[solved]American questions for British people

Is "lorry" the most British word?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_left_field

Do you personally understand what this expression means without looking it up?

I do wonder what people thought when an electronic music group from London called Leftfield suddenly appeared in the 90s.

Also, I'm ready to suddenly find out that "Leftfield" means something in UK slang that I never expected.

Nah means the same - I knew it was from Baseball but couldn't go into detail on what it means in the context of the sport.

Is the long weekend the UK gets this week the equivalent of President’s Day in the US but because it’s for the Queen just more elaborate?

I guess. The Queen has had four Jubilee celebrations now; Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum. They've all had slightly different flavours.

Silver was a recognition of 25 years gone and many more to come; she was only 50. It took place in the background of a Government struggling with the aftershocks of the decade's woes, and within 12 months, the dying Labour government had to go to the IMF.

Golden was at the end of a terrible decade for the Queen and the monarchy. Death, divorce, public relations nightmares (Season 5 of the Crown coming soon), and felt like the quietest of the three I've experienced despite ridiculous things like Brian May playing the national anthem on the roof of Buckingham Palace.

Diamond was on the back of a better decade, with William's wedding and linked together with The Olympics in London that summer.

Platinum has felt like more of a giving thanks while possible - She is almost certainly not going to be around in 10 years, and many of the events took place without her. It's a glimpse of what looks like being a scaled down, smaller monarchy like Scandinavia rather than having titles and such for all the cousins and their children.

Will Boris Johnson’s replacement be worse than Boris Johnson? Who are possible replacements?

I think of how when Trump got Covid or any half dozen times people actually thought he’d get removed from office. Pence would have replaced him and been less overtly a fucking moron but might have pushed a far right, crueler agenda.

What is a caretaker prime minister?

He would stay on as PM until the Tory-majority national parliament is capable of electing his replacement.

WP64 wrote:He would stay on as PM until the Tory-majority national parliament is capable of electing his replacement.

Keeping the chair warm and doing nothing until he's replaced?

What are 3 things the Queen will be remembered for most?

Her performance in The Naked murder weapon is probably up there, right?

When's the last time you had a prime minister that wasn't complete trash?

2010. A nadir was reached with Truss that it would be hard to beat.

All of the PMs since 2010 have been massively backed to the hilt by the right-wing press, and they've all been rubbish. Worse than that, each one has been praised for their ability to come and fix the mess of the previous one.

undo wrote:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_left_field

Do you personally understand what this expression means without looking it up?

I do wonder what people thought when an electronic music group from London called Leftfield suddenly appeared in the 90s.

Also, I'm ready to suddenly find out that "Leftfield" means something in UK slang that I never expected.

Similarly, do people in the UK use the phrase "hail mary" (a last-second, desperate attempt at something) or understand intuitively (or specifically) what it means?

Not so much, I have heard it but a British sports commentator is more likely to say last-second desperate attempt or maybe even "last-ditch attempt"

In the United States there are dudes that absolutely love The Constitution. So much in fact that they’ll wear t-shirts or hats that say “We the People…” and in extreme cases get it tattooed on their bodies.

Is there a UK equivalent? UK people (mostly dudes) that just fucking respect the hell out of old British documents?

I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some buck wild Magna Carta groupies out there (there’s a reason Chuck McGill remembered the Mesa Verde address after all), but can’t think of any still current document nor do I think Magna Carta groupies would be as nutty as our constitution groupies. I sorta think the murder weapon thing is what makes it such a big deal for lots of bad people. For the not-so-bad people, there’s something to be said for swearing your allegiance to support and defend a constitution vs a king or president or office or whatever.

Another non-British person joins the chat, but I think the monarchy might be where the performative patriots get their symbolism over there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-level

I will never understand this shit

Yeah definitely the monarchy and some people who like to bang on about Manga Carta for sure.

Not sure how to explain A-levels. Exams you do at 18 to get you into university I guess.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/nov/06/angelo-mathews-becomes-first-international-cricketer-to-be-timed-out-sri-lanka-world-cup

Is this a big deal?

I didn't where else to post this

Yeah. It's quite a rude thing to do, in the rules but against the spirit of the game is the normal quote. Matthews was fucking about for ages and can't really complain too much but I'd not feel comfortable if it was England that did it to him.