Class & Social Status
Posh and common: the language of British social hierarchy
はじめに
イギリス文化には階級意識が深く根づいていて、それが最も顕著に表れるのが言葉です。使う単語、その発音、いつ使うか——すべてが社会的ヒエラルキーにおけるあなたの位置を示します。本人が意図しているかどうかに関わらず。
「posh（上流の）」から「common（庶民的な）」、「U」と「non-U」の語彙区分から労働者階級の誇りまで、イギリス英語は階級の目印で満ちています。これらのシグナルを理解することは、イギリス社会を渡り歩き、日常会話に埋め込まれた微妙な判断を読み解くのに欠かせません。
この章ではイギリスの階級語彙を探ります——分断を強化するためではなく、言葉がどのように社会構造を映し出すかを照らすためです。上流っぽく振る舞う方法を学ぶにしても、労働者階級のルーツを誇るにしても、これがそのシステムを定義する言葉です。
テーマ
Upper ClassMiddle ClassWorking ClassSocial MobilityClass SignifiersInverted Snobbery
人気
この章の英語スラング一覧（74）
- Posh Upper class; elegant and expensive
- Toff An upper-class or wealthy person
- Hooray Henry A loud, upper-class young man
- Sloane Ranger A young upper-class person with particular style
- Upper crust The highest social class; the aristocracy
- Blue blood Aristocratic or noble ancestry
- Born with a silver spoon Born into wealth and privilege
- Old money Inherited wealth from established families
- Nouveau riche Newly wealthy; recently rich
- Plummy Having an upper-class accent
- Cut-glass accent A very refined, upper-class accent
- Public school Elite private school (British usage)
- Old school tie The network of privilege among public school alumni
- Middle England Conservative, middle-class mainstream values
- Keeping up appearances Maintaining a respectable image despite circumstances
- Suburban Conventional, middle-class, unexciting
- Curtain twitcher A nosy neighbour who spies on others
- Salt of the earth Good, honest, ordinary working people
- Working-class hero Someone who represents working-class values and struggles
- Council estate Social housing development
- Jumped up Acting above one's actual status
- Above your station Acting superior to your social class
- Getting ideas Aspiring above one's expected position
- Airs and graces Affected superior behaviour
- Social climber Someone who cultivates connections to rise in status
- Keeping up with the Joneses Competing with neighbours for status
- Common Vulgar, lower class (derogatory)
- Common as muck Extremely vulgar or lower class
- Rough Uncouth; from a tough neighbourhood
- Respectable Conforming to middle-class values and appearances
- Below stairs The servants' domain; working as a servant
- Upstairs downstairs The division between masters and servants
- Know your place Accept your position in the social hierarchy
- Classy Stylish and sophisticated
- Chavtastic Sarcastically celebrating chav culture
- Toffee-nosed Snobbish, stuck-up
- Snob Someone who looks down on those of lower status
- Inverted snob Someone who looks down on the wealthy or cultured
- Hoi polloi The common people; the masses
- Plebs Ordinary people (dismissive)
- Riff-raff Undesirable people; rabble
- Oik An uncouth person (derogatory)
- Hoyden A boisterous, ill-mannered girl (dated)
- Lady Muck A woman who acts superior
- Lord Muck A man who acts superior
- Déclassé Having fallen from a higher social class
- Non-U Not upper class (in speech or manners)
- Arriviste An ambitious social climber
- Genteel Affectedly refined or respectable
- Shabby genteel Maintaining respectable appearance despite poverty
- In trade Working in commerce (considered lower class)
- Grammar school Selective state secondary school (UK)
- Comprehensive Non-selective state secondary school
- Comp Comprehensive school (informal)
- Council house Social housing provided by local government
- Sink estate A very run-down housing estate
- Bedsit A single rented room serving as bedroom and living room
- Des res Desirable residence (estate agent speak)
- Stockbroker belt Affluent commuter suburbs
- Chinless wonder A weak, ineffectual upper-class person
- Yah Upper-class pronunciation of 'yes'
- Gap yah Gap year (mocking upper-class pronunciation)
- Trust fund kid Someone living off inherited wealth
- Trustafarian A wealthy young person affecting alternative lifestyle
- Meritocracy System where success is based on ability
- Self-made Having achieved success through own efforts
- Pull yourself up by bootstraps Improve your situation through own efforts
- Privilege Unearned advantages from social position
- Landed gentry Wealthy landowners below the aristocracy
- Aspiring class People seeking to move up socially
- Dowager A widow with title or property from her husband
- Debutante Young woman making her society debut
- Finishing school School teaching upper-class social graces
- Classless society Society without class divisions
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