What perfectly good English words used outside the US do you wish to see used by Americans?

“arse” instead of “ass”

Balderdash and odds bodkins.

There are many, I will have to come back to this as an American I need to recollect.

I like how the Brits use the word brilliant when something is amazing. I do use it sometimes. I guess that isn’t really a new vocabulary word though, just how it is used or defined.

I like the use of zed for Z. That way z won’t be confused with c when spelling something.

Rube. Most of you are! ;)

I like how Australians refer to people in trades. Like “Sparky” for electrician, “Bricky” for stone mason. There are others but it is hot here and I am really drunk.

We do the sparky/bricky thing over here too.
@JLeslie Up here in the north east we use “Hellish” for something brilliant/fantastic/awesome, also “Mint” or “Beast”

Hellish is good? Interesting. Similar to how we say something is bad when it’s good. I also use the expression, “that’s the bomb!” For something that is amazing. I’m not sure if England uses it? Well, actually, I used to. Since 911 I don’t say bomb much. If you slip and say the word in an airport they aren’t going to let you on the plane.

Another term for something that’s cool is “the dog’s bollocks”

“Fancy,” as in “I fancy her” or “she fancies him.” Then we can stop using the word “like” as an awkward euphemism for romantic attraction that does not qualify as love.

Bairn-Child
Bonny-Beautiful/Pretty
Our Lass-Wife/Girlfriend
Bullet-A sweet/Candy
Canny-Good
Gowk-A fool
Hoy-Throw
Pet-Term of endearment
Spuggy-Bird
Tab-Cigarette

Bird – - Good looking woman

Ducks – - Cockney expression of familiarity between acquaintances

I love the British “Cheers!”

BLOODY !!

I was always a fan of bloody, brilliant and safe in the way they are used by English people.

@JLeslie Bomb? :P

I love Brit-speak. For those who do also, catch the new cable series “Family Tree.” Written by Christopher Guest, who gave us “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show” and so many other gems, it’s hilarious.

My sister-in-law (from Durham) uses the word Glaiky for “odd” or “foolish”, although she uses it for “awkward”.

@Hawaii_Jake I use whence and whilst all the time. And i use amongst a lot too. Comes from reading those British children’s books – Dr Dolittle and Swallows and Amazons.

I heard a kid use “baccy” for “tobacco”. That sounds so much better than “can’a’dip”.

I’m also a fan of “bollocks” and “rubbish”. I’ve tried to use them but it just doesn’t sound the same :(

Still love it when they said Frak instead of “Fuck”
Term used in Battle Star Galactica 2009 and Caprica.

Wanker (tee hee!)
Going on holiday
Cheek and cheeky
Lift (why use 4 syllables, for elevator, when one will do?)

Fanny ;-}

@SadieMartinPaul With your lift logic you should add flat as well I think. I do that when I take notes and text my husband, I write the shorter word if the Spanish is much shorter than the English.

@ucme Are you saying you like how we Americans use fanny, or your UK version?

@JLeslie I’m answering the original question, fancy that!

@ucme I just wanted to be sure. If you had been at Passover dinner at my grandma’s when I was little and said Fanny, my great aunt would have answered, “yes?” She was Granny Fanny to my cousins. LOL.

A school pal of mine had an Auntie Fanny, sounds like some kind of genital phobia.

We do use ‘hella good”. I love Brit speak like “cheeky bastard”! @ucme is entertaining lol

Do Americans say oaky doky?

Oakie dokie pig in a pokie!!

Just a wee deoch an doris, just a wee drop, that’s all.
Just a wee deoch an doris afore ye gang awa.
There’s a wee wifie waitin’ in a wee but an ben.
If you can say, ‘It’s a braw bricht moonlicht nicht’,
Then yer a’richt, ye ken.

@Headhurts Yes we do.

Pram and knickers come to mind in addition to the previously mentioned brilliant, wanker and lift.

@antimatter but fracking destroys our air and water. :-P

Lovely.

@mattbrowne Don;t you mean “loverly”?

@zenvelo – That’s nice too. No, I meant “lovely” and British people use it in situations in which Americans don’t use it.

@anartist I know whats fracking Greenpeace is trying to stop Shell in South Africa to stop fracking operations. I referred to the TV show Caprica and Battlestar Galactica they used word the Frak instead of Fuck… “Are you “Fraking” my friend?” Instead of “Are you “fucking” my friend?”