2y ago

British Tea Translator

54 comments

"Time for tea I think" - I'm going on a break, do not follow me with work
"We're out of tea" - Ight, I'mma head out
- I wonder if that second meaning is how "tea" began to also mean "gossip"
  
  It started as “T” for “truth” and evolved into “tea” with wordplay with “spill the tea”.
  https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/tea-slang-meaning-origin
In lesson 2, the semantics of tea vs brew vs cuppa
- I'd like to learn this too.
  
  Tbh, I was hoping some other Brit with actual social skills would drop by with the answer, then I could pretend to have known all along. I think it indicates increasing familiarity, something like
  Tea - you are a person who might want tea
  Cuppa - we are on friendly terms and I consider you my social equal
  Brew - I would trust you with my life and call you wanker to your face
"NOT IN THE HARBOR!!!!": Their American cousins are over for a visit.
- *Harbour, you fuckin degenerate 😅
  
  At least we actually pronounce the R instead of somehow cancelling it by adding an unpronounced letter.
How does English society even function
- Liberal amounts of tea by the looks of it.
- Aggressive queueing.
- I'm from the Commonwealth and I don't see anything wrong. Which part of this doesn't make sense? Would it help understanding if you swapped tea for coffee?
- Lots of caffeine.
- Imperfectly, to say the least
Mate, you need a cup of tea = you are having a really hard time right now and I hope that a cup of tea might be of some comfort to you.
Right! I'm getting tea = it's the morning and I'm already sick of everything.
My English father and grandmother just said, "do you want tea?" Can someone tell me the translation of that?
- It often translates as "do you have time to stay and chat, or do you have stuff to get on with?". It's an invitation to relax together, without the implicit social demand.
  English social etiquette is a minefield, even for the English.
  
  What should one do when the visiting Brit wants coffee? Do they need medical attention?
- Probably means food. The evening meal.
  
  And yet all I ever got was tea. At any time of day.
What does "This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice" translate to?
"Have you had your tea yet?" = "Have you had dinner yet"
- You missed a nuance -
  "You'll have had your tea?"
  Meaning "I am offering dinner but secretly hoping you refuse it because I can't really spare it"
"Would you like a cup of tea before you go?" - I would like you to leave now.
"Right, kettle's on" - thank god I am now finally able to sit down and relax
"Quick tea?" -> This conversation has just swapped from small talk to a discussion and I need a way to mentally prepare myself
Can confirm this is an accurate translation
the American version
- "WTF is an Orange Whip?"
  Ah, okay.
- Orange Whip?
Cuppa splosh?

54 comments