Blimey, I’m Knackered!

Brit Speak for Yanks!Back in 1887, Oscar Wilde wrote, “We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language.” One would think, in a world homogenized by technology and social media, that differences between British English and American English would gradually disappear. Ask any recent traveler, though, and you’ll learn that plenty of linguistic idiosyncrasies persist, and new ones emerge all the time. Folks on both sides of the pond may be in closer touch than ever before, but we are still, as George Bernard Shaw purportedly noted, “two nations divided by a common language.” Blimey, I’m Knackered! is the perfect companion for anyone desiring to bridge the gap between US and UK English or who simply enjoys the evolution of language and culture. American scholar and longtime UK resident Marshall Hall has organized his insightful definitions and explanations of British idioms, colloquialisms, abbreviations, acronyms, and slang into nineteen entertaining and revealing chapters covering everything from transportation and food to politics, education, and wardrobe. Making the book truly comprehensive are sections on pejoratives and “naughty bits.” Hall’s often amusing explanations make the book an engaging read for language lovers and travelers alike. Charming pen-and-ink illustrations by Mark Cowie add whimsy and humor to this entertaining, useful, and unique compendium. No American need ever be befuddled again!

"Bloody Brilliant!”—Frommers.com "Full of colorful British slang like “scrumping,” (taking fruit from someone else’s tree) or “throw one’s toys out of the pram” (an adult having a temper-tantrum) and words we in the US should adopt such as “whinge” or “oojamaflip.”  The book will save you from the embarrassment of using “pants” or “suspenders” in the US sense. But the reader also gets an education in British history and culture—Roman Britain, Guy Fawkes, the structure of the education system, a complete list of bank holidays. It’s a delightful, unconventional book!"–Ellen Finkelpearl, the Helen Chandler Garland Professor of Ancient Studies, Scripps College and author of Metamorphosis of Language in Apuleius and translator of The Golden Ass "Hall’s book is appealing, not only for the linguistically bewildered but also for armchair travelers. The book shines in the chapter “In and Around London,” which does much to distinguish the actual geography of the city from the preconceived tourist notions based on the famous Underground map."—Rebecca Lommel, Professor Emeritus in English Language, Southern Methodist University "The conveniently arranged guide—which covers everything from differences in names for food, clothing, body parts, and buildings to colloquialisms and rhyming slang—is a treasure trove of definitions, phrases, and sayings.”—Skylar Hamilton Burris, editor of Ancient Paths Literary Magazine and author of When the Heart Is Laid Bare. “Marshall Hall’s Blimey, I’m Knackered is an approachable, useful, and entertaining dictionary.”— Kalene Westmoreland, Ph.D., College of Southern Nevada "The definitive guide to help us navigate even the most confusing of conversations.”—Councillor Jane MacBean, Buckinghamshire County Council “This warts-and-all compendium of British English words and phrases showcases the inventiveness and wit of the language, the practical tips woven throughout the book, and the edifying plunge into the waters of rhyming slang."—Beth Castrodale, award-winning author of Marion Hatley, In This Ground, and I Mean You No Harm “Marshall Hall’s funny, enlightening book is essential reading for logophiles, linguaphiles, and Americans who can’t understand Guy Ritchie movies. Don’t be a bloody pillock, mate. Read Blimey, I’m Knackered!“ — Brett Riley, Ph.D., Professor of English, College of Southern Nevada and author of The Subtle Dance of Impulse and Light, Comanche, Lord of Order and Freaks. “Entertaining, educational and wonderfully thorough!"—Joseph Houghton, Administrator and Director at Troy University

A professor of socio-anthropology with a lifelong interest in travel and linguistics, Marshall Hall began life on an Ohio farm. He moved from the University of Cincinnati to teach at the American College in London. 33 years later, he still calls the UK home. He is married to an English woman, has UK citizenship, and lives in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, just outside central London.