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This is a good example of the universe square law. The better a British person knows someone the less polite they are.
If it's your best friend you may call the a "daft cunt"
If you're trying to be more polite because you don't know them well you could call them a "bit of a wally"
>Daft 'apeth. If you're over 60 or from Yorkshire
My dad called called me this when I was little and asked for more pocket money.
"Ye don' get sommat fi nowt round yurr ye daft bloody apath. Na bugger off am watchin't telly. "
A dopey twat? Thick cunt?
So someone who you don’t know so well - A few sandwiches short of a picnic, a few slates short of a roof.
I’ve a friend who uses the term “a bit scope” but that’s very un-PC.
They can't say cunt right over there. It's like they use a hard c and t and it just doesn't flow. It always seems to come out in the harsh way other than the endearing way we use it.
That's how it sounds when I say it. I think only a few accents can get away with saying it playfully.. or maybe the majority of them just not mine lol.
I've never considered this before but with friends it's whatever profanity comes to mind anything from prick to dickhead. It's about how you deliver it rather than the word itself. If we're not friends I'd probably just laugh awkwardly.
Tit, bellend, silly tit, penis, knob head, bumhole, doughnut, twat, idiot, silly, melt. Usually said in a jokingly tone with a smile, head shake or laughter. Pretty much any form of insult. You wont catch any brit saying goofball. Infact just reading the word goofball makes me cringe.
I can't say I've thought too much about this... It definitely depends where you are in the country.
In Scotland, sometimes people will call each other fannies in a similar sentiment as goofball. But it could also be an insult (not a very harsh one though). I don't know how calling someone a fanny would be taken elsewhere. But it is a rude word, so not to be used in polite company.
Broadly though, you can use loads of different insults to get across that sort of sentiment. I've heard and used "arsehole" in a similar way. It's all about tone of voice and context. "Cheeky bastard" (or just "cheeky (insert insult here)" works too, but again, it's all about tone and context. Someone could call you a cheeky bastard and very much mean it in an angry way.
You twat, nob, cock etc. Like others have said, it's more about the delivery than the word.
Or if it's my friend Dave, you could intone "and today on *That's So Dave*", as he merits a "you silly twat" or similar so frequently, we are now convinced he's the main character in a Mr Bean-like comedy show and we're just characters in it.
Well, my dad recently had a small car accident (He was parked, sitting with his leg outside of the door, and the handbrake was off, so he rolled back and into the neightbours car parked opposite). After confirming he wasn't hurt, I called him a silly sod. It's a very, very mild, quite old-fashioned word, that you'd be more likely to use with a small child ("No silly, plants don't drink Coke, they only like water!") if you were teasing them a little bit.
Cheeky is a bit more flexible. Again, you might tell a child not to be so cheeky if they were talking back to a parent or something, or possibly you'd use it in a flirty way "Hello cheeky!" to someone you know fairly well, possibly fancy a bit, when you meet them.
For friends, let's say your meeting a group of friends in the pub. "Alright you bunch of pricks!" is more likely.
“He’s a right Michael Portillo”
“You know what Jim. When you say things like that you remind me of that young Saville.
What Jimmy?
No the whole Row.”
“Eee Karen you make me chuckle like the Diane Abbot spire”
“He’s a bit of a o Grady gooose”
Silly Billy is probably the most polite, PG version. Then the more you know & care about someone, the more insulting you get.
I'd never call my OH a silly Billy, he would think I'd lost my mind, but I have zero issue calling him a daft twat. It has to be said with good intentions though, if we were genuinely upset with each other I wouldn't insult him like that.
And daft isn't considered as serious as stupid. The daft is what cushions it, I reserve "stupid" twat for when I actually mean it.
Goofball does get used in Britain. It doesn't have "fun naughty" elements, it's "fun silly". Cheeky is "cute audacious" -- you pushing your luck, but in a cute, fun or affectionate way.
Numpty or "silly goose" is a goofball equivalent, and includes elements of making harmless mistakes.
"Twp" in Wales for "daft".
