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Evolving English

Posted by Shae on February 08, 2005

Synopsised from 'An Irishman's Diary,' The Irish Times, Feb. 7, 2005:

A US marine in Iraq said: 'We don't want to rubble the city' but if hostile fire came from a particular house he would 'pancake it.'

Bush and Kerry said how much they enjoyed meeting 'people on the rope-lines,' - members of the public held back by security cordons.

Food is now 'plated up' instead of served.

'Plastic Paddies' - people born in England of Irish parentage - have a reputation for being 'great crack.'

Some other Irishisms, such as 'gob****e' (idiot), 'feck' (polite form of the 'f' word used by priests and maiden aunts) and 'eejit' (idiot) are now becoming almost respectable.

And David the Corkman will be delighted to hear that 'langer' has made it (or will soon) to the Collins English Dictionary. 'Langer' (n) means 'fool or idiot' while 'langers' (adj) means 'extremely drunk.'

Hmmm. I just realised that we Irish seem to have a lot of different words for 'idiot.'

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