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Favourite British Quirk

Gowans

Gowans

Moderator
Oct 27, 2017
5,520
North East, UK
I love the fact we are a nation of quirks and odd, old and new traditions.

My two favourites are

Saluting Magpies when you see them or saying good morning to Mr Magpie and asking how his wife and kids are.

Adding a kiss to the end of text messages to friends and family x


What's have you got UK Era?
 
Joffy

Joffy

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,153
Is adding a kiss to the end of text messages to friends and family a UK thing?
 
Pankratous

Pankratous

Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,238
The fact that (most of) our doors to enter/exit the house can't be opened without a key from the inside, so if a fire starts while you're inside and you can't find the key, you die.

The fact that we call it "bits" instead of pulp, so our Orange Juice is on the shelf as "Orange Juice with bits."
 
CloseTalker

CloseTalker

Member
Oct 25, 2017
30,539
I assume this isn't true in all UK dialects, but some regions will put a random "yeah?" at the end of sentences. It's like a weird middle ground between emphasizing what they just said, and making sure you've heard (it's not said with an expectation that you respond). I find it endearing.
 
Plinkerton

Plinkerton

Member
Nov 4, 2017
6,058
Not sure if this counts as a quirk but I love the people who run for parliment in seats that'll be won by famous politicians. Lord Buckethead and those guys.

Seems to be a uniquely British thing and a great encapsulation of British humour.
 
Psychotext

Psychotext

Member
Oct 30, 2017
16,673
Plinkerton said:
I've never heard of this. Is this a regional thing or something?
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It's a ridiculous superstition. I know people that do it and it always makes me lower my opinion of them.

My favourite would be our tendency to under-exaggerate / make light of extreme situations. Also our penchant for childish place names (Lord Hereford's Knob etc).
 
Redcrayon

Redcrayon

Patient hunter
On Break
Oct 27, 2017
12,713
UK
Plinkerton said:
I've never heard of this. Is this a regional thing or something?
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Yeah, it comes from the old counting rhyme
'one for sorrow,
two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret
Never to be told.'

There's variations around Magpie lore all over the U.K. and Ireland. Somehow it became associated with seeing one Magpie being bad luck, and two being good luck, from the rhyme. So to avert bad luck you ask where the Magpie's family is. There's also a variant where you salute them, which somehow led to the myth that they hold honorary rank in the British army. There's a ton of magpie myths.
 
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Gowans

Gowans

Moderator
Oct 27, 2017
5,520
North East, UK
CloseTalker said:
I assume this isn't true in all UK dialects, but some regions will put a random "yeah?" at the end of sentences. It's like a weird middle ground between emphasizing what they just said, and making sure you've heard (it's not said with an expectation that you respond). I find it endearing.
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In thr north east we replace the "yeah?" With a "like"

Just noticed my kids have started doing it
 
Plinkerton

Plinkerton

Member
Nov 4, 2017
6,058
A Welsh one: asking for half and half with your curry, meaning half rice, half chips.

I've not yet met anyone outside of (south) Wales who does this.
 
Jeff Albertson

Jeff Albertson

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
2,670
Big fan of apologising to everyone no matter the fault.

Bloke could run up to me in the street, bump into me then stab me with a rusty blade and he'd probably get a 'sorry pal'
 
Gibson

Gibson

Member
Oct 29, 2017
2,270
The magpie thing was common to me growing up as well. I expect it comes from folklore.

Another one we had was 'don't put new shoes on the table' and 'don't open an umbrella indoors'. There's countless examples across the UK.
 
Irrotational

Irrotational

Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,133
I was told by an american that she loves how british people say "ok, cheers bye," at tne end of phone calls when they hang up.

My favourite quirks are under exaggeration and extreme sarcasm. It confuses the fuck out of the yanks.
 
Bus-TEE

Bus-TEE

Banned
Nov 20, 2017
4,656
When a stranger stops you in the street and asks you for directions and though you don't know yourself you help them try and puzzle out this conundrum regardless.

"It might be near the big ASDA."

*nodding all round *

Gowans said:
My two favourites are

Saluting Magpies when you see them or saying good morning to Mr Magpie and asking how his wife and kids are.
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YES!

But doing so owing to nothing more than an old nursery rhyme "One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy" (even though you are an adult) etc, etc.

Gowans said:
Adding a kiss to the end of text messages to friends and family x
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That's a new one to me.

Plinkerton said:
A Welsh one: asking for half and half with your curry, meaning half rice, half chips.

