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...to make a UK map of slang for bunking off lessons...

136 replies

WalkDontWalk · 08/10/2025 15:24

This is a spin-off from another thread....

Skipping lessons or entire days of school was 'bunking off' where I grew up - which was Sarf London.

There's an Arctic Monkeys song in which Alex mentions 'she wagged English and Science', which I checked with a friend from Sheffield, and it means what I thought it meant.

I think you could make a map of the UK by plotting regional slang for skipping lessons.

OP posts:
Octoberaddsagale · 08/10/2025 15:32

Skiving - also North West, about as far west as you can get.
It’s not only used for missing school, though. If you were at work, and sitting idly in the stock cupboard instead of being on the shop floor, that would also be skiving.

I recognise all the others, apart from the spatula one.

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 08/10/2025 15:32

Mitching - Swansea

Although that may have fallen out of favour, just checked with DD and she had no idea what it meant. Apparently its just bunking off now.

PrincessAnne5Eva · 08/10/2025 15:32

Skiving in my area meant sitting chatting in class doing no work, not physically being absent from the lesson.

PrincessAnne5Eva · 08/10/2025 15:30

I never went to a school where it was physically possible to bunk off/do a runner, but we did doss a lot in business studies as the class was mainly people who hadn’t handed in their options forms. North midlands.

Playing hookey is mentioned in the 1960s American novel Freaky Friday, so I suspect it’s an Americanism.

SisterMaryLuke · 08/10/2025 15:30

Wagging - North West.

SheGotOffThePlane · 08/10/2025 15:30

Dogging it - just outside Glasgow

weebarra · 08/10/2025 15:29

Glasgow - skiving

KurtansFringe · 08/10/2025 15:29

Skiving - North West

Talipesmum · 08/10/2025 15:28

Manchester - we called it skiving

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 08/10/2025 15:26

We call it "Playing with Granny's spatula" here in Milton Keynes.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 08/10/2025 15:26

Playing hookey.

NE England

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