In Poland on holiday - need help with bad case of homesickness

Funny story... since 'bollocks' isn't used in American when the Sex Pistols first album came out most people didn't understand the title.... (and/or thought it was a british way of saying bvllsh|t which I guess.... makes some sense).

I don't remember when I learned the anatomical meaning of the word but it was probably after moving to Poland....

the british meaning of 'fanny' also came as a surprise (since it only refers to the buttocks in American).

It certainly can be but isn't well regarded and doesn't always work. It's not really written language (unless it's actually about goolies) since it all depends on the tone of voice.


And vice versa for me. I was surprised that across the Atlantic it means your arse not your chuff.

I don't think that was widely known in Britain until bum bags came in during the 80s and people found out that in America they're called fanny packs.

It is in Scotland though. I very often heard "bollox" used there with the meaning of "nonsense"/"bullsh*t" (e.g. "what a load of bollox").

EDIT: it was used by Celtic Glasgow supporters, so maybe it's an Irish thing... don't remember hearing it in Ireland though... hmm...

It is. The rest of Britain too, however it doesn't always work and isn't generally written. In spoken English, the context is quite tricky, and as I say, a lot depends on the tone of voice.

As an adjective, bollocksed can also mean being very drunk and the verb "to bollock someone" or the verb phrase "to give someone a bollocking" can mean to severely admonish someone.

To drop a bollock is to make a mistake.

The dog's bollocks is of course something very very good.

@jon357

My wife bollocked me severely yesterday because I came home totally bollocksed. That was definitely dropping a bollock on my part, so I don't blame her (especially that usually she's dog's bollocks and takes care of my bollocks as well).

Does that make any sense or does it sound like a load of bollocks?

That's a lovely example.

Someone who'd say that might say "gave me a bollocking" which sounds more expressive and is more usual when referring to your self. The paragraph as a whole is very good and when I mark the written papers for C1 exams, I'd give you 5/5 for that.

"I'm going to bollock my assistant 'cos she's been nicking hobnobs off my desk" works.

I've heard the phrase "bollock-faced expats" for retired Brits who live in Spain and voted for brexit. If you want an example of that sort of face, Google WH Auden for pics of when he was older. (When he was younger he looked just like Dustin Lance Black which frankly doesn't bode well for him in the future)

"Has she? Your beloved hobnobs? And to think that you trusted her so much! It must have been like a kick in the bollocks for you when you found out. So, that's why you look so down in the dumps and bolloxed."

Bolloxed can also mean "tired", right?


Can one use a vulgarism like "bollocks" in an exam? In the old days (meaning when I passed my Matura exam) we were taught to never ever use such words in a written examination.

An Irish guy I worked with long ago mentioned reading an American novel where an executive pats his secretary 'on the fanny'.... He thought that was a bit too.... personal (he was kind of a prude so his recreation of his initial reaction "Oh my!" was hilarious).

It certainly could, as a cruder alternative to knackered. "like a kick in the bollocks" is spot on.


Would result in an arrest in the U.K. unless she consented to him patting her growler.


If you choose the story option and it's consistent with the story. It wouldn't be a great idea for the transactional letter or the formal report.

facebook.com/50shadesoffun1/videos/hale-pace-bollocks-song/483905088744344/

An educational video from the 90s...

I never liked those two.

Too suburban and southern.

Umm... I am relaxed... o_O I am not sure why you reacted in such a way to what I wrote. You asked whether I heard of this guy and I answered and shared what I think of this method. It wasn't anything personal... I understand that you thought that maybe I'll find it useful and I thank you for sharing that information.

As for "bollocks" - sorry, I'm not an expert on British English slang, etc. I thought "bollocks" is mild - to me it sounds funny and harmless :)


Yeah, that's what I thought too lol

It's pretty vulgar actually - it's ok among friends though :)


Oh we do use it. We'll often refer to a person as a bollocks if we don't like them. 'Yer man's a right bollocks.' We'll also say it when we mess something up or do something badly. A typical utterance would be 'Ah Jaysu! I'm after makin' a right bollocks of it'.

Often how it's used, but the literal meaning is jądra (though a lot ruder) which I did not know for many, many years.... sometimes it would be confused with bullock - a young male bovine.... though in the UK it's had its bollocks removed and in the US it hasn't.... so.... lots of potential for weirdness there....

I have the idea (maybe jon can elucidate) that for many years it was a general expletive (like k**wa in Polish or f**k in the US) used to express anger or extreme feeling but not meant to be understood literally....

Sort of. There are people who do overuse it however they're mostly down south and therefore beyond help or consideration. A lot depends on the particular speech pattern of the user. Lucy Letby is likely to be hearing it a lot for the foreseeable and I doubt the King has heard it more than a few times in his life. As I say, it's spoken so the tone of voice and context matter and it can be quite offensive. To describe, for example, a meal as that would only be said to offend.


No worries.

yes they are needed now to account for all the big bottomed brits trotting around poland

I smell the odor of Poloniusz... :):):)

Then you are wanted by the DEA,K-9 unit lol.