this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.net 9 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

A friend of mine had a similar problem when he, a Brit, was studying in the States. He was in the smoking area of a gay bar, when he asked a friend "shall I chuck this cigarette in the bin, or what?" (I.e. "are you going to come over here to take a drag of this cigarette before it's over, or should I throw it away?"). Unfortunately, a common British slang word for cigarette is also a slur for gay people (it is a slur in the UK too, but the cigarette slang word is common enough that if someone hears the F word, they are far less likely to assume it's in a slur context)

On the bright side, apparently my friend hooked up with the guy who punched him, after my friend admonished him for being so rude as to punch a person in a country without free healthcare. Apparently Southern English accent gets you far in the States

[–] rooroo@feddit.org 4 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

after my friend admonished him for being so rude as to punch a person in a country without free healthcare.

That is hilarious or sad or both.

In other news, having learned English mostly with 90s New York rap, including all the slurs luckily not in use anymore, I was shocked to read LotR in English and see what (or rather, who) Gandalf asked Pippin to throw on the fire in the Inn in Bree.

[–] waz@feddit.uk 4 points 4 hours ago

So you’re not going to tell us the phrase he actually said then? I’ll assume he was offering to have the ‘last suck on this fag’ At least he wasn’t asking to get the last cigarette for free, and therefore would be looking to ‘bum a fag’ All manner of confusion would ensue I’d assume, also being a Brit and I have never heard ‘fag’ being recognised as a slur here, it only means either cigarette or to do mundane tasks for older boys in public(private boarding) schools “oh Tarquin, have you heard? Simpkins is fagging for Fontleroy don’t you know?”