area the prison is in. So they change the last word to make light of it

[@KevinPugh-hq8rc]

Her majesty's pleasure - all the prisons are called HMP Redditch, for instance, where HMP is Her Majesty's Prison. So, that's where your staying ... like a hotel :)

[@tamasmarcuis4455]

A lot of these words are just Scots language words not slang. Minging comes from Ming or Meng which can mean just mixed up or muddled. But it is often used to describe trash in a pile and consquently the smell of trash. As in smelling like a pile of trash. Numpty comes from Nump which mean a small jump or hop. The kind of hopping around associated with the mentally disabled. So calling someone a Numpty means someone who hops around in a silly manner associated with the mentally disabled. it's like calling someone silly or moronic. bahootie, bahoochie, bahookie, behooky = buttocks, though only in a joking way. The formal word is Doup which also means the larger of blunter end of an egg. It is also used for the end of a smoked cigarette called doup-end. I have also read it used to refer to a blunt blade. Gallus = formal meaning is Gallows as in hang a criminal. Saying someone is Gallus means they are overdressed, overconfident, wild and mischievous. In a more negative way as it was originally used it mean suspect or untrustworthy as in " that person looks like they are heading to the gallows one day". In American slang it would be saying someone looks like or behaves a gangster. Barry = a whisky toddy or mix of whisky, hot honey and cinnamon given to raise the spirits of an ill person. It can also mean to be of high spirits, cheery and good nature. Pure is often used to raise of empathize the meaning of other words. Most often used sarcastically when said Pure Barry. As in saying Pure Dead because you can't be more dead than dead.

[@joyridgway6398]

Builders brew is a very strong cup on the tea.

[@paulbromley6687]

At her majesty’s pleasure meant you are in prison until the monarch says okay you can leave now.

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

Barney Rubble =Trouble

[@robertelliott2026]

Bins in Glasgow is spectacles. And Her Majesty's Pleasure is also held in prison until she or the Home Secretary says you can get out, sometimes a (nonce)!

[@stephenlee5929]

Hi, A barney, is cockney rhyming slang for trouble, Its missing word is rubble (as in mate of Fred Flintstone). And yes its is generally used for an argument or fight.

[@steveroberts728]

“Her Majesty’s Pleasure” means to be detained in prison because its used during sentencing by a Judge.

[@Jbatley1]

Nahh a builders tea is just a really strong tea. You might have a couple tea bags and you don’t bother with sugar or milk really. Just stick some tea in a mug and make it strong and it’s a builders tea or builders brew

[@dongillan5287]

Builders Tea - very strong tea because it is often left to brew a long time before they get chance to drink it, and also because they like it that way. Scouser - someone raised eating 'lobscouse,' a type of stew particular to the city of Liverpool. Often used as an insult with zero effect since true scousers see it as a mark of pride. Her Majesty's Pleasure - The prison service operates in the name of the Queen and British prisons are named HMP Bellmarsh, HMP Wormwood Scrubs etc. where HMP is an abbreviation of Her Majesty's Prison. Hence to be sent to one of Her Majesty's establishments for a period of time is to be detained at Her Majesties Pleasure. To ming - to be ugly. Minging - being ugly. Minger someone who is ugly. Simples! Simples! (plural) - obvious, a response popularised by a British TV advertising campaign.

[@enemde3025]

Peng ting, Dench, Peas, Baggamanz. Must be London sayings ? Never heard of these ! Bollocks = bad ( That's bollocks/rubbish) Dogs bollocks= good ( that's the dogs bollocks/great) Bollocks= your testicles. Builders tea = strong tea with milk and 2 sugars. All UK prison names are prefixed by the letters HMP , HER MAJESTY'S PRISON .

[@davewatson309]

Scousers are named after scouse, a tasty baltic stew popularised by seamen in the 19th century

[@P5YcHoKiLLa]

You should check out a video for Cockney Rhyming Slang, that will totally confuse you 9:36 The full phrase is "You're serving at Her Majesty's pleasure" meaning you've been locked up cos hundreds of years ago, since there was no parliament or that kind of structure, it would've been the royals or lords who would have you locked up.

[@cockneyse]

Scouser is from a fish soup consumed in the area called scouse

[@pyejammiesfanfic640]

We call money, spondulicks and moolah in my family. Cwtch is Welsh and means to cuddle up so you can cwtch up in a blanket or cwtch your duvet up around you as well as cwtching up to a person. In Welsh both, w and y are vowels. Scouser comes from lobscouse which is a type of meat and veg stew often eaten in Liverpool. Their dialect is called, Scouse. Now you need get into Cockney rhyming slang so you’ll know that someone is calling you a wanker if they call you a merchant banker. My favourite American word is, copacetic. We don’t use that here.

[@redjelly8321]

👍💕

[@bobbybigboyyes]

On the raz is short for On The Razzle. Out on the town having a good time.

