My Scottish manager frequently substitutes "fricking hell" or "fucking heck" etc. with "flippin' egg".
I thought it was an eccentricity, but recently I've heard a YouTuber from Norwich using the same expression; they're the only two people I'm aware of using that term.
Google seems rather sparse on this, so I come to seek the wisdom of the British Languishites: is "flippin' egg" a thing? What's going on with that?
I'm not British but that's clearly an euphemism.
So I believe that instead of a matter of being Scottish, your boss is probably just a prude.
He is many things, but not a prude. :lol:
He's saying "flipping (h)eck" for the last one - that's a long-established alternative for "fucking hell". It's old-fashioned but still in use.
Nobody woudl ever say "fucking heck" - why euphamise "hell" when you've already said "fucking".
"Fricking" is an American euphimism which has become a little common over here. Certain Scots (with Irish connections) might say "fecking"
Scottish people scare the beejeebus out of me. They seem Francis Begbie-esque even when they have breasts.
Thanks Gups; he has Irish forebears, but he doesn't use "feck" at all.
We talk a lot to Canadians at work, so he might have picked up a thing or two there.
Norgs: he has quite a few amusing/frightening tales from growing up and living in Glasgow in the 70s through 90s.
Quote from: Syt on March 26, 2014, 05:47:42 AM
Thanks Gups; he has Irish forebears, but he doesn't use "feck" at all.
We talk a lot to Canadians at work, so he might have picked up a thing or two there.
Norgs: he has quite a few amusing/frightening tales from growing up and living in Glasgow in the 70s through 90s.
What strikes me about Glasgow is that it's a huge city in a country with roughly the same population as Norway or thereabouts, and it has sectarian violence, drug problems and whatnot that you wouldn't expect to find in a country like Scotland. You're an avid reader, and some of Irvine Welsh' novels are well worth the effort. They paint a fairly bleak picture of existence in Scotland in particular and being human in general.
Quote from: Gups on March 26, 2014, 05:12:42 AM
"Fricking" is an American euphimism which has become a little common over here. Certain Scots (with Irish connections) might say "fecking"
It's more likely to be frigging.
Thanks, Norgs, I'll check that! :)
To be fair, Glasgow is very pleasant to visit, it just has a history of ghettoising its more undesirable elements, and the great majority of Scots are charming company, friendly to a degree that terrifies southerners. I dare say there are estates in London I wouldn't dare set foot.
Quote from: Brazen on March 26, 2014, 07:15:38 AMthe great majority of Scots are charming company, friendly to a degree that terrifies southerners
Relevant video ahead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQKfWqX-rqE
Also, one of my favorite Briticisms recently is the word "tat".
Quote from: Brazen on March 26, 2014, 06:17:48 AM
Quote from: Gups on March 26, 2014, 05:12:42 AM
"Fricking" is an American euphimism which has become a little common over here. Certain Scots (with Irish connections) might say "fecking"
It's more likely to be frigging.
And we also use "flippin'".
I wouldn't say fecking is an exclusively Irish thing. Post-Father Ted it has made big inroads into the UK.
Quote from: Brazen on March 26, 2014, 07:15:38 AM
To be fair, Glasgow is very pleasant to visit, it just has a history of ghettoising its more undesirable elements, and the great majority of Scots are charming company, friendly to a degree that terrifies southerners. I dare say there are estates in London I wouldn't dare set foot.
:hmm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM-DtAXBUpI
Quote from: Norgy on March 26, 2014, 05:56:24 AM
What strikes me about Glasgow is that it's a huge city in a country with roughly the same population as Norway or thereabouts, and it has sectarian violence, drug problems and whatnot that you wouldn't expect to find in a country like Scotland.
Why wouldn't you? :unsure: