Being British XIV

[Northumbrian]

I'd say "going to the beach". I've never heard "going to the sea" but "going to the seaside" is fairly common, though probably a little old-fashioned. For me "seaside" has images of old fashioned seaside holidays and sticks of rock and candy floss and fish and chips on the pier.

Also, I've seen the words "beachfront" and "ocean" used in fanfics. Avoid them.
I'm not certain what a beachfront is, it seems to mean both seaside and promenade (or prom). I'm a 15 minute cycle ride from the beach, and the prom. I'm very close, but nowhere in the UK is further than 70 miles from the sea.
Ocean isn't used because we are surrounded by seas, not oceans (except for north west Scotland and (I think) Cornwall).

Neil

[Amelia_Bones]

OK, I need some help. I'm writing a story that involves a car.
What are some common British cars that a middle-class family might have?

Thanks in advance.

[Equinox Chick]

Can you tell me what era? And where in UK?

For instance, these days in London, a lot of families have 4x4's despite not really needing them. We have a Honda seven seater because we have 3 kids and have to transport them and luggage everywhere. There's also the seatbelt thing to take into account. In the 70's/80's my Dad drove a Ford Cortina, with four kids in the back. That was before seat belts were fitted and compulsory for every passenger, so you were crammed in like sardines.

~Carole~

[Amelia_Bones]

It would be current era in a fairly metropolitan area. Perhaps not London but maybe in the outskirts.
I'm thinking a sedan for a family of four. Your basic 4-door family car.

[Northumbrian]

Sedan? Most UK cars are hatchbacks. The big sellers are the Ford Focus and the Vauxhall Astra (Vauxhall = Opel in Europe and GM in the USA), but a lot of families of four might make do with a smaller car, a Fiesta or Corsa. On my street the "family cars" are: Audi A3, Renault Megane, two Corsas, two VW's (a Beetle and a Golf) and a Vauxhall Vectra. That's one snapshot of one suburban street.
-N-

[Amelia_Bones]

Excellent. That helps alot. I just didn't want a humongous SUV. Don't know how prevalent they are in the UK anyway.

[Northumbrian]

Excellent. That helps alot. I just didn't want a humongous SUV. Don't know how prevalent they are in the UK anyway.

SUV = 4x4 (I think)
Land Rovers are becoming less common because of fuel prices and emmissions taxes.
Someone along the street has one of those daft Mitsubishi L200's. The roads (and supermarket parking spaces) aren't big enough for it.

[sas__x]

Probably something like "Oh thats a shame" or "Aw thats rubbish" would do. I don't see how "bloody" would fit in there though.

[Justice]

I was wondering is there a British equivalent for the word ‘sucks’? We say sucks if something is bad. Like: “I stubbed my toe.” “Oh that sucks.” The only British word I could think of was bloody, but I didn’t know if there was another slang term used. Thanks for your help.

[Equinox Chick]

Stuck record here, but what era?

I agree 'bloody' doesn't fit; its a swear word on its own.

If you're talking now then 'that sucks' works. Otherwise, 'that stinks' is a fairly decent equivalent.

~Carole~