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Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang
 
 
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Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: rhyming slang, black rod, United States, House of Lords, House of Commons (more...)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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Frequently Bought Together

Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang + Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour + Rules, Britannia: An Insider's Guide to Life in the United Kingdom
Price For All Three: $38.76

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  • This item: Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang by Jonathan Bernstein

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  • Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour by Kate Fox

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  • Rules, Britannia: An Insider's Guide to Life in the United Kingdom by Toni Summers Hargis

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Brits and Americans dress the same, eat at the same chain restaurants, pass music back and forth across the Atlantic, and our national leaders are practically conjoined twins. But the second the Brits open their mouths, all bets are off. So don’t dream of visiting the UK, dating a Brit, or truly understanding what Jude Law is saying without this handy, hilarious, and informative guide to Britspeak. With the cheekiness of Austin Powers and the tidbit quotient of Schott’s Miscellany, screenwriter Jonathan Bernstein’s collection of Cockney rhyming slang, insults culled from British television shows of yore, and regional and “high British” favorites provides hours of educational, enlightening, even life saving hilarity. And if it doesn’t accomplish that, at least you’ll be aware that when a British citizen describes you as a “wally,” a “herbert,” a “spanner,” or a “bampot,” he’s not showering you with compliments. Knickers in a Twist is as indispensable as a London city guide, as spot-on funny as an episode of The Office, and as edifying as Born to Kvetch and Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Canongate U.S. (October 19, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1841958344
  • ISBN-13: 978-1841958347
  • Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,228 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #5 in  Books > Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Slang & Idioms

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13 Reviews
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 (5)
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Usefully funny!, October 30, 2006
By Martin Edelweiss "M.E." (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
Fans of Bernstein's Guardian column in the UK will be well-acquainted with his trenchant wit - on brilliant display here, too, as he tackles a potentially unwieldy subject. Where most dictionaries of this type are poorly written and dry as dust, "Knickers" handles both the well-known (e.g. the title) and the obscure (too many examples to list) linguistic peculiarities of the Queen's English with style. A must for Anglophiles and a rare treat for the casual reader and/or traveler.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars For those who are not familar with British slang, July 9, 2008
I am completely, and utterly in love with England, every single aspect of it is lovely. I was surprised that a book on British Slang was out, I went out and bought it the very next day. As soon as I got home I stuffed it into my bag for school the next day. During one class when I had finished my work earlier I decided to open this book up, what a horrible decision! This book was absolutely hilarious! Which was bad since the rest of the class was finishing a test, and I had to leave the room to get rid of my laughter.

Now I use these terms all over the school that leaves other students stare at me with bewilderment. It's great to know terms that others are not familiar with.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Not for just the ol' blue rinsers ..., April 23, 2008
A very well compiled and concise collection of British slang and colloquial expressions that seemingly date back two hundred years. However a good fifty percent are more common to the last forty years and probably another thirty percent are the last fifteen to a close ten. While this tome might be devoid of the more obscure statements like: "Jimmy Hill", no one's going to notice or fault the compilers for it.

This is a good writers reference for anyone on the island or across the pond. Anyone interested in seeking other quality slang reference books can look here:

1. The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary

2. The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms

3. Urban Dictionary: Street Slang Defined

4. Depraved and Insulting English

5. The Highly Selective Dictionary For The Extraordinarily Literate

6. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions

7. How Not To Say What You Mean: A Dictionary of Euphemisms


Got that, Gaffer? Cheers, me old son!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Made my Mother-In-Law Happy
My Mother-In-Law saw this book on T.V. and asked me to look for it. Went home booted up my computer and checked Amazon and there it was. Read more
Published 1 month ago by M. Tittle

3.0 out of 5 stars Neither Deep nor Enlghtening
I enjoy watching British comedies and my wife spent some time in Scotland, so I was looking for a treasure trove of slang that was not such common knowledge. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Thomas D. Darling

4.0 out of 5 stars FUN BOOK!!
I bought this for my wife so she can understand a bit of my jib, which she claims I make up on a daily basis!! Ha, I was not!! Read more
Published 3 months ago by I. Cedron

5.0 out of 5 stars Knickers in a Twist...A dictionary of English Slang
Bought this to remind me of many old sayings that were in common usage when I was a child. The book also includes all the Newer changes to the lower language that I had never... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Norma

4.0 out of 5 stars Good to Know!
I bought this book because many of UK friends used different expressions. I am moving to the UK and didn't want to embarrass myself by using words that are commonly used in the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sandra Gusler

5.0 out of 5 stars Great or british comedy translations
Bought this for my wife, she loves the UK comedy. Now she gets the jokes. Transaction was perfect AAAA++++++
Published 6 months ago by John E. Petza

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mayflower must have been extremely compact!
For this transplanted, now American, Englishman, "Knickers in a Twist" is a glorious romp down memory lane. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Ancient Brit

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent delivery time and excellent condition
A funny book to read, and very interesting to see the similarities and differences in the English language. Read more
Published 16 months ago by S. King

4.0 out of 5 stars How to speak "English" for Americans!
Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang

Although some of the phrases mentioned in the book are widely used in the USA, it still is a very interesting and... Read more
Published 19 months ago by E. Dodd

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
There were a few words I didn't find in the book that I'd already heard, but other than that... I'd have to say add it to your collection. Read more
Published 20 months ago by JuneBug

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