A question for any blokes here from The U.K.

[Old Ironmaker]

My 1st full time job at the plant when I just turned 19 I shared an office with a Met Foreman from southern England, Albert Roche, an amazing man. He took me under his wing became my mentor,  we became good friends and I kept in touch with him as often as I could until he passed too soon just after retired. He always called me what I thought was "Boil?" I never asked what he was saying. I hear the term often in British movies. I think he was actually saying "Boy oh." Am I close? I took it as a term of endearment but it could mean Jack Ass for all I know. 

Thanks, Johnny D. 

[dave524]

10 minutes ago, Old Ironmaker said:

My 1st full time job at the plant when I just turned 19 I shared an office with a Met Foreman from southern England, Albert Roche, an amazing man. He took me under his wing became my mentor,  we became good friends and I kept in touch with him as often as I could until he passed too soon just after retired. He always called me what I thought was "Boil?" I never asked what he was saying. I hear the term often in British movies. I think he was actually saying "Boy oh." Am I close? I took it as a term of endearment but it could mean Jack Ass for all I know. 

Thanks, Johnny D. 

Had a British millwright were I worked, who would ever think to call a flashlight a torch or a wench a spanner ? 

[Old Ironmaker]

26 minutes ago, dave524 said:

Had a British millwright were I worked, who would ever think to call a flashlight a torch or a wench a spanner ? 

Or a trunk the boot and or a hood a bonnet? 2 countries separated by a common language. Ever notice a Brit never uses the letter H in a word as in ome not home, ood not hood.  I'm driving one day in England and I see these signs plastered on the side of the road "Boot sale ahead." I ask myself I hope they have my size.They don't have garage or yard sales, no room on the street to park. They all get together on some farmland on the weekends and sell their wares from the trunks of their cars. We actually did it here in our little neighbourhood every summer on the vacant corner before someone built a McMansion there. The only problem is lugging the crap to the field and hopefully not back. If I didn't have a truck it would be 15 loads of stuff in the boot my wife paid full retail for and sells it for 10 cents on the buck. 

I told her many times, Business 101, buy low sell high not the other way around. 

Edited April 15, 2020 by Old Ironmaker

[grimsbylander]

1 hour ago, Old Ironmaker said:

My 1st full time job at the plant when I just turned 19 I shared an office with a Met Foreman from southern England, Albert Roche, an amazing man. He took me under his wing became my mentor,  we became good friends and I kept in touch with him as often as I could until he passed too soon just after retired. He always called me what I thought was "Boil?" I never asked what he was saying. I hear the term often in British movies. I think he was actually saying "Boy oh." Am I close? I took it as a term of endearment but it could mean Jack Ass for all I know. 

Thanks, Johnny D. 

Grew up in a hoose full of Scots. He was calling you boyo. It’s a term for a boy or young man. 
 

[Old Ironmaker]

14 minutes ago, grimsbylander said:

Grew up in a hoose full of Scots. He was calling you boyo. It’s a term for a boy or young man. 
 

Thanks Grimsby. I thought so. My former wife's grand parents were from Troon and I never asked them either. I couldn't understand much of what they said anyway. One of the in laws cousins visited one summer and we couldn't understand 80% of what he was saying, nor could he understand us. 

[RayK]

Ha....I used that term as early as last week. My buddy and I still preface our initial contact with “Hey Boyo”. We both used to live to in a small village in Devon UK in the 70’s.

[Old Ironmaker]

OK while we are here can someone explain what the difference between The United Kingdom (UK) and Great Britain is ? Why doesn't someone from England or Scotland say just that rather than "I'm from the UK or Great Britain." That still doesn't tell me where a Brit is from. Being from Ireland is for another long complicated discussion. 

[John Bacon]

Great Britian is an island that emcompasses England, Scotland, and Wales.  United Kingdom is the nation that includes Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, & Wales.

If Scotland had voted to separate, they would no longer be part of the United Kingdon, but they would still be located on Great Britian Island.

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by John Bacon