Lesson 2

“I’m alright, thanks!”

You would think that there is nothing easier in a language than saying “thank you”, “yes” or “no”. Not if you’re in England! Here, even the simplest things can grow complex. The English do have some absurdity in themselves, a certain type of strange megalomania that makes them seemingly incapable of being straightforward.

In most languages, you say either yes or no, if they ask you about something. In England? You can build up unbelievable constructs around any given situation!

There are more informal words for “thank you”. First, you already know it, “thanks”. To make it even shorter, you can say “ta” (sounds the same as RP’s “tar”). And you can always say “cheers”, but let me just halt here before I explain that.

So, let’s have a look at a particular situation. If you’re in England, sooner or later you’re offered a nice cuppa. That’s short for a nice cup of tea (“cup-a-tea”). How should you reply, then? See the examples.

Example 1:

“Do you want a [“djawanna”] cup o’tea, darling?”
“Yes, please!”

Example 2:

“You want a cup o’tea, darling?”
“I’m alright, thanks!”

You alright with that, mate? You just can’t be alright enough in England. Never be surprised at an alright at any situation you get yourself into. Similarly, you can always use a sentence like this one: “You want a …, or you alright?”

Alright, let’s move on. Let me say a few things about “cheers”. It’s a word you won’t really hear in any English-speaking country other than England, save the Aussies. (And I mean England here, not the United Kingdom.) Basically, the meaning is “thank you”. Sounds simple, innit? You can always apply it for ‘thanks’ most of the time. They can use it in loads of situations.

Repetition:

“Morning, mate, you alright?”
“Yes, babe, and you?”
“I’m okay.”
“Good, good!”