Confusing expressions

I remember talking to an Australian girl once who went skiing with an English guy. At the top of the slope the guy told her he had "lost his bottle" she asked him where he might have dropped it. (to lose your bottle = to lose confidence).

Likewise I was navigating around Melbourne, Australia once and the girl who was driving suddenly complained that we "were out in Woop Woop", I rapidly tried to find the town of Woop Woop on the map, but to no avail. (Woop Woop = middle of nowhere).

Re: Confusing expressions

I had a somewhat similar experience myself, once.

A few years ago, I ran into a young brown-eyed, brunette woman from England in my local QFC supermarket. It was not raining that evening but I was carrying an umbrella anyway. Maybe I did because I thought there was a threat of rain. I don't remember for sure. Anyhow, she said to me in her Estuary accent "Are you going swimming with the ducks?".

I walked by puzzled; for a few seconds I didn't know what she was talking about. Then it dawned on me that it was her humorous way of saying "Why are you carrying that umbrella when it's not raining?"

Maybe it is a commonly used expression in England for going out in the rain but I've never heard it in the U.S. before. I've only heard on ocassion, a few Americans saying "I'm beginning to feel like a duck" after we've had several days of heavy rainfall.

Do non Brits know what it means when you get your knickers in a twist? I'd put them in the picture but I've lost my bottle.

I forgot......my mother once got into conversation with a German lady on a nasty wet day. Mum casually said: "Isn't it a lovely day!" The German lady looked at her in amazement and said: "A lovely day? But it's pouring with rain!" By her facial expression she obviously thought my mother was a sandwich short of a picnic.

>>Do non Brits know what it means when you get your knickers in a twist?<<

Isn't that a porno act?

<>>Do non Brits know what it means when you get your knickers in a twist?<< >

mmmmmm abit like the old saying 'whats the hell is wrong with you today?' or 'Whats up your arse?'

'Whats up your arse?'

AND NO IT ISN'T ANOTHER PORNO ACT.

confusing expression are for sure problematic for non native speakers, so I would love it if they speak simply so that to be understood. Now it is their choice what they do, but I said my viewpoint. Regards-Muzaffari,Kabul

Muzaffari:

Though I do not know which of the many languages of Afghanistan is your own, I'm sure it must contain plenty of confusing expressions for non-native speakers as well!

<<my mother once got into conversation with a German lady on a nasty wet day. Mum casually said: "Isn't it a lovely day!">>

Yeah, Germans and sarcasm aren't two things that go together!

Or Americans and irony.

>>Do non Brits know what it means when you get your knickers in a twist?<<

Is this the same as getting your "panties in a bunch" (ie, being pissed off about something)?

>>Do non Brits know what it means when you get your knickers in a twist?<<

Means getting upset/emotional/angsty/anxious about a situation. I know it as "getting your knickers in a knot".

<<(to lose your bottle = to lose confidence).>>

New to me.

<<Do non Brits know what it means when you get your knickers in a twist? I'd put them in the picture but I've lost my bottle. >>

On the knickers, my hunch is that it means to get all upset about nothing.

Oh come, get your bottle back and tell us.

I've got loads of bottle this morning......the Crimbo holidays start on Friday, then Hogmanay a week on....and yes, Terry, you're spot on.....getting wound up over naething at all!