The Full Monty

I am told that the British expression "the full Monty" means "complete", "total", "the whole shebang", "the whole nine yards". But due to the popularity of the movie by that name, Americans seem to think it has a much narrower meaning: doing a striptease!

I like the expression "the full monty" so I try to work it into conversation whenever appropriate, just to see the surprise and confusion on my fellow Americans' faces :)

By the way, Americans themselves seem confused about "the whole nine yards". It used to refer to a full load in a concrete mixer, but due to our culture's insane preoccupation with gridiron football, a lot of my friends now say "the whole ten yards" because obviously nine yards won't make first down so the original expression doesn't make sense to them!

You're the first American I've seen calling American Football "gridiron football". I thought only Aussies and Kiwis (& maybe Africans) used this term.

You sure notice details, Jim! I said that on purpose - I was making an effort not to sound like an American football chauvinist who thinks our football is the only kind there is. And you're absolutely right: I picked it up from an Aussie while in Australia. I mistakenly assumed everyone in the British Commonwealth called it that.

From now on, I'll just call it "America's state religion" ;)

"America's state religion" ... that sounds appropriate but wouldn't that piss the baseball players off ... not to mention the basketballers.

Yes, the 'full monty' comes from something to do with general Montgomery...and his all or nothing-ness in the war....that's where it came from apparently.

Actually if you go to Britain and talk about "the full monty" they'd think you were talking about a film.