There is no American equivalent to the British use of the word "cheers"

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Is there?
side question: is 'good on ya' said in the UK, or is it strictly an Aussie thing?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 03:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Wonderful?

― Aja (aja), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 03:16 (twenty-two years ago)

i use it all the time!

― Orbit (Orbit), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 03:16 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm thinking "good lookin'" might work, but that's strictly a hip hop phrase.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 03:20 (twenty-two years ago)

sweeeet

― the surface noise (electricsound), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 03:21 (twenty-two years ago)

duuude

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 03:22 (twenty-two years ago)

No!

It's bloody hell!

― Aja (aja), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 03:23 (twenty-two years ago)

when you in the UK say that is when we drop money in the tip jar.

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 05:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I would like to offer that I am, indeed, the male American equivalent of the girl in the "Everyday Is Like Sunday" video.

I do, in fact, run around every day, happening upon my schoolmates along the way chatting about things, then feeling somewhat introspective and lonely after we break off, only to forget about the loneliness as I hop across to town shopping for knick-knacks until I reach...the butcher shop, to which I tremble as I see the slabs of flesh ready for sale, shed a tear, and think to myself "why must this world be so horrible and cruel?", only to subsequently and quickly dash away across the street, run home crying, then burst into my loft, fire up the computer, and just fuck the rest of the day off on ILX.

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 05:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I forgot to mention the last part, which is taking off my clothes and stuffing myself with soy products until I collapse on my couch head down.

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 05:30 (twenty-two years ago)

And as usual, you forgot the goatse

― LC, Wednesday, 21 April 2004 05:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I cant think of the last time I said "good on ya", oops.

Good on ya!

Damn.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 06:04 (twenty-two years ago)

PS "good on ya" is usually said with dripping sarcasm too, like "oh well done stupid"

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 06:05 (twenty-two years ago)

has it always been a sarcastic thing to say?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeeeeeessssssss.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that "kick-ass" is actually an American equiv. to "cheers," except that it's not as multi-context

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Bingo!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

but doesn't 'cheers' have a thanks component that 'kick-ass' lacks?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:10 (twenty-two years ago)

The American equivalent is either "Thanks" or "See ya."

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

"Aloha"

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

oops I don't think so - "kick-ass" is a really useful "thanks" that can indicate how please the speaker is with the arrangements

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks doesn't cover it. Nor does see ya. Nor does both of them combined.

xpost saying you are pleased with something doesn't constitute thanking someone for causing said pleasedness. if i said 'kick-ass', i'd still feel the need to thank someone.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

than you sir are a goddamned fool!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:21 (twenty-two years ago)

"aiight" is maybe the equiv. if "kick ass" isn't.

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

x-post, this is for oops

yes but it's not about how you the speaker feel about it. I find myself lapsing into "cheers" when abroad but it always feels wrong. It sounds to me like you're fetishizing "cheers" as some linguistic triumph when what you mean is "I think 'cheers' is downright nifty."

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"good to go" might be the serviceman/vet equiv. those this seems to be seeping into civilian usage

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

in a perfect world dwayne wayne's "hey hey hey" is the american equiv. to "cheers".

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

blount otmx1000

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:27 (twenty-two years ago)

"good lookin'" comes closer than "aiight".
okay john, I see your point, ie if I did something for someone and they gave me a "kick-ass" I wouldn't feel slighted for not also getting a "thanks".
"cheers" is a bit more subdued, however.
do older british people say "cheers"? I can't picture someone over, say, 40 saying "kick-ass"
I do think "cheers" is downright nifty but I'd feel like I was either fronting or mocking if I used it.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I always imagine that whenever anyone in the UK says "Cheers!", it's immediately followed by an aria and convulted dance routine.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

oops all british people are over 40 by nature

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Step, ball-change! Step, ball-change! Barrell-roll!

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

(I cannont believe I used the term "ball-change" on ILE in a non-sexual manner.)

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Pointing out that you didn't makes up for it.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I say (and even more write) cheers a lot - and I am over 40. I'm not sure what this proves.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:47 (twenty-two years ago)

of course proper posh english people think the use of "cheers" (except as a toast) is incredibly common.

i use it all the time though...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

The grind-punk band Agathocles's live recordings are all great because after long haranguing political intros & their consequent 90-second incomprehensible spasms of noise, singer Jeroen invariably says "Cheers!" to the crowd in a remarkably non-committal tone of voice

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 19:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps I should stop making a grand glass-raising gesture avec arched brow every time someone says this to me.

― Aaron A., Wednesday, 21 April 2004 20:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"rock on"

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 22 April 2004 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

"alright!"

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 22 April 2004 00:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Aaron that was godlike

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Thursday, 22 April 2004 01:05 (twenty-two years ago)

our bad

"Cheers!" to the crowd in a remarkably non-committal tone of voice

Liam Gallagher to thread

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 22 April 2004 02:31 (twenty-two years ago)

(this post should appear in a doonesbury-esque thought bubble)

"Barrell-roll!"?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 22 April 2004 02:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Dwayne Wayne!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 22 April 2004 08:05 (twenty-two years ago)

hey hey hey

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 22 April 2004 08:12 (twenty-two years ago)

this thread is very confusing.

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 22 April 2004 08:17 (twenty-two years ago)

see in my humble existence i have only heard the word "cheers" to mean either "thanks" (e.g. "cheers mate") or what you say before clunking your drink glasses together (e.g. "cheers" "cheers" *clunk* *gulp gulp gulp*)

Yet in this thread you guys seem to think that it means "Wonderful" or "kick-ass" or "bloody hell"(?!?!? is that even an american saying at all?)

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 22 April 2004 08:24 (twenty-two years ago)

well, the us equivalent of cheers is generally "thank you"

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 22 April 2004 08:32 (twenty-two years ago)

when did blount join the jesus and mary chain?

― the surface noise (electricsound), Thursday, 22 April 2004 09:25 (twenty-two years ago)

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