[@simonround2439]

I'm from London and I hardly knew any of the Scottish ones.

[@lLurchernut]

On the raz - on the razzle, from razzle dazzle originally

[@lorrainehuddart1402]

Peng ting? Never, ever heard that one.

[@Danksy210]

Younger generation of African Londoners created it, now the younger wannabe blacks also use it

[@lorrainehuddart1402]

@@Danksy210 Thanks. I’m an older generation northerner. It past me by. Lol.

[@lorrainehuddart1402]

Passed not past.

[@tinaosborne6837]

My brother and I can speak fluent backslang no-one has a clue what we're saying

[@a.m11558]

A lot of these are also Australian, such as blotto and jammy

[@lumpyfishgravy]

6:37 Barney Rubble. Rhyming slang: trouble.

[@joebloggs8422]

I commented on an American aircraft carrier once, I described it as the dogs bollocks, one of our American friends thought it was an insult.

[@williebauld1007]

Her Majesty’s Pleasure comes from all prisons beginning with HMP… Like HMP Durham or HMP Edinburgh the HMP stands for Her Majesty’s Prison

[@MrBonners]

Guest of the Queen=prison. In the Nick=in prison. Crowbar Hotel= jail, holding, drunk tank and other minor stuff

[@OneTrueScotsman]

A lot of this is urban, city, youth slang. Hardly anyone uses these.

[@mattus3157]

the majority of people in their 20's use a lot of these terms

[@johngardiner6800]

I have to take issue with two of those, minging means filthy, dirty really bad. At her majesties pressure means a Gail sentence with no defined end. It's for really bad offences.

[@jinxvrs]

Are you trying to spell Jail or Gaol? They mean the same thing.

[@johngardiner6800]

I hate predictive txt. Should be pleasure

[@lindylou7853]

Poor Gail …

[@suetatlock8328]

Minging is most definitely ALSO used as an insult to someone’s looks. Nasty, but true.

[@jennifercufley1728]

I agree. Growing up in Scotland we used minging to mean filthy , dirty and smelly. But I think some people think it means ugly.

[@matthill3293]

I'm British and I've never heard anyone use the phrase "Peng Teng" in my 31 years of life in this country.

[@mattus3157]

extremely common term for anyone in their late teen/early 20's

[@stewthorne]

where the bloody hell did they get these words from never heard of half of them !!!!

[@auldfouter8661]

Making light of being in prison would be the expression " a guest of her majesty " . At her majesty's pleasure is explained in the comments below.

[@gabbymcclymont3563]

I loved you said "theres no noune," , its Welsh, they do what they want.. its a gimic, yes it was and is, done on purpouse to adverise the place.

[@mouse9727]

You said noun when you meant vowel. That struck me funny

[@rachelbirchall4630]

Two I know as a Brit are A screw (means a prison officer) Doing Porridge (means your in prison)

[@thatsthat2612]

Idris elba is fit tho

[@RJE48]

They forgot: "Butters" meaning "Ugly" (Modern version of Minging!) "Score" - Is an old slang term for a £20 note, although sometimes used as a quantity of illegal drugs on the street costing £20

[@lorrainehall157]

The longest place name in Wales is real and is known as Llanfair for short.

[@slayerrocks2]

Llanfair PG

[@MoReeceJTV]

Also I'm not sure how that dude won sexiest man of the year either 😂

[@robbpatterson6796]

I've never heard anyone call them "Bins" XD maybe Binos

[@donmaddox8898]

That's the thing about slang

[@cockneyse]

These folk just make up stuff when they don't know.... Builder's Tea is just really strong over brewed English tea full of tannin!

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

On the raz is short fir Razzle Dazzle.. out for a great night out

[@darrenhopgood9348]

on the Raz... Razzle Dazzle...

[@LoganOracle]

Never used the word innit in my life.

[@stewthorne]

her Majesty s pleasure means if the Queen dies you are released straight away

[@eh-i1841]

It’s not making light of being in prison.It means that a sentence has not been set,finally,or that something is yet to be decided,by another person.

[@MoReeceJTV]

Blotto was replaced with wasted years ago

[@sharonlloyd6617]

i have never even heard of half of these words and i am from uk

[@peterjf7723]

A few more slang words and phrases for you: Brizzle is local slang for Bristol, these are mostly Bristol or West country slang. I will let you guess the meanings, good luck. Gert lush. ... Alright me luvver. ... Scrumpy. ... Bemmie. ... Cheers drive. ... Where's it to. ... Babber... Ark at ee. ... Gashead. ... Grockle. ... Joppety. ... Kiddie. ... Betwaddled . ... Moonraker . ... Scrumping. ...

[@FozzyZ28]

Builders tea..... strong, milk an 2sugars. 😁

[@readMEinkbooks]

There's no NOUN in it?????? Vowel. - there was no vowel. Two different things completely!