Whatcha reading redux.

[308Mike]

My latest book is:

Sniper One:



Although a GREAT combat book, I have NEVER had such a hard time reading a book from someone speaking the same language. It's full of British slang, cultural references, and colloquialisms. Even so, it is STILL very entertaining reading, and those familiar with how people speak in England, would likely be entertaining from just reading the stories. Unfortunately, there is no Glossary to help define certain terms, although some specific to the military might be defined at some points in the book, but having a Glossary for those unfamiliar with British slang would do wonders for the reader.

Stuff like:

UGL = Underslung Grenade Launcher (ie: M203)
"Pottering about"
Sanger = guard post
Portakabins
Snatch Land Rover
Bollocks
Cheeky / Cheeky sod
OC as well as CO (what's the difference??)
"Boy's Own hero"
"football pitch" = soccer field
"Bergen" = backpack (pack)
Chinwag
"Fag" = cigarette
Steptoe's yard
Delboy's living room
to flog to the rest of the company
nicking things
"gawped"
Hesco bastion bollards and sand-filled bollards
On your swede
brick privy
Souks
big bag of claret
"Blind" mortar round = UXO
kit laid out next to us
cutting about
kip & scoff
"busy as buggery"
"hadn't a Scooby"
boozer
bird (meaning girl)
"lost their bottle"
"bollocks" apparently has quite a few different meanings
minging
knackered
"jolly little punt"
pepperpotted

List continues as I find items to post.

HOWEVER, do NOT let that detract you from buying and reading this book. I'm 3/4 of the way through it, and in many places I find it VERY difficult to put down - no matter what I'm doing (including depriving myself of sleep). It's a DAMNED GOOD book!!

If you're familiar with British slang, it'll go much easier and probably far more enjoyable. If not, you'll probably STILL enjoy it (as I have), but it'll probably slow your reading down.

Overall, it's a GREAT book!!! I'd give it 4.5 outta' 5 stars!

[Rich]

Bought Kingdoms of the Night in hard cover for a couple of bucks from Goodwill on Monday. Author's are Alan Cole and Chris Bunch and it was published in 1995. Got to about page 30, removed the bookmark and closed the book. Now I just have to figure where to leave it so I can be sure it will be stolen. Yes, it's that bad.

Finishing up Silent Joe in paperback, by T. Jefferson Parker. Hard cover published in 2001, paperback in 2002. Not a great read, but holds interest pretty well. Would be a pretty good travel book.

[Steamforger]

Started "A Game Of Thrones" this week and am amazed how closely the HBO series is following the books so far.

[arctictom]

Just finished Ted Bells new book Phantom , nice easy read very entertaining.

[Highspeed]

I'm reading Walden by Thoreau, but it's proving hard going because of his archaic writing style.

That and 'The Craft of the Japanese Sword', which has become my standard reference work for bladesmithing ( although you have to read between the lines to get the good stuff, they aren't about to tell us barbarian round eyes all their secrets - requires some " reverse engineering " )

[Highspeed]

Did you a translation Mike :-


UGL = Underslung Grenade Launcher (ie: M203) - made by HK I think, at eye watering cost to the UK taxpayer
"Pottering about" - just doing nothing really, mooching around without a care in the world
Sanger = guard post
Portakabins - prefabricated building made from cheap materials, about the size of a shipping container and just as comfortable
Snatch Land Rover - A Land Rover with a weapon fit that makes it top heavy and prone to rolling over, no blast protection from IED's
Bollocks - testicles, but used like 'bollocks to this' or 'that's a load of bollocks ', sort of like FUBAR
Cheeky / Cheeky sod - An arrogant individual, often used affectionately. Not always though.
OC as well as CO (what's the difference??) - Commanding Officer, Officer Commanding
"Boy's Own hero" - 1900's magazine from the days of the Empire, full of tales of derring-do and beating up fuzzy wuzzies
"football pitch" = soccer field
"Bergen" = backpack (pack)
Chinwag - having a friendly chat
"Fag" = cigarette
Steptoe's yard - From the 70's TV series 'Steptoe and Son' about a scrap metal dealer. His back yard was a mess
Delboy's living room - From the 80's TV series about a loveable shyster who sold stolen or counterfeit goods
to flog to the rest of the company - flog usually means to sell things
nicking things - stealing stuff
"gawped" - to gaze at something in amazement, ignorance, fear or possibly lust if it's a bird with big tits
Hesco bastion bollards and sand-filled bollards - steel containers which are filled with earth as protection from RPG's and mortar fire
On your swede - your swede is your head
rick privy - no clue on that one
Souks - Arab market
big bag of claret - claret is blood
"Blind" mortar round = UXO
kit laid out next to us - your kit is your gear, right from the rifle to body armour and all that other stuff
cutting about - not sure about that one either

[Rich]

Don't forget, that during Vietnam, Conex shipping containers were used as Officer Housing, while the rest of us rats lived in open air bungalows called Hooches.

[308Mike]

Thanks HS. Most I figured out in the course of reading the book, and I misspelled "Brick privy", which apparently means the same as a "brick shit house" - "he's as solid as a brick shit house."

The TV shows, magazines, books, and a few other references had no way to figure them out in the book (and it wasn't important enough to spend time online looking them up). All the slang and culture references just slowed my reading down until I got into the swing of it.

I don't know if you've noticed, but I added a few more terms:

kip & scoff (kip must be sleep and scoff must be chow, or something similar)
"busy as buggery"
"hadn't a Scooby"
boozer (I'm guessing that's a bar)
bird = meaning girl
"lost their bottle"
minging/minger
knackered = wiped out/exhausted
"jolly little punt" - possibly a small boat, or going out in a small boat
pepperpotted (spots/impacts sprayed all over the place)
Blackadder is some kind of famous comedy

With the way the book is written and some of the practical jokers in it, I think you might really enjoy this book. There's a small description about Pte Johnson Beharry's actions which lead to his VC, which also happened during the time period of the book. The book also has a photo of his badly shot-up Warrior, where you can see some of the RPG hits along its side, along with LOTS of bullet impacts too. There's also a photo of him standing near a Warrior with belts of ammo draped around his neck a couple of days before getting critically injured.

[Highspeed]

Don't forget, that during Vietnam, Conex shipping containers were used as Officer Housing, while the rest of us rats lived in open air bungalows called Hooches.

I'll never forget what you guys did in Vietnam Rich, it's a privilege to know a quietly spoken badass like you.

[Highspeed]

"hadn't a Scooby" - Rhyming slang, Scooby Doo = Clue
boozer (I'm guessing that's a bar) - you got that right, where warriors go to drink beer and beat up civilians
bird = meaning girl
"lost their bottle" - so scared they couldn't function any more
minging/minger - a really ugly woman, also known as a hippopotatrog or a crocodillapig
knackered = wiped out/exhausted
"jolly little punt" - possibly a small boat, or going out in a small boat
pepperpotted (spots/impacts sprayed all over the place) - pepperpotting is fire and maneuver, your mates lay down covering fire while you advance. Then you do the same for them.

Blackadder is some kind of famous comedy... it is, but I'm not a big fan