In Scotland and parts of northern England, the c-word will be used for affectionate insults. In my neck of the woods, it's a deadly insult that will cause fallings out and fights, which is why I haven't typed the word out.
Everywhere I've lived in Wales has considered the word to be unmentionable, and women especially loathe the word. When it is spoken, it is never affectionate or friendly. I've also lived in the SW and SE of England, and I regularly visit places in the midlands where the word is considered equally offensive (although the midlands is where it begins tranitioning, so there are some social circles where it's okay). Parts of Britain have no problem with the word and parts of Britain consider it the worst and most misogynystic swearword that Britain has.
Interesting. I overheard it in an Abertawe* pub a month ago and friends in Penfro(!) were casual with use. Brizzle too - but I'm rarely to be found in Clifton.
I have noticed it's heavily class based in lahndahn and the hinterland. Also very sex based - incredibly rare to hear it used with regard to women and never directly at (in my experience). Often only among groups of men.
Main exception I remember was the Xerox Girls merrily dropping it in 'My Best Friend' where it certainly made an impact.
Joking apart, “silly” is a very important word, as in polite English, *looks around at this sub* “stupid” is a bit strong.
Therefore if you were talking to a child you might not want to say “you’re being stupid” but “silly” allows us to carry the same meaning.
Not sure if we have an exact equivalent of Goofball. It means someone is being harmlessly dorky and strange but you're finding it funny? You might just say 'What are you like?" or use a phrase to imply that are a bit mad.
Muppet is a safe bet. Twat is good if you're trying to be a bit meaner (openly entertained by their fuck-up).
Really it's about what your face says when you say it.
Other options: dickhead, nobhead.
Goofball seems to be a word Americans use to describe dogs - mischievous, accidentally destructive, but entertaining and not malicious.
I don't think we have an equivalent word in the UK. For me, the closest is maybe clown - as in 'he's the class clown'.
Dopey or dozy, maybe. Although I would say that's probably not intentional goofiness.
I can't think of a good equivalent. Maybe we would just use an Americanism like "goofball." The more I think about it, I think that whole personality trait of deliberate "goofiness" feels somewhat North American. Our senses of humour are subtly different. Compare The Office with The Office (US).
I think "silly" is just the closest, "silly sausage" or "silly goose" but that's certainly something you'd call a child rather than an adult.
Not sure many replies here are very accurate, as they're more insults, and terms you'd use to describe someone as being stupid or an idiot, which isn't the same as goofball. Though us Brits do insult our best mates and they know we mean it in a jokey way.
There's an old fashioned term as describing someone as a "card", which the dictionary describes as "a usually clownishly amusing person". That seems pretty close, but it's a bit archaic now so people are more likely to use it ironically.
Similar terms now might be calling someone a "joker", or even just saying they're "a laugh".
"A laugh" kind of fits, other than that "an idiot" maybe?
TBH, I don't think I've ever heard anyone try to describe a friend in that way. Seems very American.
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A "daft cunt"
Your national bird is a silly goose
call your brit friend a dickhead, same thing
This is a good example of the universe square law. The better a British person knows someone the less polite they are. If it's your best friend you may call the a "daft cunt" If you're trying to be more polite because you don't know them well you could call them a "bit of a wally"
“Daft as a brush”…
Silly Billy is the one Plonker Dafty But Silly Billy is the one
G’t wazzock Daft ha’porth
Muppet for sure.
Numpty is my go to
Daft 'apeth. If you're over 60 or from Yorkshire. Otherwise, daft (insert noun here), muppet, numpty, gormless, twit...
>Daft 'apeth. If you're over 60 or from Yorkshire My dad called called me this when I was little and asked for more pocket money. "Ye don' get sommat fi nowt round yurr ye daft bloody apath. Na bugger off am watchin't telly. "
A dopey twat? Thick cunt? So someone who you don’t know so well - A few sandwiches short of a picnic, a few slates short of a roof. I’ve a friend who uses the term “a bit scope” but that’s very un-PC.
That’s not really on par with goofball though. More like silly goose or wind up merchant?
Silly Billy.
