From ‘fam’ to ‘spiffy’, slang is an innate part of British culture. But what is the prevalence of slang in everyday life, and where do such words originate from?
A new study by Preply used sources such as Oxford Royale and Green’s Dictionary of Slang to identify the most common slang and local language words said in UK cities. In Birmingham and the Midlands, an iconic slang word said you’ll often hear is ‘babby’ - sometimes shortened to ‘bab’.
Surprisingly, the word does not refer to an infant baby, but to somebody that you know very well and feel comfortable around. Other common slang words said by Brummies is ‘0121’, meaning ‘get lost’, and ‘deff off’, which refers to procrastinating or putting something off.
Around 16% of people in Cardiff speak some Welsh, but English remains the most commonly spoken language in the city, so it arguably stands to reason that the most iconic local term from the city by English speakers actually comes from Welsh. ‘Cwtch’ is pronounced ”cutch” and it means a warm, loving cuddle or embrace.
Other Cardiff terms include ‘but’ which doesn’t mean somebody’s bottom, or the end of something, it’s actually a term of endearment, used in the same way, you might call somebody a buddy or a pal.
‘Chopsy’ is another term that you may assume means something more straightforward, like a rough body of water, but in Cardiff slang, it actually means somebody who talks too much, or doesn’t know when to be quiet.
Up north, Liverpool is home to more commonly heard slang words such as ‘fella’, which simply refers to a man or boy, and ‘chocka’, which means that somewhere is ‘very busy’. In Manchester, ‘our kid’ is widely used, with this term being a reference to one’s sibling.
Going down South, ‘drive’ in Bristolian slang terms refers to somebody that drives a taxi or a bus - whereas the majority of the UK would usually refer to as a ‘driver’.
Unsurprisingly, Londoners most cherish the word ‘dapper’, which is a reference to a man dressed in a fashionable and tidy way. In true Welsh spirit, ‘cwtch’ is the most iconic word said in the city of Cardiff, which simply means a nice Welsh cuddle. It also turns out that Scots in Glasgow love to say the word ‘stoater’, which refers to someone who is fantastic or excellent.
Other common slang words used in Birmingham include ‘bostin’ which once meant to break or destroy something, but in contemporary times means almost the opposite: something that’s particularly good, or pleasing, and ‘mooch’ which means to look around somewhere, without any particular purpose.
Down the M5 motorway in Bristol, slang arguably gets a little more contrary to those who aren’t in the know. For example, the word ‘drive’ in slang Bristolian terms refers to somebody that drives a taxi or a bus – who the majority of the UK would usually refer to as a ‘driver’.
Similarly, the word ‘duck’ does not refer to a feathered animal and is actually a term of endearment for a great friend or loved one. A little more straightforward is ‘keener’ which is slang for a clever, enthusiastic person – somebody that you might think of as being keen to learn.
Other slang terms you’ll hear a lot in Liverpool include; ‘webs’ meaning trainers or running shoes, ‘la’ which is a noun used for a young man, and ‘devoed’ which means to be greatly upset, and is a shortened version of ‘devastated’.
As it’s the largest, and most populated city in the UK, London is a real hub for slang, as people pass through the city, evolving the language they use as they do so. This has allowed a broad range of slang to come from London.
One of the best-known bits of slang from London is ‘dapper’ which means somebody that is dressed in a smart, elegant way. Originating from London, it’s a slang word that’s now used throughout the UK.
Other notable Mancunian slang includes ‘barm’ which is what natives of the city call a bread roll, ‘scran’ which is used to describe any kind of food, and ‘hanging’ which is used to describe something that’s anywhere from unpleasant through to disgusting.
From Byker Grove to Geordie Shore, Newcastle is a common destination on UK TV screens, which has helped spread some of the most iconic slang from the city around the UK. One of the best known, but also most confusing slang terms from Newcastle is “howay’. A word that perfectly suits the optimistic, Geordie accent, ‘Howay’ can mean “go away”, “hurry up” or “okay” depending on the context in which it’s used.
People from Newcastle can often be heard using the slang word ‘pet’ as a term of affection or endearment, whereas “deek’ is used to mean having a look at something, and the confusing ‘geet walla’ means something that’s very big.
As we’ve already seen, music can play a role in how well-known the slang from a city is, and Sheffield’s own Arctic Monkeys may well be responsible for the iconic status of ‘mardy’.
Used in a somewhat affectionate way to describe somebody that’s irritable or prone to complaining, the term was used in the title of a song by the world-famous band who, in turn, gave the world a glimpse of Sheffield slang.
Other slang from the steel city includes ‘spice’ which to the rest of the UK means cooking flavouring, but in Sheffield, it’s slang for sweets, or confectionery. Similarly confusing, ‘lug oil’ means your ears, and ‘laik’ means to play outside.
As a port city, Glasgow has seen people from around the world pass through its streets, evolving the slang used in the city as they do so. And one of the most iconic slang words used in the city on the Clyde is ‘stoater’. Despite sounding like somebody that keeps long, furry mammals, it’s slang for somebody or something that’s fantastic, or exceptional.
Glaswegian slang doesn’t get any less confusing. For example, ‘dinghy’ isn’t a small boat, it actually means to ignore something or somebody, ‘coupon’ is slang for a face, as opposed to being a voucher for a reduction in price, and a ‘roaster’ isn’t somebody who makes coffee, rather somebody who’s being objectionable, or making a fool of themselves.
One of the best-known slang words used in Leicester is ‘jitty’. You’d be forgiven for assuming it refers to a small landing, jutting out over a body of water, a ‘jitty’ is what the Leicester natives call the small alleyway or side path that runs between two larger streets.
Sounding more like something from Middle Earth than the middle of England, ‘wannacroggeh’ is a slang used in Leicester, used to offer somebody a lift on a bicycle where the passenger sits on the handlebars. Equally as confusing, while much of the rest of the UK thinks of a ‘cob’ as a bread roll, to the people of Leicester, it means to be upset, or angry.
When in Leeds, you’re likely to hear people asking for a ‘gill’. But this isn’t an off-cut from the fishmongers. It’s a Leeds slang term meaning half of something and, as such, it’s most commonly used in the pubs and bars across the city when people want less than a full pint of beer.
The most common slang and local words said in UK cities
Birmingham - Babby
Bristol - Drive
Liverpool - Chocka
London - Dapper
Manchester - Our kid
Newcastle - Howay
Sheffield - Mardy
Glasgow - Stoater
Leicester - Jitty
Leeds - Gill
Cardiff - Cwtch
