Job Discussion Forums

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I'm marking a multiple choice test I've never seen before and stuck on one answer that is definitely British English.

Q. He's always _______ the Government but he never votes in the elections.

a. running out
b. running down
c. calling off
d. calling out

I'm pretty sure it's 'calling out' but you never know with the Brits. Could be B?

Thanks

sojourner · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 1:56 am Post subject:

Guy,

It's "running down". This is a common expression in Aust and NZ, as well as in the UK. It means that someone is consistently criticising something (eg a govt, party, religion, etc).Usually a very negative - and superficial - form of criticism. I'm surprised that you don't have a similar expression in Nth America !

Peter

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Well whaddya know. Thanks for the help. Running down for Canadians is what we do to jaywalkers or groundhogs.

I posted that not 10 minutes ago. Where else in the world do you get such quick help on English, eh?

Trying to think of an NA expression for an equivalent.

Criticizing
B1tching about
Complaining about
Going off on (weird, maybe just me)
Having a go at

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

sojourner,
We N.Americans do. Here are two.

putting down
ragging on

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

slagging

sojourner · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 2:17 am Post subject:

"B1tching about" is also used in Aust and NZ. Also, in Aust one often talks about someone who is constantly "whinging" about the govt. Such a person is referred to as a "whinger". Someone was telling me that they have heard the expression used in British TV programmes - but, it's quite possible, that it may have actually originated in Britain; many expressions that Aussies and Kiwis think are uniquely their own, probably originated in the "old country" !

Peter

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Fair dinkum there, Sojo. Wink

Been working on my Aussie mate. Wink

sojourner · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 2:29 am Post subject:

The expression "fair dinkum" (meaning that something is genuine) is pretty much passe in modern Australia - although it seems to be used by "Australian" characters appearing in American movies and TV series.

Peter

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Damn! And an Aussie taught it to me too! I want my money back!

sojourner · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 2:50 am Post subject:

Guy,

Yes, you were obviously ripped off ! (btw, is that an American or Aussie expression ?)

In the not-too-distant past, many young Aussies, when o'seas, tried to appear as "Aussie as possible" - though the use of quaint colloquialisms (sp?) and an exaggerated use of a "broad" Australian accent. Nowadays, Australians are not so blatant and crude in demonstrating their cultural identity, especially when o'seas - at least I would like to think so !

Australia has changed a lot over the past two decades - growth of higher education, white collar occupations, cosmopolitan lifestyles in urban areas,etc. Many tertiary-educated, middle class Australians , when o'seas, are embarrassed by the stereotypes that locals still hold with respect to Australian culture and language usage.

Peter

sojourner · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 3:10 am Post subject:

Glenski,

Re "putting down". In Aust, this often means to cruelly ridicule someone.

Also, to "put down" means to put an animal "to sleep". Recently, in my intercultural communication classes, here in China, we discussed the differences between Chinese and the (English-speaking) West's attitudes towards animals. eg, if a dog or cat has to die, we don't say that such a creature is to be "killed" or "slaughtered" - rather, he/she will be "put down" or "put to sleep". Also, in UK/NZ/Aust/Nth America, people tend to refer to their canine and feline friends, as "he/she" - not "it", as is the case in China. What's the situation in Japan ? Mexico, too, Guy ?

Peter

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Yeah, in Canada, 'putting down' and 'put to sleep' is the same. In Mexico, I guess it differs from person to person on attitudes towards pets (tasty taco or family friend?). Pet lovers, or a vet in Mexico would say 'hay que sacrificar lo' (we have to sacrifice it) when talking about gravely ill pets. Pet lovers will refer to animals as he or she, since 'it' doesn't translate easily into Spanish. There's a thread in the Mexico forum started today talking about the pronoun 'it' as a matter of fact.

khmerhit · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:16 am Post subject:

My Ozzie Significant Other liked to run me down--in public, to my mates, without surcease. Hence the "ex" bit. The curious thing is that I found her use of the language most attractive, indeed it seems to me that the language is put to better use Down Under than Up Here, where it is mostly aridly functional, in a banal, semi-literate, dysfunctional, PC kind of way...

Will. · Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 783 Location: London Uk

fair dinkum used to mean no kidding,- really. That was the way I heard it used way back when people were doing each other down and dobbing each other in but I would'nt want to butter anyone up by ragging on them here they might think I was calling 'em out and I'd have a bundle to deal with for picking on them

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

dinkum

1888, "hard work," Australian slang of unknown origin, perhaps connected
to Lincolnshire dialect. Meaning "honest, genuine" is attested from 1894.

courtesy of http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?e