Britons are often known for their love of abbreviating even the simplest of words – but according to a new study, we’re at risk of leaving tourists totally baffled.
To help visitors from abroad get the lingo down, a holiday company which operates within the UK has put together a handy guide so they can understand what our weird and wonderful abbreviations really mean.
Evan Evans’s list of abbreviations includes phrases such as ‘savvy b’, ‘panny d’ and ‘Jacky p’.
According to the company’s research, most people over the age of 50 don’t have a clue about the new phrases which are being increasingly used by millennials and Gen Z.
Meanwhile some Britons have even suggested tourists ‘should be handed a phrase guide containing these abbreviations when they arrive in the UK’.
UK TikTokers including @MegSays have also been quick to share their favourite abbreviations, with Genny Lec, Platty Joobs and Corrie Nash coming up tops
Meanwhile @JeffThurn, who is originally from the US but living in London, shared a video on abbreviations for Americans in the UK
The study from the travel operator revealed 45 per cent of Britons of all ages are totally in the dark about some new phrases coined by the TikTok generation – including ‘cozzie livs’ (cost of living crisis) and ‘banny hols’ (bank holiday weekend).
Kayon Hibbert, Guide Manager of Evan Evans, said: ‘The English language has been continually evolving over many hundreds of years, and it’s fascinating to see how common words and phrases are being developed in the 2020s thanks to social media.
‘Our tour guides are always asked what certain words mean; we also realised a blog post on our website about British slang words had become the most searched and viewed page – with overseas tourists getting in touch before they visit the UK. This is why Evan Evans has introduced a new British abbreviation blog guide to help.
‘Brits have always loved a good abbreviation – the challenge for tourists who don’t live here, and clearly lots of people who do, is to keep up with the latest words and phrases popularised by influencers on social media.’
It comes as UK-based TikTok creators including @MegSays have also been quick to share their favourite abbreviations, with ‘Genny Lec’, ‘Platty Joobs’ and ‘Corrie Nash’ coming up tops.
In a clip, which racked up over 8,000 likes, Megan listed some of the top abbreviations she had heard, including ‘Corrie Naysh’ for the King’s Coronation.
She said: ‘I just heard we are calling it the Genny Lec and it’s making me feel homesick and very patriotic.
‘Here are some of my favourite British abbreviations, first up Genny Lec, the reason why it scratches my brain so much is because it sounds like Gen Elec but we are saying Genny Lec.
‘Also Platty Jubes for platinum Jubilee, Corrie Naysh for the King’s Coronation, the event wasn’t for me but I also saw people calling it the Chazzle Dazzle and that is just objectively funny.
‘Sticking with the London theme, if you don’t call Clapham Junction Clappy J, I won’t know where you mean, also it’s the Vicky Line and the Lizzie Line.’
Meanwhile @JeffThurn, who is originally from the US but living in London, shared a video on abbreviations for Americans in the UK.
He said: ‘Brits love abbreviation, especially with the letter Z. For example, sorry becomes soz, holiday becomes holz, if your name is Gary, you might be known as Gaz… the list honestly goes on, and I kind of think it’s adorable.’
Kayon Hibbert, Guide Manager of Evan Evans, said: ‘The English language has been continually evolving over many hundreds of years, and it’s fascinating to see how common words and phrases are being developed in the 2020s thanks to social media.
‘Our tour guides are always asked what certain words mean; we also realised a blog post on our website about British slang words had become the most searched and viewed page – with overseas tourists getting in touch before they visit the UK.
‘This is why Evan Evans has introduced a new British abbreviation blog guide to help.
‘Brits have always loved a good abbreviation – the challenge for tourists who don’t live here, and clearly lots of people who do, is to keep up with the latest words and phrases popularised by influencers on social media.’
It comes as pop culture around the world has embraced the ‘brat’ summer coined by Essex popstar Charli XCX and her new album – including US presidential hopeful Kamala Harris.
‘Kamala IS brat,’ the artist insisted on social media. Her X post has been viewed over 50 million times.
With Gen Z lingo used on the firing line of one of the most historic elections in recent decades, it’s time to brush up on your lingo.
Here, FEMAIL gathered a list of some popular terms floating around the internet’s realm – including ‘rizz’, ‘ate’ and ‘stan’.
But how many do you know? Take the quiz to find out…
