I posted this YouTube video of some guy ranting about Neteller and I thought I would follow it up with a discussion on the phrase/word “Cheers.” In the US, cheers is something you say as you clink your glasses together as a toast. In Europe, it’s sort of like Aloha in that it has several different meanings. Sometimes it’s used instead of thank you. For instance you might offer someone a light for their cigarette and they’ll say “cheers.” It’s also used sometimes in place of please or yes. So, if I ask you if you would like a cigarette, you might say “cheers” to indicate that you would. I guess, technically, they could be saying thanks in that instance but if you’re comparing it to the US then it’s probably more common for the response to be yes or please than thanks so it sort of serves as a replacement for those words as well. It’s also used a lot in emails and correspondence. It’s quite common for someone to sign a letter Cheers, Bill where we might say Thanks or Sincerely. It’s also common to see it used as both hello and goodbye as in, “All right then, cheers, I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
By complete coincidence the topic of the word cheers came up in a conversation just this week. A British co-worker asked me if Americans say cheers. I told him how we use it and he said he noticed that none of the Americans in the office seem to say it much. I’ve picked it up a bit. I’ll say cheers when getting my change when buying lunch or when someone holds a door for me but I still catch myself saying thanks quite a bit too.
Other randomly observed differences:
Vacations are holidays: I’m going on holiday next month.
Being drunk is pissed: I got properly pissed last night.
There’s another variation on piss that has to do with taking someone down a notch or joking with someone. So if someone was bragging about his new car and someone made a comment about it looks like a car his mom drives he might later say that he was “taking the piss out of him” to explain why he made the comment.
Being drunks is lacquered: I was completely lacquered.
Tired/exhausted is knackered: I’m completely knackered.
Friends are mates: I’m going to meet up with my mates.
To-go is take-away: Can I get that for take-away?
A car trunk is a boot: Go ahead and throw that in the boot.
Cookies are biscuits: Would you like a biscuit for dessert?
A gambler is a punter: Let’s go down and watch the game down at the pub with the rest of the punters.
A parking lot is a car park: I’m right over here in the car park.
Potato chips are crisps: Do you want a bag of crisps with that.
A line is a queue: I was standing in the queue at the bank today.
A cigarette is a fag: I’m going outside for a quick fag.
Soccer is footie: You want to come by my flat and watch some footie?
An apartment is a flat: I just moved into a new flat.
Rent is hire: I had to go pick up the hire car.
A diaper is a nappy: Can you pick up some nappies when you go to the store.
Steal is nick: Someone nicked my jacket.
Gas is petrol: I just need to stop off at the petrol station.
A field is a a pitch: Get out on the pitch and kick the ball around.
That’s all the ones that come to my head at the moment. Enjoy!
Cheers,
Bill