Not The Queen's English

This week we're talking about British newspapers and the slightly odd variety of English you'll find in them. You can get our new guide, British English and UK Culture in 100 Words , from our Ko-fi shop here or over on Patreon . The 'Spycops' documentary Holly recommended can be found here . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're chatting about the hit BBC show The Traitors , as well as diving into a recent Book Club read, Bridget Jones's Diary , and what it can teach us about British English and culture. Sign up here to get our free advanced vocabulary emails and find out more about the NTQE Book Club, and check out our shop , where you can find PDF guides to UK accents, swearing in British English, and mu...

This week we're concluding our chat about the Harry Potter books with some handy phrases, as well as some podcast and book recommendations. Support us on Patreon and get daily emails teaching you key advanced phrases (free membership available). Find out more here . The podcasts we recommend in this episode are Dick and Angel's Chat...eau and The Rest is Entertainment . You can find Marina Hyde's...

We're back! This week we're talking about the Harry Potter books and sharing our top January comfort viewing recommendation. If you want to receive regular emails teaching you key advanced English phrases, sign up for free to the Not the Queen's English Book Club over at Patreon (there are also paid membership options - the best way to support the podcast ). Find out more here . The TV show we men...

This week we're talking about politics in the UK. Don't worry though, we're not talking about anything serious or miserable; instead, we're focusing on some of the famous moments of madness that are a frequent feature of politics here and have become a big part of popular culture, even for people who don't follow politics. We've picked out a few key bits of British English to frame our discussion:...

This week we're talking about television in the UK, looking at some of the most-watched shows in recent decades and how they fit into wider UK culture. We discuss some iconic TV moments that everyone in the UK knows about (even if they weren't even born when they first aired!) and explain a bit about the different cultural connotations attached to various UK TV channels and broadcasters (you're no...

This week we're talking about the British Royal Family and their place in popular culture: commemorative plates, scandalous remarks, linguistic quirks... the lot! As usual, we're also looking in depth at some key bits of British English. This week it's the verb 'to flog' and the phrases 'posh totty', 'the done thing', 'to drop a clanger' and 'to raise a few eyebrows'. For all the things we mention...

In the first episode of the new series we're talking all things Eurovision ahead of the grand final in Liverpool this weekend. We discuss how Eurovision is seen in the UK and how this has changed radically in the past couple of years, as well as looking back on some of the many famous cringey moments that define the UK's recent history in the competition. As usual, we've also picked out a few key...

In this week's episode we're talking about swearing in the UK; how people feel about it, how it's dealt with on TV, and why sometimes mentioning a brand name feels like swearing to British people. In 'current affairs' this week we're chatting about the new Great British Bake Off presenter and why she might actually persuade us to start watching the show again (as well as a certain infamous inciden...

This week we’re talking about what it’s like to go to university in the UK and how that experience fits into UK culture as a whole. We cover the trauma of UCAS applications, Freshers Week and getting a Desmond, and share a little bit of our experience of attending one of the UK’s poshest universities. In what we’ll loosely call our ‘current affairs’ segment, we discuss the recent announcement of t...

This week we’re chatting about the gorgeous city we call home: Edinburgh. First though, as usual, we’re covering something that people in the UK have been talking a lot about this week, namely the possible return of ‘the Beast from the East’. This leads us into a discussion of some big pop culture moments relating to weather forecasts in the UK (you’d be surprised how many there are!). When it com...

This week we’re talking about music in the UK; that is, not only British music, but also the popular culture surrounding music: how we talk about it here, how people in the UK find new music, things like that. You’ll find out all about early-noughties bangers, Top of the Pops, and the bizarre sex symbol who outsold the Beatles in the 1960s… We picked this topic because it fits so well with this we...

This week we're talking about going to school in the UK. Join us as we discuss the joys of egg-and-spoon races, Jamie's School Dinners, and playground chants about smoking. In what we'll loosely call our 'current affairs' segment, we talk about a recent UK news story that leads us into a discussion of one of our favourite topics: puns! For all the things we mention but don’t fully explain, check o...

This week's podcast is about weddings. Join us as we talk you through a typical British wedding, from receiving a 'save the date' to drunkenly singing along to the Grease Megamix at the reception. As usual, we also cover some current events that have people talking in the UK at the moment. This time it's a new judge on Britain's Got Talent, an event which gives us an excuse to tell you all about M...

Welcome to Series Two of Not the Queen’s English! In this, our second Brexit episode, we talk about the way different countries of the UK voted in the referendum, the role culture played in the result and the epidemic of people accidentally saying 'Brexit means Breakfast'. We also discuss the current scandal surrounding the Tory party and late tax returns. For all the things we mention but don’t f...

Welcome to Series Two of Not the Queen’s English! In this episode, we talk about Brexit. Learn out about the events leading up to the Brexit vote and discover the meaning of words like 'Remoaner', and 'Lexit'. Plus, we discuss one of the hot topics in the UK right now - Prince Harry's autobiography. For all the things we mention but don’t fully explain, check out the Cheat Sheet for this episode,...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! This episode deals with the tricky period between Christmas and New Year's Eve. We discuss Hogmanay, the elusive Twelve Days of Christmas and some regional New Year's Eve traditions ranging from the wholesome to the absolutely terrifying. For all the things we mention but don’t fully explain, check out the Cheat Sheet for this episode, which you can download fro...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! In this episode, we talk about Christmas in the UK. Learn about the mysterious world of panto and the cultural significance of getting a satsuma in your stocking. We are so sorry for the mobile phone interference you can hear in this episode - one of us (mentioning no names) forgot to turn their phone off during the recording... For all the things we mention but...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! In this episode, we talk about drinking culture in the UK. Learn the difference between 'going out' and 'going out out' and find out why you should never go into a pub that doesn't have windows. For all the things we mention but don’t fully explain, check out the Cheat Sheet for this episode, which you can download from our Patreon page. Patreon supporters also...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! In this episode, we talk about linguistic pedantry - that is, the obsession some people have with being correct, rather than allowing for what sounds natural. We cover the linguistic minefield of asking to go to the toilet at primary school, the surprising problem of paninis, and our own guilty irritation at incorrect 'Shakespearean' English. For all the things...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! In this episode, we talk about the quintessentially British concept of poshness. We cover such essential vocabulary as 'plummy', 'horsey' and 'jolly hockey sticks', and discuss an infamous pop culture moment in which a guest stormed off a panel show during a disagreement about the meaning of the word 'classy'. For all the things we mention but don’t fully explai...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! In this episode, we talk about where British people go on holiday, both in the UK and abroad, and how they behave when they get there. Find out about Murray's childhood hols in Blackpool - including a very literal experience of the expression 'being bored to tears' - and learn what happens on a classic lads' holiday. We explain what a Butlin's Redcoat is, talk a...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! In this episode, we talk about the culture of politeness in the UK, and some of the bizarre situations that can arise when politeness goes too far. Listen to find out about the time Holly and Murray lost half a bottle of wine due to sheer British awkwardness, discover detours we have taken to avoid small talk, and learn the only acceptable response to the questi...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! This is an extended edition of our episode about UK accents. Normally, extended editions will only be available through our Patreon, but this first one is on us. In this episode, we talk you through some of the many different accents of the UK and how they are seen in popular culture here. We also talk about our own accents, so that you can start recognising the...

Welcome to Not the Queen’s English! In this first episode, we talk you through some of the many different accents of the UK and how they are seen in popular culture here. We also talk about our own accents, so that you can start recognising the differences between Holly’s English accent and Murray’s Scottish one. The terms we explain in this episode include: plummy, Geordie, Scouse, Weegie, and RP...