Friday, October 25, 2002

Brit Speak 101... I was reading my last script to review for PGL and it was written by a Brit, and it takes place in London and I had all these questions about slang and certain words I didn't know, or I couldn't find in my dictionary, so I was dumbfounded about the Queen's English. So I decided to ask my expert on all things British, the one and only Keren. Here is what she wrote back to me:

As for your linguistic issues - I'll do my best:
• When someone has "sussed" something they've worked it out (or figured it out).
• A "ponce" is an idiot.
• "Punters" are customers.
• Something "naff" is something tacky or cheesy (a person can also be naff).
• A "wally" is an idiot or moron - "don't be a wally" is an expression.
• A "prat" is also an idiot.
• While neither "prat" or "ponce" are rude words they're less likely to be used by children as "wally" is. I suppose that "wally" is just a harmless way to call someone an idiot, its almost silly, while the other two are idiot/asshole. Like you might see a guy in a flashy car on a cellphone with a blond on his arm and call him a ponce or a prat but you wouldn't call him a wally. Hope that makes sense.
• Saying that someone is bent is saying that he's gay... "Bent as a nine Bob note" is an expression.

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