My great-grandfather was a soldier in the British army. He brought the word “bloody” and “ducks” (or “duckie”) to the family about a 100 years ago. We are still use them.
“Duck”, or “ducks” or “duckie”, is quite a distinctive regionalism in England. Your great-grandfather was very likely from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, or somewhere nearby in the East Midlands. “Duck” is used as a greeting even between two unrelated men. Etymologically it is related to the word “duke” and has nothing to do with the bird.
Yes! I forgot About everything being a "duck"!
I’ve owned several Limey bikes. Does that count?
As long as you Chivvy along and don't fannying around!
Top Gear is a great source of British insults.
My Cousin used to get all chuffed about that show.
My husband’s mother was British, and he also spent part of his childhood in England. One word he says that drives me crazy is ‘drawings’, referring to his artwork, but he pronounces it: drawERings.
Oh That is nothing, when my Grandfather came to the U.S. from England, one of the first things he did was go to a MACdonalds to get a MACrib! (the difference between Scottish and Irish Mc and Mac!) It was very funny.
No worries. Though a lot of what people are posting here as Britishisms I heard from my New York-born parents (father: Manhattan; mother: Bronx), both of Irish descent but thoroughly American:
ticked off
told off
pricey (or dear)
dodgy (as in "that's a dodgy neighborhood")
Not to mention "wee" as in "I'll have a wee bit more."