We share a lot in common with our transatlantic neighbours across the pond – but there are a number of quirky differences, from whether you say ‘trash’ or ‘rubbish’ or opt for a Hershey’s bar over a Cadbury‘s Dairy Milk.
And when it comes to slang, both Brits and Americans enjoy some unique – and at times baffling – phrases.
One man from the UK was left baffled – after being quizzed on words used by people from the United States – during a language podcast.
English teacher Sam, from Manchester, who co-hosts The Bridging Borders Podcast, was tested on more straightforward terms like ‘extra’ as well as tougher regional phrases.
Fellow presenter Veronika Mark – a Russian translator and content creator – started off the episode, which was uploaded on YouTube in February and racked up 2,000 views – with ‘bussin”.
One man from the UK was left baffled – after being quizzed on words used by people from the United States – during a language podcast
‘I’ve definitely heard this,’ Sam said feebly. ‘But I’m going to have to wait till the sentence.’
However, he successfully deduced that it’s a term of high praise, especially used for food.
However, Veronika added that ‘anything can be bussin” as it simply implies something is ‘amazing’ or ‘really good’.
Sam next easily guessed ‘amped’ to mean ‘excited’ or ‘hyped’.
‘I think that one makes more sense because of like an amplifier,’ he told Veronika.
However, he stumbled slightly on the word ‘extra’.
‘Over the top,’ he suggested. ‘Like… you’re giving too much energy or focus to something.’
English teacher Sam, from Manchester, who co-hosts The Bridging Borders Podcast , was tested on more straightforward terms like ‘extra’ as well as tougher regional phrases
‘Not exactly,’ Veronika replied. ‘Well, I think you were very close. It means dramatic – like attention grabbing.’
Her next slang word was ‘salty’.
‘I know this one,’ Sam replied. ‘People say this in the UK as well. It’s like you’re annoyed but it’s like a little bit more than annoyed.’ The pair also concluded it means you’re being ‘a bit childish’.
Veronika next questioned her co-host on the phrase ‘all hat, no cattle’.
‘I think it’s like the equivalent of all bark, no bite,’ Sam offered, but admitted he wasn’t sure he understood why.
‘I guess it comes from a shepherd,’ Veronika posited. ‘You wear this hat that they wear… but you don’t have any cattle.
‘So it means you pretend to be something but you don’t have the assets, the skills.’
Sam also revealed he has ‘no idea’ about the next term, which was ‘he was born on third base but thinks he hit a triple’.
He struggled on the more regional words – including ‘brick’ which New Yorkers say to refer to cold weather, and ‘bubbler’, which is another word for a water fountain
‘He’s not as good as he thinks he is?’ he suggested.
Veronika explained that the expression comes from a popular sport in the US.
‘In baseball, if you’re in third base – that’s a very good position to be in,’ she said. ‘It means that you were born with huge advantages.
‘I think in English there is an expression… you were fed with a silver spoon.. it’s kind of like that.
‘But then “you think you hit a triple”… hitting a triple in baseball is very hard. It requires a lot of skill and a lot of work. So you think you’re where you are by your own hard work.’
‘That just really showed my lack of baseball knowledge,’ Sam joked.
Next, Veronika asked Sam to describe what it means if something ‘slaps’ or ‘smacks’.
‘I’ve not heard smacks,’ he admitted. However, he correctly said that something is ‘really good’ if it ‘slaps’.
Veronika said that ‘in the States there a huge debate’ over when to use ‘slaps’ versus ‘smacks’.
Fellow presenter Veronika Mark – a Russian translator and content creator – started off the episode, which was uploaded on YouTube in February and racked up 2,000 views – with ‘bussin”
‘A lot of Americans say with food you have to smack, with music you have to slap,’ she added.
Sam was also tested on ‘no cap’ – which he had ‘heard a lot’ but had ‘no idea what it means’.
‘It means like… for real,’ Veronika said. ‘No lie, I’m not lying to you.’
He struggled on the more regional words – including ‘brick’ which New Yorkers say to refer to cold weather, and ‘bubbler’, which is another word for a water fountain.
Sam however knew what something being ‘GOATed’ – the ‘greatest of all time’ – meant, although he thought it’s ‘a term that’s used way too much’.
‘There should only be one greatest of all time,’ he insisted. ‘It has to be the very best… people use GOAT far too freely.’
‘Americans tend to exaggerate a lot,’ Veronika replied.
He also correctly knew that ‘on God’ meant ‘the absolute truth’ and ‘swearing to God’ that someone is being honest.
The Brit stumbled on the last question, which was an acronym – ‘ASL’. Veronika explained that this used to mean ‘age, sex, location’ in older chatrooms, but has since taken on a new meaning on TikTok.
‘I’m 28, Veronika, I don’t go on TikTok,’ Sam said. ‘I actually have no idea.’
His co-host explained that the acronym, used at the end of an expression, means ‘as hell’. For example, someone may say they are ‘tired asl’ to mean ‘tired as hell’.
‘People say that? I’m clearly getting old and uncool,’ Sam said in response.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the divide, a British man has left the internet in stitches after asking his American girlfriend to guess the meaning of popular UK slang.
Rya and Luke have built up a loyal fanbase of more than 152,000 followers on TikTok thanks to their light-hearted couple videos.
Most recently, the duo took to the platform once again to compare and contrast slang in both cultures – with surprising results.
In the original clip, which has so far been viewed more than 383,000 times, Luke wasted little time in putting Rya’s knowledge to the test.
His first example was: ‘I’m gonna see a man about a dog.’
Rya initially burst out laughing before replying: ‘That sounds like, “I’m gonna go see a doctor about my illness. I’m gonna talk to someone who knows what they’re talking about.”‘
But she was a little off the mark as Luke explained that it actually meant: ‘I’m going to go to the toilet.’
His girlfriend burst out laughing before questioning the ‘terrible’ phrasing.