I've not yet met anyone outside of (south) Wales who does this.
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Wow. I'd actually welcome such a development to Scotland. I think the only Scottish centric curry thing we have up here is Pakora which no one else has ever heard of never mind actually sells.
 
Pizza Dog

Pizza Dog

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
1,476
Pankratous said:
The fact that (most of) our doors to enter/exit the house can't be opened without a key from the inside, so if a fire starts while you're inside and you can't find the key, you die.
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Think this is more for older doors and the like - I'm sure regulations nowadays are to have latch style locks instead. I know I'm in an older house currently and it doesn't need a key to let you out. I think most people who have this style of door just leave the key in the lock when they lock it from inside so it's unlikely to be an issue hopefully.
 
Dan Thunder

Dan Thunder

Member
Nov 2, 2017
14,015
Saying sorry to the person who's just walked into you/run over your grandma.

That and possibly sarcasm. There's no question, statement or answer that we can't add some kind of sarcastic tone or comment to.
 
Redcrayon

Redcrayon

Patient hunter
On Break
Oct 27, 2017
12,713
UK
My favourite is waiting to be served in a pub with a note or your bank card held between two fingers and an optimistic look on your face. A German friend of mine was always surprised it seemed to work as he was far more robust yet polite about gaining their attention as they walked past with drinks for someone else. I couldn't convince him that the bar staff knew exactly the order of who was going to be served when without needing to say anything until it's your turn.
 
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Gowans

Gowans

Moderator
Oct 27, 2017
5,520
North East, UK
We had to stop the 'First Footer' thing this year with lockdown where its important and good luck for the first person entering your home for a visit who doesn't live here.
 
Redcrayon

Redcrayon

Patient hunter
On Break
Oct 27, 2017
12,713
UK
'Sorry' is just punctuation in the UK.

"Sorry, can you speak up?"
"Sorry, I can't let you in."
"Sorry, your dog has shat on my shoe."
"Sorry, your umbrella seems to have taken my eyeball out."
"Sorry, my carcass seems to have inconvenienced you as it slid under your wheels."

Also works as 'did I hear you correctly', meaning 'I'm giving you a chance to take that back before we severely disagree.'
 
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Gowans

Gowans

Moderator
Oct 27, 2017
5,520
North East, UK
Another thing is as our media gets more globalised and with YouTube etc.

I still get snapped out of it when anyone flicked the Vs and sticks up two fingers with the back of their hand facing the camera.

Even if they are just saying two.
 
Rodan

Rodan

Member
Nov 3, 2017
634
I adore the phrasing "He/she is a right/utter _______". She's a right pillock. He's an utter cock. Etc
 
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Shogun

Shogun

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,434
I like how ''cunt'' is highly highly offensive in every other country other than the UK, I've even heard it used as a term of endearment.
 

Deleted member 20202

User Requested Account Deletion
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
572
Cymru
Bus-TEE said:
When a stranger stops you in the street and asks you for directions and though you don't know yourself you help them try and puzzle out this conundrum regardless.

"It might be near the big ASDA."

*nodding all round *



YES!

But doing so owing to nothing more than an old nursery rhyme "One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy" (even though you are an adult) etc, etc.



That's a new one to me.



Wow. I'd actually welcome such a development to Scotland. I think the only Scottish centric curry thing we have up here is Pakora which no one else has ever heard of never mind actually sells.
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Um Pakora is sold is Sainsbury and Tesco in South Wales though?
 
Don Draper's Hat

Don Draper's Hat

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,116
"Mate" being used in a threatening way if said to a stranger. "What did you just say to me, mate?"

"Cunt" being used amongst friends like it's nothing. "Shut up, you daft cunt."
 
Shiz Padoo

Shiz Padoo

Member
Oct 13, 2018
6,089
Also, the Nescafe Gold Blend adverts which were a mini soap opera with that guy from Buffy.

Filth.

 
Redcrayon

Redcrayon

Patient hunter
On Break
Oct 27, 2017
12,713
UK
Shogun said:
I like how ''cunt'' is highly highly offensive in every other country other than the UK, I've even heard it used as a term of endearment.
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Hmm, I think this one is more in blokey spaces though. It's still regularly voted the most offensive insult and throwing it around in most workplaces isn't going to get you very far unless it's a boys club atmosphere. I find the the use as a term of endearment an extension of the awkward 'can only express affection through insults' thing. Because heaven forbid we ever show affection for people we like without needling them to just make sure everyone knows we are close enough to get away with it. Australians also seem to use it a bit more than us, I think.
 
Akira86

Akira86

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,585
various so called "british" 'conditions' or vices
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