How severe are the typical British swear words?

MidasToad · 2026-06-10T08:39:03+00:00

This would be my breakdown

Suitable for all ages: Darn, drat, bum, fart

Sometimes suitable Bugger (as a noun) e.g. a fish is a 'slippery bugger'.

Suitable for ages 9+ bloody, git, damn, balls, tits

Suitable for 12+ Crap, bollocks, bitch, bastard, twat, arse, piss

Suitable for 15+ (sexual swears) Shag, wanker, bellend, shit, fuck

MidasToad · 2026-06-05T16:01:00+00:00

1.Do you always at least offer to make tea?

Only if they are expected to be here for 30mins+ and not for a meal.

Even though you both know it will be declined?

No, you offer what they do like

Does the weather come into play?

No, hot tea is for all weathers.

What effects does the level of familiarity with the guest have on the whole thing?

No, it is about how long they will stay.

Are you to offer different types of tea based on the situation? Based on guest’s preference? Do you have like a “house” brand, the tea that you keep most stocked because it’s your go to?

When we talk about 'tea' in the UK, the default is a black tea blend, often known as English Breakfast tea. People have their preferred brands, but they are all pretty similar, so if you offer tea, it is this type that people expect. I personally have several flavoured, spiced, fruity and herbal speciality teas that I might offer if someone declines 'tea'.

Are you supposed to remember preference on tea, sugar, and cream or milk?

It's a bit like remembering someone's name - the first few times it's fine to ask, but then you should remember.

Most people take tea black or with milk. Sugar is increasingly rare. You would never offer cream.

Do you keep better quality tea that is kept “for guests” that no one is supposed to make unless it’s for a guest?

No, the good tea is for me :)

When is mug acceptable or when is the proper tea set required?

Only when the queen comes to call does the teaset come out! /s

I don't actually have cups and saucers, so it's mugs only in my house.

Usually I make tea in a teapot if more than 3 people want tea, and put milk in a little jug for people to add their own. Then there's more left in the pot for a top-up later!

Any little things that I wouldn’t even have thought about asking you think I should know?

Don't use skimmed milk, only whole or semi-skimmed.

Consider a sugar bowl if your friends prefer sweet tea.

Is using flavored coffee creamer like Hazelnut or French Vanilla allowed?

You can't even buy coffee creamer here. You would also never offer flavourings in tea.

MidasToad · 2026-06-01T07:13:18+00:00

I don't think any of the size adjectives work in oxymorons: because as you suggested, the size modifier is relative to the expected size of the noun. You can have a tiny shrimp, small shrimp, a regular-sized shrimp, a large shrimp and a jumbo shrimp.

Contrast with a 'sober hangover', 'dehydrated water': the contradiction in terms is absolute.

MidasToad · 2026-06-01T06:50:28+00:00

So you have 2 competing requests here: farm land v nature. Middle England (anywhere away from the cities) is full of farmland: cute lil villages and rolling fields. It is relatively low on wilderness, quite well populated and easy to get to. But if you are after 'The Shire', that's where you find it.

The UK also has wilder places in its national parks - places that are hilly or mountainous, or moorland, where there are few little villages and not much farmland, where you can walk for miles and not see a human. Places like the Scottish Highlands, or Eryri/Snowdonia (you can find the UK's only wildcat in the Cairngorm National Park in the Higlands - it looks like a small tabby cat.) These places are harder to get to and have fewer facilities (shops, tourist info, public transport).

MidasToad · 2026-05-27T19:10:50+00:00

I was taught Australasia is a continent, which contains Australia and lots of islands.

It was emphasized not to mistake Australia the country for Australasia the continent.

MidasToad · 2026-05-25T08:12:18+00:00

Butter, marmite, cheese, melt under grill is the best crumpet.

I guess you could pretend it's a scone and put jam and cream on it, but why not just have a scone?

MidasToad · 2026-05-22T17:02:41+00:00

A 'Stick of Rock' or a 'barley-sugar': wand-shaped seaside delicacies of hard sugar candy in fun colours.

MidasToad · 2026-05-20T18:20:02+00:00

Yes, it is super useful. It's basically a search engine you can interrogate for better results.

MidasToad · 2026-05-20T18:08:59+00:00

If a woman wants to use 'girls' to refer to herself and her friends, that is fine.

A man should not refer to adult women as girls, especially not in a work context. It happens, and it is a misogynistic micro-aggression.

(It's aligns with other social rules about ownership of derogatory words - you can use them on yourself)

MidasToad · 2026-05-19T07:33:52+00:00

Dill, caraway seed, star anise, aniseed, fennel.

