British Airways has reportedly launched a marketing campaign – along with a corresponding website – urging American visitors to the UK to bone up on their English phrases before they arrive in Blighty.
According to The Independent, the BA website will allow Americans to “confidently ask for the location of the ‘loo’, the ‘lift’, the ‘blower’ or the ‘bin’” – as well as how to have a good ‘chin-wag’ with the locals.
Robin Hayes, US executive vice-president of BA, is quoted as saying that, while those who want a real taste of the nuances of British slang should go and hire a copy of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the website may be “the easiest and best way to learn some of the uniquely British words and phrases people often bring home from a London vacation (holiday)”.
BA will reportedly advertise the “facility” in New York this month, with a series of posters displaying some of the more quirky English words and phrases, such as “hoo-ha”, “afters”, and “car park” (rather than parking lot). Some of the suggested words and phrases, however, appear to have been included by someone with a good British sense of humour. They include:
- Blimey: An expression of surprise. As in “Blimey, how time flies. Let’s catch up.”
- Minger: An unattractive person. “My blind date was a right minger.” and
- Tickety-Boo: Means going well. “Is everything tickety-boo with you?”
Gawd help the folks back home, as The Independent puts it …
