Irish in the UK - what are the things that it took you ages to realise people don't say here.

[ConflictedCheetah]

Inspired by the thread about Pancake Tuesday.

That thread has cracked me up because SO many posters are insisting no one EVER calls pancake Tuesday - it's Pancake Day - and sayu it's weird and wanky to call it that. And then all the Irish people on the thread are like ' wait, we've always called it that and never noticed that no one else did.

So what else you got?

For me, and I'm here 20 years, I only found out about a year ago that no one here calls a birth certificate a 'birth cert'. My English husband thought it was proper weird that I kept saying that. I had never picked up that it wasn't a thing! I think Irish people are so used to talking about the Leaving Cert or Junior Cert etc. that the Cert but feels natural. DH says no.

What other ways have I been unknowingly embarrassing myself for 20 years?

Or even better, ‘gave out fierce’!

Another English person who disagrees with this! Never heard anyone use floor to refer to the ground outside.

I wonder if that's where the Americans got the expression?
Every time I hear, "Oh he got real sick" I get a mental image of some dude throwing up everywhere.

Northern England, it's always been 'ill' or "not-, so-well" rather than poorly.

Unless you are speaking to a young child.

Yes the Pancake Tuesday one blew my mind too.

Also:

• bring/take - English people say “take [it] with you” whereas I would say “take it from me/bring it with you” - there’s a good explanation on the Hiberno-English wiki page!
• sick for me is any illness; English people only seem to use it for vomiting, and say “ill” otherwise
• if I hurt myself I’d say “it’s sore” but English people don’t seem to use that except for eg a sore throat - they’d never have a sore leg.
• what age are you vs how old are you
• bold! Also wee (I’m from NI)

im sure there are loads more

I'm quite surprised you haven't - I've heard it being used by journalists on the news, people being interviewed, all over the place in England. Drives me nuts. Seems to have become prevalent in the last decade, never heard it before that. A floor is a constructed thing, the ground is not!

I'll be there now in a minute/ I'll do it there now in a minute
Also hot press
Saying somebody is poorly conjures an image of a weak, possibly depressed Victorian woman. It's such a weak, wet term.

On a side note, it infuriates me when speaking to someone of distant Irish heritage who adopts a slight Irish accent when speaking to me. FFS just stop mocking my accent, you don't do it to any other minority 😡

The use of ‘whenever’ to mean ‘when’!

Run also used in England. Take granny for a run out on Sunday. Take the car for a run to recharge the battery. Etc.

Stockings for socks is a favourite.

Is amn't an Irish thing? I use it in Scotland, although it would explain why my English partner insists that it isn't a word.

"Ah would ya stop" but actually I want you to continue on with what you are saying.

Also their lunch is dinner and their dinner is tea.

Mid term but they say half term.

if I hurt myself I’d say “it’s sore” but English people don’t seem to use that except for eg a sore throat - they’d never have a sore leg.

I’d say my legs were sore if I’d had a hard workout & they ached.

This thread’s fascinating.

It’s ‘yoke’ :)

The English definitely say 'sore' related to most parts of the body.

2 phrases that I used on first moving to England that got baffled looks...
"needs washed" I was told it should be "needs washing or needs to be washed"
And asking a date to "leave me home" ie walk with me to my flat to ensure I got home safely.

Are these Irish isms, or just me getting stuff wrong and equally confusing on either side of Irish Sea?

@Slowvibe do you think they are mocking you? My family is Irish (most are back home) but I was born here and when I’m with them I immediately adopt a lilt. I’m not mocking, it just happens. And I’ve just realised that whilst forming this response to you, I’ve the lilt in my head as I type the words!

He had drink taken…

she wasn’t able for it at all…

recognise most of these…. Always lived in England but proud of my Irish heritage.

"I'm only after doing X"

I have never heard of that in England.

Oh yes, would never say poorly!

Some of these seem strange - English people often say sore arm, sore leg, sore head.
I'm wondering whether English regionalism is so varied, there are different experiences of colloquialisms.

"Will you have a cup of tea, it's made and all". New English housemate, moved to Dublin, had not a clue what she was being asked.

I'm southern England and poorly is only used for children feeling ill. It's deliberately a weedy word to make kids feel it's not that serious to be ill.

Also agree that I'd never call the ground outside the floor

Isn’t ’how are ya’ an Irish version of the same thing though?

There was a thread here yesterday with lots of people saying they were knackered. We say we're 'wrecked' rather than knackered.

What about paving slabs outside? Ground or floor?