What Makes Britain Great #17

If there is one thing us Brits are known for, it’s having a sense of humour. This is just as well given some of the name calling that has happened over the years. We have been called many things – here are just a few of them:

Limey: A dated North American term, originally referring to British sailors who were given rations of lime juice to prevent scurvy.

Pom or Pommy: Used in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The origin is unknown although the strongest theory is that it is a contraction of the word ‘pomegranate’, which was once Australian rhyming slang for immigrant.

Rosbif: A French term referring to the British traditional meal of roast beef.

Sassenach: Used by the Scots and Irish to describe the English. The term is derived from the Scottish Gaelic for Saxon.

Taffy: A derogatory term for a Welshman. The origin is unknown but it may have something to do with the Cardiff river Taff.

Jock: Refers to the Scots. Jock is a Scottish derivation of the forename John

This is by no means an exhaustive list – there are plenty of other things we are called(!) but these are some of the most common.