Help!

[silversolitaire]

Question to Brits (or people well-versed in BE) on my flist. How would a Brit refer to a bum? Not as in a homeless person but as in someone who walks around in shaggy clothes and doesn't care much for his appearance. Like you'd say "You look like a bum." From what I understand, "bum" in BE doesn't quite describe what I'm looking for... hehe.

Comments

[kmazzy.livejournal.com]

i don't know if there really is a good work. i'd say a 'scruff' but that's probably KatEnglish. 'tramp' is good but more implies the homless thing rather than the scruffy thing. you could just say they looked scruffy. unless you need like an actual word to go in a sentence like "you look like a ______".

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I had figured out tramp by now, too, but I'd still like something more British, you know? Hehehe... I could imagine that "scruff" would still be comprehensible. I do want the "like a" thing though. The idea is that person A suggests person B should take off the shirt before bed "Or else you'll look like a ____ in the morning." So, it has to fit somehow. Hmmm... But thanks! :D

[daylemclaren.livejournal.com]

Well if i understand what you're meaning i would say the word you are looking for is tramp. But i'm scottish so it might be a different word for people in england. But if i saw somebody in messy clothes and appearance i would say they look trampy or that they look like a tramp. Hope that helps

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Thanks! That does indeed help! ^^ "Tramp" always kinda makes me thing of different things XD;. But it seems to work, so yay! ^^

[lemurjoe.livejournal.com]

Lol, I must remember this when I go to Scotland, as here in Texas if you say someone looks like a tramp or is trampy you mean they look like a prostitute.

[ambulat.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about that. I tend to dress like a homeless person...especially in the winter. I can't imagine what I'd do if someone randomly called me a tramp. I think I'd get a lot angrier than the other person expected.

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

Completely beside the point, I would have said he looks like 'the dog's breakfast'. However, I've just discovered that's a uniquely Australian expression. Pity XD

My guess would also have been 'tramp'. But if it were an insult, I'd expect them to come up with something more poetic, like 'you look like a refuse tip'.

[hellenebright.livejournal.com]

"a dog's breakfast" or "the dog's bollocks" are both english expressions, but mean different things - breakfast is a complete mess while bollocks (as in "he thinks he's the dog's bollocks")means the best.

As to the scruffy thing, "you'll look like you've been rolled up and slept in" is one from around my way. "You'll look like a scarecrow" would also work, as would "a bundle of rags"

There is a word - crusty - to describe a young person of alternative lifestyle who dresses in a deliberately messy and wrecked manner, with dreadlocks, ripped jeans, baggy hand knit and usually a Heinz 57 type dog in tow. Often to be found up a tree (not the dog) on a road protest.

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Cool! Those are all good suggestions! Thanks! You see, I need this for a Torchwood fic and Ianto says this to Jack when he suggests he should take off his shirt and not sleep in it or else... I just want it to sound Ianto-like.