Any Brits out there?

Mancunian, eh?

I mighta known . . .

Hey, li'l' girl, i gotta choc-lat bar . . .

should have read 'on the OTHER hand'

Just for you Setanta:

Manchester & the Northwest Region of England
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Manchester is one of Britain's largest metropolitan conurbations, set in the old county of Lancashire, on the west side of the Pennine Hills, which form the backbone of the country. It was here that the modern world was born through the enterprise, industry and early development of its merchant skills, the coincidental admixture of climate, suitable natural resources and geography, the inventiveness of its people, the early building of transport infrastructures, and a powerful industrial entrepreneurial spirit which has long typified the region. The county still produces more than half of Britain's manufactured goods and consumables.
Manchester has been inhabited for more than 2000 years, since the then future Roman Emperor Agricola built a fort just north of the site of present day Manchester, though it was not until the 18th century that this hitherto remote and inconspicuous little town sprang into the forefront of world attention by being the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. The city and innumerable small towns and villages surrounding it saw the rapid growth of factories manufacturing merchandise for the textile industry, and became the prime region for this industry until its decline in the 1950s, when cheaper foreign imports sounded the death knell for the region's pre-eminence.

Manchester is a big place. While 2.6 million people live within its actual boundaries, over 7 million others live in the wider region, making it second only to London in Great Britain. For 11 million people living within 50 miles of the City , it is the place where they come to work, or to shop or to visit the many attractions and entertainments which only a large city such as this could hope to offer.

Manchester is an international centre. "The Times" newspaper places 80 of its top 100 companies in the city and over 60 Foreign and International Banks operate from here. Some 46,000 students currently study for Higher Education at its colleges and universities. More than 90 world airlines fly into Manchester Airport from 165 destinations world wide. In 1993 over 13 million people passed through the airport terminal, and that figure is soon expected to surpass 22 million.

The Metropolitan County of Greater Manchester has the most extensive motorway network in the United Kingdom. It is accessible by road, rail and air. Manchester is 2½ hours from London by Intercity trains, of which there are on average 17 departures every day. The city has the UK's first modern street operating rail system - Metrolink - which other UK cities are eager to emulate.

It is cosmopolitan - it offers more than 30 styles of foreign cuisine, with distinctive Chinese and Asian areas of speciality. It has 80 golf courses, more theatres than any other city outside London, two Premier League football teams, two major television companies, three Universities, two symphony orchestras, and many small chamber ensembles. It leads the field in music. Since the mid-1980s, Manchester popular music has dominated music charts.

It is also, by virtue of its central location within the British Isles, an excellent base for tourism. Within 1 hour's drive are 3 major National Parks (the Lake District, the Peak District, and the Snowdonia National Park). Also within an hour's drive are the seaside towns of the Fylde coast of Lancashire (Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Southport, Morecambe, Fleetwood), as well as the great cities of Lancaster, York, Chester and Liverpool.

The City also has many fine listed buildings. Within the greater region are 170 tourist attractions including some 34 historic houses, country parks, moors, plains, hills and 8 theme parks all within an hour's drive away. For people in the locality, Manchester is a place to live - for some it is a place to do business - and for others it is increasingly becoming a place to visit as a Tourist.

And smorgs lives there!

Pommie is equivalent to Limey, I believe!

I forgot 'bugger'

I'd say that only rated a number 2.

Thought limey was yank, KP?

Limey is a much less commonly used term now than it once was. It purportedly derives from American sailors taking notice of the requirement of the Royal Navy that their sailors use that expedient as an anti-scorbutic. My brother who served in the Navy, and later shipped out on merchant ships, used the term . . . but most Americans just say Brit these days . . .

I have no clue if Pommie is much used in Oz these days, but trust Mr. Ponquility to liven the discussion by having thrown that in . . .

And it's 'Tommy' here in Germany.

'evenin' Walter.

Standing erect: Good evening, m'dam! :wink:

Good show, old man!

Thanks, spring chicken.

Hardly...

I wasn't alluding to your age walter...just being very British Old Bean!

Yes, my dear.

I cant be bothered to Google this, as the football is just about to start, but I was always told that "Pommie" originally came from the Acronym P.O.H.M., which stood for Prisoners Of His Majesty.
It was used to identify Brits who arrived there after deportation..... apparently.
In modern day usage by Australians, it means "One who is better than us at Rugby and Cricket".

No:

Snopes says: Status: False.

Snopes doesnt sound that convincing to me, Walter....I'll stick with my original myth for now.

It's interesting that you call us Tommies by the way, after the machine gun, I suppose? Wasnt that an American gun though?

I know the French call us "Rosbif" (Roast Beef).

What do all you other Europeans call us.......no swear words please (that will cut down the number of answers I'll bet)

Both the French and we call you "Tommies":

Source

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

Rudyard Kipling -- 1890

That appellation of the "common foot soldier--referred to by George Lord Cornwallis as "the scum of the earth"--has been common for more than a century, although i haven't the foggiest notion of why "Tommy Atkins" in particular.

good post mr kipling
makes exceedingly good cakes too
or so they say

the nine oclock toast by Rudyard Kipling

if at nine oclock youlisten when around this festive board
if you listen very closely with you hearts tuned in accord
then you'll hear, when in the west and south you're charged in fullest measure
some distant voices calling,
brother may we have the pleasure?

for at nine oclock we toast you wherever you may stand.
at home or maybe out of town or in some far off land with cheerful hearts and distant thoughts
we steal a moments leisure
to call that ancient challenge
brother, may we have the pleasure?

for we are bound together by a universal link
we drink from that masonic cup from which we all may drink
to our far flung brotherhood whose fellowship we treasure
that old masonic greeting
brother, may we have the pleasure?