Quick British vernacular question

[Muz]

Just a quick question for any GitPers from the UK (or those familiar with same):

Do the British generally say "stuff?" As in: "When you said that, all this other stuff just came rushing back to me." I'm writing a bit of dialogue, and that line just strikes me as wrong for a Brit based on my own limited familiarity as an American.

The "stuff" in question is rather valued to the speaker, so I don't want a word that has too negative of a connotation (i.e., I wouldn't want to replace "stuff" with "crap").

Thanks!

[Dogmantra]

Well, I certainly say "stuff" rather often and last time I checked I'd lived in England all my life. Bearing in mind that my frame of reference here is teenagers, though I'm sure plenty of people from all age groups say it.

[Mercenary Pen]

Yes, we use stuff in that context, or at least some of us do.

Beyond that, it's just a question of whether the word is in keeping with the character in question- for example, some people have perfectly ordinary words that they would just never use, and this isn't a conscious choice, its just the way that words occur to them, for example, they might never use the word however...

Edit: Ouch, multiple 500 errors posting this- but I've fixed the quintuple post.

[Mx.Silver]

"Stuff" is a pretty normal word to use over here.

[Mikhailangelo]

I use it quite regularly. Though, I must admit, I probably use the word '****' in that context more often... I am Scottish though, and Gleswegian to boot, so I think that is acceptable.

[Comissar]

Speaking as a Brit, I use Stuff fairly often.

[Muz]

Thanks for the replies! (Now I feel silly for doubting the word.) :smallsmile:

[Juggling Goth]

I do remember it being the kind of word my English teachers disliked. But I still use it :smallbiggrin:

[Goosefeather]

Having lived in Scotland, Wales, and the North and South of England, I can confirm that we use the word all the time. You probably wouldn't use it in an academic essay, but for casual conversation it's fine.

[Traab]

What does the phrase sixes and sevens mean?

[Si-on]

Apparently sixes and sevens means a state of confusion. As in "It was all sixes and sevens. I didn't know what was happening."
I am British and I have never used it personally and I don't recall ever hearing anyone else use it.

[Objection]

I am British and I have never used it personally and I don't recall ever hearing anyone else use it.

This regarding the "sixes and sevens" phrase. As for using stuff in that particular context or a similar context, I can confirm (as if the people above me haven't already) that that does happen.

[Traab]

Apparently sixes and sevens means a state of confusion. As in "It was all sixes and sevens. I didn't know what was happening."
I am British and I have never used it personally and I don't recall ever hearing anyone else use it.

Maybe its a regional thing? For example, I live in Ct, and im sure there are phrases in texas that ive never used and only barely heard of.

[Mx.Silver]

Honestly, I think it's probably just fallen out of use in the current generations. I can't even remember the last time I heard anyone use it, outside of referencing to the various songs and albums named after the phrase (which, somewhat counter-intuitively, tend to be made by Americans).

[Goosefeather]

It's one of those phrases I'm aware of from literature, but have never heard anyone actually use out loud. I agree that it's probably simply fallen out of use - I don't think it's a particularly regional expression, as far as I'm aware.

[Juggling Goth]

"All at sixes and sevens" is pretty archaic and cliched. It's about as likely as hearing someone actually say it's "raining cats and dogs".

[Objection]

"All at sixes and sevens" is pretty archaic and cliched. It's about as likely as hearing someone actually say it's "raining cats and dogs".

Actually I do still hear "raining cats and dogs".

[Feytalist]

Actually I do still hear "raining cats and dogs".

And I hear "at sixes and sevens" on occasion as well. Mostly from older folk, though. Not a Brit, but part of the Commonwealth, so it still counts.

[Ashtagon]

What does the phrase sixes and sevens mean?

The history of the phrase originates from the tailors guild and the haberdashers guilds of medieval London, who were alternately number 6 and number 7 in the ranking of how wealthy or whatever it was they ranked guilds by bank in the day.

You're really really unlikely to meet anyone under the age of 60 or under the social class of upper class twit using it.

[Totally Guy]

I haven't heard "Well blow me!" (the shortened form of "Well blow me down with a feather!") in ages.

I must reintroduce it to common usage for trolling purposes.

[Heliomance]

I would note that "stuff", while in common usage, is certainly very informal. It might carry (very mild) connotations of not valuing whatever he's talking about all that much, but that's the kind of thing that would likely only be picked up on by those annoying reviewers who read far too much into everything and ignore authorial intent entirely.

[Manga Shoggoth]

If you have questions about British phrases, I can do no better that suggest that you try World Wide Words (http://www.worldwidewords.org/genindex.htm), which covers a huge number of phrases, including:


At Sixes and Sevens (http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-six1.htm)
Raining Cats and Dogs (http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-rai1.htm)

[STsinderman]

You are correct to assume that stuff has connotations of a low value, generic and replaceable group of items. It can also come down to dialect, as it is in some areas very informal and considered poor English.

[Weezer]

I haven't heard "Well blow me!" (the shortened form of "Well blow me down with a feather!") in ages.

