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Susie Dent’s Secret Language of Tribes

Word of Mouth has been speaking to Countdown presenter and ‘professional eavesdropper’ Susie Dent who says she has tuned into other people’s conversations all her life. She has been uncovering the secret language tribes of Britain discovering the words used only between themselves by groups like publicans, binmen and builders. Here are some of her gleanings discussed in the programme.

'Professional eavesdropper’ Susie Dent

Disco-rice - What bin men called maggots.

Fuddlecaps Hall, mug house, the staggerjuicery, the shickershop - All names for the pub.

The pearlies - A musician’s nerves before a solo.

Breakfast bandit - Someone who fills their pockets from a hotel buffet.

Nose squeezer - Undertaker’s term for a flat topped coffin.

Sneck lifter - Someone who’ll lift the latch of a pub door to see if there’s anyone in there to stand them a pint.

Needle and pin, strip me naked - A drink.

Blueing in - A paramedic bringing someone in to hospital in an ambulance.

Norman Hunter it - Instructing a TV camera operator to pull back (after a footballer famed for running backwards).

Shot-clog - The person who is tolerated in the pub because they are going to buy the next round.

Back anno - Radio term for the announcement at the end of the programme.

Going to the land of the moles - Undertaker’s term for burial (French).

Toss-pot - A habitual, quick drinker.

I’m on a pencil - What actor’s say when their job has not been confirmed.

Maltworm - A regular drinker.

The music’s paid - I’m a friend, don't stop me (said by highwaymen).

DSS (dying swan syndrome) - Paramedics term meaning a patient is not as bad as they are making out.

Corpsicle - An undertaker’s way of describing a body that has been cryogenically frozen.

Disco - TV talk for discussion.

Right. We’ve done our stuff for the day, so we’re off to the mug house for a rinkydink. You know what toss-pots we are.

Fuddlecaps Hall
Going to the land of the moles
The music’s paid