Being British XII

[Apollonious]

Hi.

I'm wondering if it would be common for a British person to call a black eye a "shiner". If not, is there a specific slang term for it?

[Sapphire at Dawn]

Yep, I use shiner. I think you're fine with that. I don't know anything else it would be called, but others may know some.

Sarah x

[Northumbrian]

I use shiner, too. I'm not aware of any alternative. Though there are plenty of ways to get one. A Glasgow Kiss, perhaps?

Neil

[Apollonious]

Thanks, both Sarah and Neil.

Okay, you've piqued my curiosity -- what is a Glasgow Kiss?

[the opaleye]

Is there a particular name for a holiday home in Britain? We call a holiday home a 'bach' in New Zealand but I'm pretty sure that's only used down here at the bottom of the world. Holiday home sounds a bit strange and I was wondering if there was any colloquial term as such that I could use instead.

Thanks!

[Northumbrian]

Thanks, both Sarah and Neil.

Okay, you've piqued my curiosity -- what is a Glasgow Kiss?

Glasgow Kiss = Sticking the nut on someone = head butting a person.

Neil

[psijupiter]

Is there a particular name for a holiday home in Britain? We call a holiday home a 'bach' in New Zealand but I'm pretty sure that's only used down here at the bottom of the world. Holiday home sounds a bit strange and I was wondering if there was any colloquial term as such that I could use instead.

Thanks!

I've never heard the term 'bach' before. I don't think there is any particular term for a holiday home over here. People will sometimes call them 'second homes,' but that also includes people who have a home somewhere and then maybe a flat in the city close to work. (See the expenses scandal.) In general, I don't think it is very common to have a holiday home, though I suppose there are quite a few people who own flats or houses in Spain etc.

[Northumbrian]

Holiday homes, as in a second home used only for a few weeks of the year by the owner but sometimes rented out to third parties does not have any name other than “holiday home” (or “holiday cottage”) so far as I’m aware.

In my part of England most "holiday cottages" are owned by local landowners and rented out. Absentee owners still occasionally have problems, tough I haven’t heard of any in my area, there were a couple of holiday homes burnt down in Wales last year. This used to be very common (stereotype warning) because “rich Londoners are buying up properties and artificially inflating prices so that locals can’t afford to buy properties where they have always lived."

Neil

[Sapphire at Dawn]

I agree that we don't really have a term for it. We used to have a cottage in Wales that we rented out to a local family and went there for summer holidays, but we sold it a few years ago. We only ever called that a holiday cottage, or just by its name which I can't spell because its so incredibly Welsh.

Sarah x

[Weasley Mom]

Please pardon my language for one moment as I ask if you use the word "hard-ass" (strict, rule-abiding, not flexible) over there? And if so... it's hyphenated, right?

Thanks in advance!