I must reintroduce it to common usage for trolling purposes.

I've heard that used recently, but not as a short form of the phrase you mentioned, rather using the more sexual connotation of 'blow'.

[Heliomance]

I haven't heard "Well blow me!" (the shortened form of "Well blow me down with a feather!") in ages.

I must reintroduce it to common usage for trolling purposes.

I occasionally use the variant "I'll be blowed".

[JuanCudz]

If you don't like 'stuff' you could try 'bits and bobs' instead

[Objection]

If you don't like 'stuff' you could try 'bits and bobs' instead

Or 'odds and sods'.

[Etcetera]

I haven't heard "Well blow me!" (the shortened form of "Well blow me down with a feather!") in ages.


I thought it was "knock me down with a feather"?

[Sonza]

I assume this would be in the context "keep your hands off my stuff" or "where can I keep my stuff safe".

I wouldn't use 'bits and bobs' in this case, (or 'odds and sods' for that matter), given that the 'stuff' in question was supposed to be important to the speaker. 'Bits and bobs' implies trivial things.

[TheThan]

I've heard the phrase "well blow me down!". My understanding is that it mean's your shocked and stunned by something.

How about the word "flabbergast" or ("flabbergasted" if past tense)? anyone ever use it?

[Mx.Silver]

I've heard the phrase "well blow me down!". My understanding is that it mean's your shocked and stunned by something.

How about the word "flabbergast" or ("flabbergasted" if past tense)? anyone ever use it?

I do, but I'm hardly normal when it comes to word usage.

[Dr. Bath]

I've heard the phrase "well blow me down!". My understanding is that it mean's your shocked and stunned by something.

How about the word "flabbergast" or ("flabbergasted" if past tense)? anyone ever use it?

It's always flabbergasted. Past present and future.

[Goosefeather]

It's always flabbergasted. Past present and future.

Nope, 'to flabbergast (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flabbergast)' is a valid active verb. You just usually hear it in the passive, 'to be flabbergasted' - hence as a past participle acting as an adjective.

[Yora]

Is it a brittish or an american thing to say "ah tall". I always hear people saying "ah tall", and can't remember anyone who actually says "at all".

I love English English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgPH0tYXJrA#t=10s), though. :smallbiggrin:

[Muz]

Is it a brittish or an american thing to say "ah tall". I always hear people saying "ah tall", and can't remember anyone who actually says "at all".

I love English English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgPH0tYXJrA#t=10s), though. :smallbiggrin:

Here in Seattle (or elsewhere), I've never heard someone say "ah tall" at all, actually.

[Goosefeather]

Is it a brittish or an american thing to say "ah tall". I always hear people saying "ah tall", and can't remember anyone who actually says "at all".

I love English English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgPH0tYXJrA#t=10s), though. :smallbiggrin:

In this context, I pronounce the 'a' of 'at' as a schwa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwa), as do most other Brits I know. 'Ah tall' sounds really weird to me.

[Weezer]

Is it a brittish or an american thing to say "ah tall". I always hear people saying "ah tall", and can't remember anyone who actually says "at all".

I love English English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgPH0tYXJrA#t=10s), though. :smallbiggrin:

I've never heard anyone speak like that before (New Englander here), people here say it "at all", but perhaps I'm reading your transcription wrong.

[Aneurin]

"Ah tall" is more common, I think. Enunciation is changing, I think, but to some extent it's still a regional thing, and the change is more pronounced in some places than others.

[Xondoure]

Just a quick question for any GitPers from the UK (or those familiar with same):

Do the British generally say "stuff?" As in: "When you said that, all this other stuff just came rushing back to me." I'm writing a bit of dialogue, and that line just strikes me as wrong for a Brit based on my own limited familiarity as an American.

The "stuff" in question is rather valued to the speaker, so I don't want a word that has too negative of a connotation (i.e., I wouldn't want to replace "stuff" with "crap").

Thanks!

The thing with dialects is from a non linear non subjective viewpoint language is more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly, speaky weaky... stuff.
Yes all of my knowledge about UK dialects comes from BBC.

[Yora]

"Ah tall" is more common, I think. Enunciation is changing, I think, but to some extent it's still a regional thing, and the change is more pronounced in some places than others.

Maybe this is something you only notice when you're accustomed to a different way of how words should be spoken an written. Fascinating idea.

[Aedilred]

I think I know what you mean - quite often, the way it's pronounced could make it sound like there's a juncture loss going on. Now that I think about it (though have no observational evidence to demonstrate) that the same thing happens quite a lot when "at" is followed by a vowel; it's just that "all" is particularly common.

It's an ease-of-pronunciation measure, I think, like a verbal ligature. Enunciating the "at" separately from the "all" is rather more difficult and time-consuming, and becomes awkward when you're speaking quickly. So the two run together and the distinction is partially lost, although everyone still knows what you mean (and would always write "at all", at least as far as I know :smalleek:)

The misspelling "alot" (for "a lot") is quite common over here for what I suspect is a similar reason - the two are rarely enunciated separately.