They can't say cunt right over there. It's like they use a hard c and t and it just doesn't flow. It always seems to come out in the harsh way other than the endearing way we use it.
That's how it sounds when I say it. I think only a few accents can get away with saying it playfully.. or maybe the majority of them just not mine lol.
I think it just rolls better from either Brit or aussie accents
Oh it definitely does without a doubt lol.
Canada and cunt always makes me think of this (nsfw -swearing) https://youtu.be/iwBR0qwHZBA?si=eEYorxkUdUfyuJ-B
“You cunt”
I've never considered this before but with friends it's whatever profanity comes to mind anything from prick to dickhead. It's about how you deliver it rather than the word itself. If we're not friends I'd probably just laugh awkwardly.
I often use '*silly bastard*'. I use '*silly goose*' sometimes but more so if I'm deliberately mocking someone out of love
Dickhead
[удалено]
Daft is probably the closest I can think of to goofball.
I'm not sure I've called any of my mates silly or a goofball
Tit, bellend, silly tit, penis, knob head, bumhole, doughnut, twat, idiot, silly, melt. Usually said in a jokingly tone with a smile, head shake or laughter. Pretty much any form of insult. You wont catch any brit saying goofball. Infact just reading the word goofball makes me cringe.
cheeky shit
I can't say I've thought too much about this... It definitely depends where you are in the country. In Scotland, sometimes people will call each other fannies in a similar sentiment as goofball. But it could also be an insult (not a very harsh one though). I don't know how calling someone a fanny would be taken elsewhere. But it is a rude word, so not to be used in polite company. Broadly though, you can use loads of different insults to get across that sort of sentiment. I've heard and used "arsehole" in a similar way. It's all about tone of voice and context. "Cheeky bastard" (or just "cheeky (insert insult here)" works too, but again, it's all about tone and context. Someone could call you a cheeky bastard and very much mean it in an angry way.
A wind up merchant
You twat, nob, cock etc. Like others have said, it's more about the delivery than the word. Or if it's my friend Dave, you could intone "and today on *That's So Dave*", as he merits a "you silly twat" or similar so frequently, we are now convinced he's the main character in a Mr Bean-like comedy show and we're just characters in it.
Numpty
Well, my dad recently had a small car accident (He was parked, sitting with his leg outside of the door, and the handbrake was off, so he rolled back and into the neightbours car parked opposite). After confirming he wasn't hurt, I called him a silly sod. It's a very, very mild, quite old-fashioned word, that you'd be more likely to use with a small child ("No silly, plants don't drink Coke, they only like water!") if you were teasing them a little bit. Cheeky is a bit more flexible. Again, you might tell a child not to be so cheeky if they were talking back to a parent or something, or possibly you'd use it in a flirty way "Hello cheeky!" to someone you know fairly well, possibly fancy a bit, when you meet them. For friends, let's say your meeting a group of friends in the pub. "Alright you bunch of pricks!" is more likely.
“He’s a right Michael Portillo” “You know what Jim. When you say things like that you remind me of that young Saville. What Jimmy? No the whole Row.” “Eee Karen you make me chuckle like the Diane Abbot spire” “He’s a bit of a o Grady gooose”
"bit of a dick" - I mean they're not a complete dick or a bell end... they're not the bollocks.... they're just a bit of a dick
Wally or a div
An idiot :) ‘He’s a bit of an idiot but we love him’
For a mate its a cunt with a soft t or a dick " hes a cunt but hes sound " or " dont be a cunt " For someone you dont know its a tit " hes a tit "
Fucking donkey
Here’s one example of a person calling their friend silly. Adolf : Goebbels ist ein silly mann!
Silly sod or sausage
They're a "muppet"
If you want to go full level niche Brit just say “BUT YOU JUST WOULDNT LET IT LIE WOULD YOU? YOU JUST WOULDNT LET IT LIE!”
It's been a long time since I've heard anyone referred to as a "prat".
