MovieChat Forums > Last of the Summer Wine (1973) Discussion > Need help with British terms

Need help with British terms

posted 16 years ago by arkansasengineer
40 replies | jump to latest

I am an American viewer of LOTSW and there are a few terms and phrases used on the show that I don’t understand. I can get a vague idea by the context in which they are used but it would be nice to have a genuine Brit explain them.

Examples:
Barry says he has “A levels”. What is that?
Ivy accused Foggy of being “full of flannel”. What does that mean?
What is a barmpot?
Compo was afraid of looking like a “right Wally”. What is that?
Compo often made a gesture consisting of two upturned fingers. What does it mean?

Can anyone explain any of these? Feel free to add to the list.

[–] suzan28 12 years ago

in ontario.....we used to have grade 13.....that was five years of highschool instead of the usual four...if you wanted to go to university, then you needed grade 13....

now there is only grade 12...but you have to take almost as many courses in 4 years......as opposed to the five....

so that's what a-levels mean....as it used to relate to ontario..

actually not...the two upturned fingers...don't mean a gesture...they mean peace...if they were turned down however...that means something...

if someone's ever watched red dwarf.....then, they have them turned upside down....and in an eppy of are you being served, captain peacock in one eppy has his fingers turned down...then he turns them up right awazy........to mean peace....

[–] willjohn 12 years ago

My granddaughter starts school next week (January 31), she will be five in May. If she did not turn five until July she would have to wait until next year. If she finishes school (kindergarten to year 12) she will be seventeen and a half years old. If her marks are good enough she would then be able to go to University. That is the system in New South Wales, my part of Australia.

[–] jbit 9 years ago

As was said before, the two fingers turned down sign is not used in the UK. It's two fingers pointed uowards - palm facing away from user = victory (as used by Churchill), or peace (as used today) - palm facing user = *beep* off (in UK).

[–] wswallow 8 years ago

Quite late to the party, but for anyone wandering in on this who may have similar questions ---

Check out a rather good British to American Dictionary, at www.effingpot.com.

Much more efficient than trying to query the web, one term at a time.

Also, if possible, watch Last of the Summer Wine with captions turned on. Helps tremendously with the Yorkshire accent.

Have fun, and enjoy.