Queen's English as a Second Language Part 8

Loo--toilet, as in "I need to use the loo before we leave." And on the topic of what to call the room with the toilet...in Europe they don't call it a bathroom (a lot of times the bath and the toilet are in separate rooms) or a restroom (since it isn't a place to take a rest). In England it is typically called a loo, toilet, or ladies/gents. I don't hear the term WC used very often in England even though it quite common throughout the rest of Europe. 

Carrier bag--plastic shopping bag typically given to customers in grocery stores, as in "Would you like a carrier bag?" Also, please note the spelling of kerb (curb in the US) in the photo below. 

Oi--Cockney slang for "hey", as in "Oi, mate! How you doing?"

Drink-drive--drunk driving, as in "punishments are more severe in the UK if you drink-drive." In the US you would say, "He got pulled over for drunk driving last night."

Tyres--tires

Brekkie--breakfast, as in "Wanna meet up for brekkie?" I think this one may actually be an Australian term but I hear it a lot. 

Moggy--slang for cat, as in "What a beautiful white moggy!"

Sorted--organised or worked out, as in "We'll get this issue sorted" or "No worries, I'll sort it out." I can't stress enough how common this term is here. It is used for any issue or even people. If someone is behaving poorly they may need sorting. 

Rapeseed oil--canola oil

Maths--math, as in "I was never any good at maths in school." 

Cockney Rhyming Slang originated around 1840 in East London and is formed of words that rhyme with the intended word. Some say that it began as a way to communicate in code so non-locals and police couldn't understand what was being said. I found two examples of Cockney Rhyming Slang written out at a restaurant in Covent Garden.

Apples and Pairs/Pears--Stairs, as in "Let's go up the apples and pears to Uncle Ned." (Uncle Ned = bed)

Jockey's Whips--chips, as in "Get me a plate of Jockey's Whips, will ya?"