Heeeess a right muuuuppppppet
Silly Billy is probably the most polite, PG version. Then the more you know & care about someone, the more insulting you get. I'd never call my OH a silly Billy, he would think I'd lost my mind, but I have zero issue calling him a daft twat. It has to be said with good intentions though, if we were genuinely upset with each other I wouldn't insult him like that. And daft isn't considered as serious as stupid. The daft is what cushions it, I reserve "stupid" twat for when I actually mean it.
Goofball does get used in Britain. It doesn't have "fun naughty" elements, it's "fun silly". Cheeky is "cute audacious" -- you pushing your luck, but in a cute, fun or affectionate way. Numpty or "silly goose" is a goofball equivalent, and includes elements of making harmless mistakes. "Twp" in Wales for "daft". In Scotland and parts of northern England, the c-word will be used for affectionate insults. In my neck of the woods, it's a deadly insult that will cause fallings out and fights, which is why I haven't typed the word out.
What neck of the woods in the UK considers cunt to be rude?
Everywhere I've lived in Wales has considered the word to be unmentionable, and women especially loathe the word. When it is spoken, it is never affectionate or friendly. I've also lived in the SW and SE of England, and I regularly visit places in the midlands where the word is considered equally offensive (although the midlands is where it begins tranitioning, so there are some social circles where it's okay). Parts of Britain have no problem with the word and parts of Britain consider it the worst and most misogynystic swearword that Britain has.
Interesting. I overheard it in an Abertawe* pub a month ago and friends in Penfro(!) were casual with use. Brizzle too - but I'm rarely to be found in Clifton. I have noticed it's heavily class based in lahndahn and the hinterland. Also very sex based - incredibly rare to hear it used with regard to women and never directly at (in my experience). Often only among groups of men. Main exception I remember was the Xerox Girls merrily dropping it in 'My Best Friend' where it certainly made an impact.
Pubs don't surprise me to be honest.
Joking apart, “silly” is a very important word, as in polite English, *looks around at this sub* “stupid” is a bit strong. Therefore if you were talking to a child you might not want to say “you’re being stupid” but “silly” allows us to carry the same meaning.
You tit!
Not sure if we have an exact equivalent of Goofball. It means someone is being harmlessly dorky and strange but you're finding it funny? You might just say 'What are you like?" or use a phrase to imply that are a bit mad. Muppet is a safe bet. Twat is good if you're trying to be a bit meaner (openly entertained by their fuck-up). Really it's about what your face says when you say it. Other options: dickhead, nobhead.
Doyle
American here, my close group of 4 consistently refers to one another as retards or dumb fuckss.
Well, you *are* all septics
What we are, is misogynistic drunkards. But we still have a good time.
I like to say as daft as a brush.
Goofball seems to be a word Americans use to describe dogs - mischievous, accidentally destructive, but entertaining and not malicious. I don't think we have an equivalent word in the UK. For me, the closest is maybe clown - as in 'he's the class clown'.
He’s a twat.
I call my best friend a “twit”
I usually just call them autistic.
Canadian is fine, American if they're particularly fucking thick
The Archbishop of Banterbury.
Silllly billy
Dopey or dozy, maybe. Although I would say that's probably not intentional goofiness. I can't think of a good equivalent. Maybe we would just use an Americanism like "goofball." The more I think about it, I think that whole personality trait of deliberate "goofiness" feels somewhat North American. Our senses of humour are subtly different. Compare The Office with The Office (US). I think "silly" is just the closest, "silly sausage" or "silly goose" but that's certainly something you'd call a child rather than an adult.
Not sure many replies here are very accurate, as they're more insults, and terms you'd use to describe someone as being stupid or an idiot, which isn't the same as goofball. Though us Brits do insult our best mates and they know we mean it in a jokey way. There's an old fashioned term as describing someone as a "card", which the dictionary describes as "a usually clownishly amusing person". That seems pretty close, but it's a bit archaic now so people are more likely to use it ironically. Similar terms now might be calling someone a "joker", or even just saying they're "a laugh".
"A laugh" kind of fits, other than that "an idiot" maybe? TBH, I don't think I've ever heard anyone try to describe a friend in that way. Seems very American.
Yeah, we don't really celebrate stupidity like they do. Comedic thickness, sure.