Every language is full of terms that are not something you learn in lessons but make up an important part of understanding and communicating with people. Using these expressions properly can make a big difference when it comes to doing business, making friends and even ordering food and dealing with people on a daily basis. We will look at more of these in the future but here are 5 common English terms known as slang and what they mean.
This is a very simple greeting term. It basically means “are you ok?” but it is used when you meet someone. In a way it is a very lazy greeting because it moves past saying hello and goes straight to the point of asking how someone is. By simply greeting someone with “all right” there is no need to then ask further. However, do not answer this greeting with an answer about how you are. The common response is to simply say it back and this if often accompanied by a small nod of the head.
This term is a very casual greeting and not to be used in formal situations like the office or meeting someone’s parents. It may be hard to understand as it is often said in a slight slur that sounds like “awwllright?”
Blimey is a short version of a traditionally London term which is “cor blimey” or “gor blimey”. The original term was “god blind me” but this has long since been lost.
Blimey is a term used to express surprise or shock at something. It is commonly used in New Zealand and Australia as well as the South of the UK mainly.
Blimey is not a rude word and will not offend anyone but it is a casual term and once again should not be used in a business or formal setting.
Bottle very simply means courage or bravery but it has a number of different uses in the English language. To say someone “doesn’t have any bottle” is simply to say they are not brave. But you could also say “he bottled it” and this would mean he was going to do something but didn’t have the courage to do it. For example, he may have been asking a girl out but got scared and didn’t do it.
As with many slang terms, this is not offensive but as has already been said, it is not for business use generally. However, there are some sales environments and other high pressure working environments where this could be acceptable.
Using slang can be very good but it is something that should be used with caution alongside your English lessons with Perfectly Spoken. Using slang in the wrong way can cause problems that are best avoided.