Colloquial expressions...

[Sabastian]

A fagot is a bundle of twigs usually created with the intension of using the bundle for the lighting of a fire. A fag is *singular* for a burning stick.(quite a deprecating label.)At least that was my understanding of the usage of the word. That also parallels with the brits use of fag in place of cigarette. In Britain they refer to gays as "puffs" IIRC regularly, its considered quite insulting and used as such.

 

[ByteMe]

And I thought you "puffed" a fag?

*edit*

or is that puff on a fag?

 

[Simon F]

In Britain they refer to gays as "puffs" IIRC regularly, its considered quite insulting

What? Oh, you meant "poofs" (the "oo" is the same as in "look") The expression is also used in Australia (to quote Monty Python "Are you a pooftah") . I should think it's only mildly derogratory since there is a musical group called "Four Poofs and a Piano" that appears on a chat show in the UK.

 

[London Geezer]

In Britain they refer to gays as "puffs" IIRC regularly, its considered quite insulting

What? Oh, you meant "poofs" (the "oo" is the same as in "look") The expression is also used in Australia (to quote Monty Python "Are you a pooftah") . I should think it's only mildly derogratory since there is a musical group called "Four Poofs and a Piano" that appears on a chat show in the UK.

Like any word, it is derogratory and offensive when the person saying it intends it that way. I'm a poof, and i'm the first to use all those "offensive" words, especially in Italian where things get MUCH worse than "fag" or "queer"... SO MUCH FUN!! LOVE swearing in Italian!

 

[Mariner]

Another difference between US and UK English which could cause confusion is that in the US "fanny" refers to the derriere but in the UK, the fanny is a lady's, erm, "front bottom". 8)

Hence, questions such as "Does my fanny look big in these trousers" might raise a few eyebrows to say nothing of the confusion caused by "fanny packs" (which are, oddly enough, known as "bum bags" in the UK).

 

[London Geezer]

Another difference between US and UK English which could cause confusion is that in the US "fanny" refers to the derriere but in the UK, the fanny is a lady's, erm, "front bottom". 8)

Hence, questions such as "Does my fanny look big in these trousers" might raise a few eyebrows to say nothing of the confusion caused by "fanny packs" (which are, oddly enough, known as "bum bags" in the UK).

There's a woman, a colleague of mine (she's in our Thailand offices) whose name is FANNY HANDY.
And i'm not joking either....

 

[Princess_Frosty]

The french keep getting beaten up, of course they're angry

 

[Simon F]

The french keep getting beaten up, of course they're angry

Penguin! **


** Well it makes as much sense and the previous poster's comment.