Class & Social Status

Posh and common: the language of British social hierarchy

소개

계급 의식은 영국 문화에 깊이 뿌리내리고 있고, 그게 가장 뚜렷하게 드러나는 곳이 바로 언어예요. 어떤 단어를 쓰는지, 어떻게 발음하는지, 언제 사용하는지——이 모든 것이 사회적 위계에서의 당신의 위치를 알려줘요. 의도하든 아니든.

"posh(상류층의)"부터 "common(서민적인/촌스러운)", "U"와 "non-U" 어휘 구분부터 노동자 계급의 자부심까지, 영국 영어는 계급 표지로 가득 차 있어요. 이 신호들을 이해하는 건 영국 사회를 헤쳐나가고 일상 대화에 숨겨진 미묘한 판단을 읽어내는 데 필수적이에요.

이 챕터에서는 영국의 계급 어휘를 탐구해요——분열을 강화하려는 게 아니라, 언어가 어떻게 사회 구조를 반영하는지 보여주기 위해서예요. 상류층처럼 보이는 법을 배우든, 노동자 계급의 뿌리를 자랑스러워하든, 이것이 그 시스템을 정의하는 단어들이에요.

테마

이 챕터의 모든 영어 슬랭 (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