Class & Social Status

Posh and common: the language of British social hierarchy

简介

阶级意识深深根植于英国文化中，而这在语言上表现得最为明显。你用什么词、怎么发音、什么时候用——这些都在传递你在社会等级中的位置，不管你是不是有意为之。

从"posh（高大上的）"到"common（普通/粗俗的）"，从"U（上层用语）"和"non-U（非上层用语）"的词汇划分到工人阶级的骄傲，英式英语充满了阶级标记。理解这些信号对于在英国社会中游刃有余、读懂日常对话中隐藏的微妙判断至关重要。

这一章探索英国阶级的词汇——不是为了加深分裂，而是为了揭示语言如何反映社会结构。不管你是想学着"装上流"还是想为工人阶级的根源自豪，这些就是定义这个体系的词汇。

主题

本章全部英语俚语（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