What’s the craic?

In the UK we have a multitude of dialects in a fairly small area. Slang changes, as well, sometimes.

Food, for example, can be scran, scoff, bagging (usually a lunch you take to work - more so in the old mill and pit towns of the north, I think), bait (in Newcastle), nosh and more.

For friend, we have mate, pal, marra, la’ (Liverpool, short for lad), buddy (which many think is American, but possibly derives from the 18thc English ‘butty mate’ used by coal miners to mean ‘work mate’, thought to be from an older English phrase ‘booty fellow’ (somebody with whom you share the ‘booty’ - the profit, spoils, cash.)

That reminds me: Cash, dosh, shrapnel (loose change - pennies etc), wonga, a few ‘bob’, smackers, quid (meaning pound - £5 = five quid). From Cockney slang we get ‘pony’ (£25), ton (£100), monkey (£500, grand (£1,000). £10 = A Tenner. £5 = A Fiver.

For hungry we have Hank Marvin’ (starvin’)

“Gasping” means thirsty, as do “parched” and “gagging”.

We also have quite a few slang words named after famous footballers from the 1966 World Cup winning squad.

I’m dying for a Geoof Hurst (I need a burst, I’m bursting... I feel the need to pass urine :)

What’s the Bobby Moore (what’s the ‘score’ as in What’s going on? What’s happening.)

My Nobby Stiles (piles) are killing me!

Thankfully, there isn’t one named after the goalkeeper (one of the greatest ever)... Gordon Banks... :)