Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Words/phrases you have seen in books that you have never heard a real life person say

188 replies

OneUmberJoker · 17/12/2025 17:01

Little high little low - stuart little

OP posts:
FlorbelaEspanca · 23/05/2026 21:39

AudiobookListener · 09/05/2026 19:30

Last book I read was a children's book in which everyone was wearing a jersey. It was set in 1975. No, just no. It was a jumper then and it's a jumper now.

I called all jumpers jerseys until I started buying mine direct from Shetland - at the opposite end of the British Isles - and it seemed incongruous.

BorisTheShark · 09/05/2026 20:31

In every martina Cole book - me and mine, or you and yours. Never heard anyone actually say that

PeoniesAreMyFavouriteFlowers · 09/05/2026 19:35

Don’t let’s.

I read this a lot in Enid Blyton books.

Does it mean let’s not?

SixSevenShutUp · 09/05/2026 19:34

AudiobookListener · 09/05/2026 19:30

Last book I read was a children's book in which everyone was wearing a jersey. It was set in 1975. No, just no. It was a jumper then and it's a jumper now.

A jersey is a particular style of knitted jumper. In the olden days people would recognise the pattern. I had an Arran sweater, also a jumper but a different style.

AudiobookListener · 09/05/2026 19:30

Last book I read was a children's book in which everyone was wearing a jersey. It was set in 1975. No, just no. It was a jumper then and it's a jumper now.

SaffySaffron · 09/05/2026 18:55

I just noticed in the book I'm reading that one character "reached for" someone. Always used in novels in the context of initiating sex. Seen it lots.

Friendlygingercat · 18/12/2025 01:14

How very dare you!

JaneJeffer · 18/12/2025 00:14

I read a book where the main character kept asking people “shall you” do whatever. I’ve never heard anyone use it in real life.

TorroFerney · 17/12/2025 18:07

CrackingOn50 · 17/12/2025 18:00

People who are cold saying ’bbrrrrrrrr’

I say/make that noise all the time when i am cold.

Until recently infra dig - think it was someone on Radio 4.

CrackingOn50 · 17/12/2025 18:00

People who are cold saying ’bbrrrrrrrr’

ChiefCakeTestertoMaryBerry · 17/12/2025 17:59

I’m reading a book by Rachel Clarke which mentions unbuttoning a pony’s saddle. Girths and saddles don’t have buttons on!

lurkingfromhome · 17/12/2025 17:45

The sky being "cerulean blue". I read it in a book recently where the narrative was from the POV of a very poorly educated but streetwise urban teenager who had had pretty much no parental support or guidance and limited access to books. I thought yeah right, how many people, never mind that character, would throw in an offhand description of the sky as "cerulean blue".

HonoriaBulstrode · 17/12/2025 17:45

I've heard Freddie Mercury say (or sing, rather) little high, little low. Does he count?

Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me....

Swipe left for the next trending thread