Cork is an amazing place, the people are great and the language there is just great…if you can understand Corkonians that is. However if you can’t understand us at times that’s ok because we use some slang words that are just, well, strange.
We use the normal Irish slang as well as every other part of the country, but Cork being Cork we had to throw in our own twist on some words so here’s a list of 7 Cork slang words and what they mean – just in case you ever hear them being used when you’re around.
1. Mint
No, we don’t mean we want a mint ice-cream and we’re not on about a place where money is made. Mint simply means good or great. Let’s use it in a sentence.
“Jesus lads, yer mans old doll is pure mint”. Translation: That mans girlfriend/wife/ladyfriend is goodlooking.
2. Jointed
Again, not what you’re thinking. We don’t use it as
in two things were joined together, and for those of you also thinking it – no
this isn’t drug related either. Jointed simply means busy or packed. For
example “the pub last night was jointed. I couldn’t drink my pint without
getting bumped into by some young wan’ after a load of gat”. Which brings me to
number 3.
3. Gat
Gat, which is commonly known as a gun, is not what it means in Cork. Even Mr. Z himself, or ‘Jay’ as I call him – because we’re best buds, used the term in his song ’99 problems’.
Gat in Cork simply means, drink. Or more specifically – alcohol. “coming for a few gats?” is a sentence widely used around Cork and is probably the most common text sent to every phone around the city and county on a Friday or Saturday night. And is commonly followed up with the following “jesus I had way too much gat last night, lad” the following morning.
4. Bop Off
To be honest, I am not even sure what “bop” even
means normally it has been engraned into me so much as a cork term for “looking
like” that I can’t comprehend any other meaning. For example an old relative
may say to you “ah sure jesus you’re the bop off your mother/father when they
were your age”.
5. Feen
Lad/Friend/Male/Man. There is no real meaning to it
and frankly I do not even know where this one came from. Some ‘feen’ was
probably drunk someplace back in the old days, slurred his words and it has
since stuck.
6. Flah
There are two ways this one can be used. Flah can
mean sex, or flah can mean goodlucking. For example “did ya flah yerman last
night?” or “did you just see the lad at the bar next to Mary? He’s a right
flah”.
7. Bazzer
We just heard the noise off the hair razor and were
like “bazzz” and then it stuck. This one makes us Cork folk sound like we’re
very simple folk, and in a way we are. But we’re also a very proud people. So
proud indeed one of the most popular barbers in town is called Bazzers – and
they do indeed do some of the best bazzers around the city.
So what about where you’re from? Got any particular
words/phrases that stand out and you’d hear nowhere else?
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