I nearly found myself in a sticky situation after I said one word in a pub, that apparently has a completely different meaning in Liverpool.
I’ve only moved 96 miles away from my hometown in the North East but I have found a lot of things completely different to back home. For example, it’s baffled me how in Liverpool you combine your Chinese takeaways with chippies, and you call ice-lollies, lolly-ices, but most of all finding out how some words just have a completely different meaning here, is what has totally blown my mind.
It was last Saturday when I was enjoying a cheeky wine in the pub with my friends that one word – which I innocently thought had a completely different meaning – nearly got me in a rather sticky situation.
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My friend was getting up to get another round in and asked if I wanted another wine and this is where it all very nearly went wrong for me.
I told him: “I’m good thanks, I’ll be steaming if I have another one.” The comment had them looking at me in horror as if to say ‘why have you just told us that?.’
Of course, at this point I was pretty confused as to why my friends were looking at me so horrified that I’d just told them I’d be steaming. Their faces were a picture, and complete silence followed.
Why you ask? Well… where I come from, in Darlington, steaming has a whole different meaning. I’d say “I’m absolutely steaming” in the context of crawling along the pavement after having way too many wines. But in Liverpool, I’m told, it is used in describing someone who has a rather strong appetite for sexual activity – so no wonder I was getting some funny looks from my friends.
I definitely learnt the hard way not to say I’m steaming in public to Scousers.
In that same eye opening afternoon, I also learnt another word that has a totally different meaning to what I have grown up with. One of them said to me “that is heavy that.” WELL that comment had be baffled. “Heavy?” I was questioning, what on earth does that mean?
According to my Scouse friends, the term ‘heavy’ can be used to describe things good or bad – and now I’m just even more confused. How can a word be used for good and bad?
In their best attempts to describe the saying to me, they said: “If you were describing a good looking man or woman, you would say they were heavy” – this absolutely bamboozled me. I would be so offended if someone told me I was heavy, I would definitely not be taking it as a compliment that is for sure.
I’m told it’s a compliment however. Although, it can also mean it is bad – so to be honest I don’t quite think I’m any closer in knowing what someone means whey they say “that is heavy.”
It’s safe to say I still have a lot to learn about the beautiful city that is Liverpool.
Let me known in the comments any other Scouse sayings you think I need to be aware of – before I land myself in another situation!
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Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
