OT. City fathers?

The term city fathers is used to mean two things: firstly (and most commonly), it denotes a member of a municipal council over a city. Secondly, it can signify the "Founding Fathers" of the city.

In this sense, city fathers are usually the people who founded the city and/or its major institutions.

"City fathers" may be a North American coloquial term. It loosely refers to local elected and appointed government officials, in prominent positions is municipal and local government. It could include other people outside of government who are influential in how government operates.

Your question made me think of a reverse situation I had where I've wondered about some British slang. I'm a big fan of the 1996 British-made film, "Brassed Off." See:

en.wikipedia.org

When I was watching the DVD of it, I made a list of 12 terms of British slang that I noticed, with the intention of looking them up later. Most I could tell what they meant with the context of the film, but I don't recall that I found any of them in my very American English dictionary!

I find it fascinating how much the English language changes from one side of the pond to the other!

After I made my post, I went to view it. Then I saw Shadow had commented while I was writing mine. I would certainly include his comments as accurate.

Thanks guys.

@club_goer. Let me know what the terms are and I'll let you know? The title of the film is a phrase itself. Brassed off is a north of England term, mainly from Yorkshire and is a more polite way of saying 'annoyed', 'unhappy' or more strongly 'pissed off'

@che. Many a true word spoken in jest. And very appropriate at the moment. Tossers.

Wandering off topic a bit, but to tie two threads together (no pun intended), there were two explosions today at the running of the Boston Marathon. Prayers go out to the injured (see other thread), but I wonder if londonguy is aware that the Boston Marathon is ran on "Patriot's Day", a holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

To londonguy: How much of the American Revolution is studied by school children in the UK? Does "Lexington and Concord" have meaning to most English citizens?

@ Londonguy: I'll PM you tomorrow with some details.

@ Che: Hilarious story !!!

British and American English have many differences. When I was in London in 2009, I met a young English girl in a pub. She asked me if I was interested in shagging, and of course I said no.

Aah, londonguy, those canny Yorkshiremen!

As I have discovered and as many Yorkshireman knew before me:

"Where there's muck, there's brass."

(You had better explain "tossers" to the Yanks.)

I knew I could count on Art to comment on this thread!

I just looked up "tosser" It's not in my American English dictionary. So, I consulted dictionary.com It appears to be British slang:

tosser (ˈtɒsə)
— n
slang ( Brit ) a stupid or despicable person
[C20: probably from toss off (to masturbate)]

You got it 100% Club Goer.

@jackslash. that was funny, she got straight to the point with you.

@ mothorhead. As much as I hate to say it, very little if anything is taught about the American Revolution. This is thanks to left leaning politics within teaching that doesn't have a love of America, it's history or it's present (unlike me). Having said that they don't teach a lot about our history either, some kids don't know how many wives Henry the 8th had and some think Churchill a fictional character. It breaks my heart at times to see how uneducated our kids are these days.

You may be interested to know that the house where George Washington's ancestors once lived is still more or less as it was when they left it. The family gave their name to the town and the house is now a tourist attraction in Washington, England. It has many visitors from the U.S.

Tosser= jackoff