Quote: Rood Eye @ 6th March 2019, 6:41 PMMany years ago, an English friend of mine moved to America and shortly after arriving and starting his new job, he jokingly referred to a work colleague as a "bugger".
The work colleague was deeply offended and there was a hell of a row about it and my friend had to explain to the colleague and his bosses that the term is almost a playful comedic insult in Britain and that nobody in Britain would take serious offence if anybody used that term to describe them.
Foreigners are funny things.
I had heard that word is offensive in America and not seen in the affectionate way it's intended here. If you're up north and someone calls you a bugger it means they like you. The slang word for cigarette is another one.
Growing up with The Young Ones I had learnt to use the term "bummer" in the same sense as "bugger". I would say "oh you bummer" but there was never anything rude intended. I called a friend it once and then the next time I went to her house her parents said I couldn't play with her again. They wouldn't tell me why but eventually I found out it was because I had called her a bummer.
Wankers.