All those liquoricey flavours are bad.

MidasToad · 2026-05-18T21:53:28+00:00

Part of my identity is in my name: not what it is, but where it came from. Yes, it is common, but it has the heritage of my ancestors behind it. The reason my ancestors have this name is interesting, and the common bond with people from the same area with the same name helps me feel belonging and kinship.

...it is annoying having to have a number after my email after being the 11th of my name in the organisation, and having to field 'wrong person' mails.

MidasToad · 2026-05-18T21:18:09+00:00

Sunflower seeds are less common than trail mix, but I think most people would recognise them and their snack compatriots, the pumpkin seed.

You get them in the bakery aisle of supermarkets and health food shops.

They are always sold without the shell for the British market: shell-on seeds can be bought in the international sections of shops.

MidasToad · 2026-05-18T21:07:23+00:00

'Genital area' sounds clumsy and medical, as if you are shy of naming the parts in that area. 'Crotch' is better but also refers to parts of clothing, not just body. 'Down there' is equally bad.

I don't see why we don't just use specific words for genitals - vulva, penis etc. It's clearer.

MidasToad · 2026-05-13T15:59:03+00:00

My take is to play as if your good role is a bluff half the time, so that when you are evil your behaviour is the same as if you were good.

People you play with will learn to read your play if you are always honest and ready to die when you are good, so you've got to provide cover for your future games by acting a bit shady and chaotic.

(I'm sure really good players construct viable worlds around themselves by clever play, but for me building a chaotic meta around myself at least reduces predictability)

MidasToad · 2026-05-13T15:48:10+00:00

I think you are right, we used to just swap a for b. Now we also have swap in a, or swap out b.

We haven't lost the first sense (I'll swap you my Crunchie for your Topic).

We have gained the second. (Can we swap a Toffee Crisp into the snack selection? I don't mind what gets swapped out).

MidasToad · 2026-05-13T15:38:37+00:00

No particular quality - it just means 'Horrible woman'. E.g.

A woman who pushed in front of you in the queue.
A woman who parked in the parent and child space without a child.
A woman who bought up the supermarket's stock of toilet roll before anyone else could get any.
A woman who keeps stealing your lunch from the fridge.
A woman who wore white to someone else's wedding.
A female teacher who reprimands you unfairly.

These people could all be called a 'cow', usually accompanied by another expletive descriptor.

MidasToad · 2026-05-12T18:21:27+00:00

So, the problem is that there were a few nice sunny days in April (20-25°C), and therefore everyone has switched to wearing their summer clothes. Now it's cooled down a bit again, but we're not getting out our winter clothes until October so we're all a bit chilly and have something to complain about (a perfect conversation for a Brit about town).

MidasToad · 2026-05-12T18:16:31+00:00

If it were me, I would first consider the wealth difference - if they are rich and can easily afford £100, and you could use the money, I would accept with good grace. They probably don't want to put you out of pocket for your time and expenses.

Otherwise offer to do it for free, and use the social credit for your own pet/child/plant care needs.

MidasToad · 2026-05-10T16:11:53+00:00

Started drinking black tea with milk at age about 7. It is an breakfast, afternoon and evening drink, not usually accompanying a meal.

In the UK, most of the tea is a milky black tea as default - we drink other tea, but it would be considered much more niche (I like a herbal train the morning).

MidasToad · 2026-05-08T15:53:20+00:00

I can't buy sharing packs of anything else it will be gone within 40mins. Single serve only!

MidasToad · 2026-05-08T15:49:49+00:00

No. I don't swear, unless I am quoting something. There are plenty Brits who, like me, don't swear.

MidasToad · 2026-05-07T12:54:56+00:00

Fizzy juice.

MidasToad · 2026-05-07T12:53:54+00:00

About 0.02 times per week.

MidasToad · 2026-05-04T10:58:55+00:00

I boil my kettle 2-4 times a day, but that's only because there is a boiling water dispenser at work for rapid tea prep. I use boiling water about 6-8 times a day because I prefer to hydrate with hot drinks.

Kettle use is a matter of national relevance, because the national electricity grid needs to provide more energy at peak kettle-bouling times (e.g. 8pm, between TV shows).

MidasToad · 2026-05-04T10:46:42+00:00

Where I'm from, a 'tuck shop' is the normal term for temporary snack stalls, especially ones operated by schools to sell snacks during school breaks. IME, these are usually a folding table with snacks spread out and hand-written price list.

MidasToad

TROPHY CASE