7 Phrases I Only Heard After Moving to America 

I've never heard "to table" used in a permanent way. It's always been meant to be temporary as far as I understood it. So very similar to "put it on the back burner"

I asked a professor to sign an official university form by saying that I needed his John Hancock. He handed it back with a perfect copy of Hancock's original signature! Be careful, you may get what you ask for.

Ya gotta admit, John Hancock's signature is a work of art.

Literally never occured to me until just now that most people in the world have no idea who John Hancock is.

“Table it” does not mean you forget about it. It means you’ll talk about it later like at the next meeting. For example, if you are in a meeting that’s going on to long you’ll say “we’ll table this (idea or question) for now.”

“to table” is very similar to “to shelf” where you put the idea on “the shelf” for later

“In for a penny, in for a pound.” I’ve heard that British expression many times in the the U.S.

In brazilian portuguese we have an equivalent to “monday morning quarterback”, which is “engineer of finished constructions” (engenheiro de obra pronta).

American football games are played Friday nights for High School, Saturday for College, and Sunday for the pros. So fans could attend three games a week, and Monday morning quarterback all three.

You really knocked it out of the park with this one.

To table something is like putting it on the back burner.

I think Hancock was just really proud of his handwriting and signature. I mean, it is by far the most attractive signature on the document.

This made me realize a funny thing about using the table as a place to put concepts; I use it both ways. "Is this option on the table?" to mean "can we consider this option" or "let's just table that for now," to mean we're moving on to another topic and will maybe circle back later.

To "table" an issue doesn't mean to discard it, it just means to put it off till later. Like, it doesn't matter enough to be item number 1, save it for after lunch.

John Hancock, as president of the Second Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence in the same manner he signed all the documents. About a month later, some members started to question their own commitment to Independence. It was then decided that all members of the congress should commit their names to the document. But because of available space, the other signatures needed to be much smaller. Ben Franklin Said, it best: "We all hang together, or we will surely all hang separately."

Another one that's similar to "shoot the breeze" is "chew the fat". Your jaw is moving but you aren't getting any real valuable nutrition from it so it implies very casual conversation. And the Hancock Tower in Chicago isn't named after John Hancock per se, it's named after the insurance company that uses his name as their brand. Their headquarters are in that building. I believe they were also developers of the building.

I'm American and am familiar with all these phrases and have even used all of them! To me, "as all get-out" feels a little old-fashioned, but certainly not obsolete.

Never heard anyone use the "bye Felicia" And you are funny as all get out!😂

I’m a 70-year-old American and today is the first time I’ve heard “bye, Felicia”.

I've heard kids use "Say goodnight, Gracie," when scoring the winning game point, without any idea of the origin. (Burns & Allen in the '50s on TV, and years earlier on radio).

Interestingly, I used three of these phrases in my work as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching about American culture: "Monday morning quarterback," "John Hancock" and "plead/take the Fifth."

arm chair pundit would be like a back seat driver

American here: at a planning meeting in the UK with British colleagues, and they said, regarding one document, that they would "Bin it." No idea what that meant. Apparently, it meant to toss it in the trash can.

A bit of trivia: the transom of three USS Hancock has copied the signature of John Hancock from the declaration of independence, rather than the usual block letters found on the sterns of Navy ships. Love your videos, Lawrence.

We do have "Armchair general" too which is another form of "monday-morning quarterback".

A phrase I've only start hearing recently is 'Sweet Summer Child', it's describes someone who is innocent or naive, or someone who is about to come across a person or situation that is more dangerous or difficult than they thought. According to the internet it may be older but it was popularized by George R.R. Martin when he used it in Game of Thrones.

These sponsors should be told that an ad of 1 minute may sound reasonable to their managers but is insanely long in a 10 minute video

Tabling, from Robert's Rules of Order (which is a book of parliamentary procedure): "TABLING MOTIONS: If it appears that more information is needed to consider a motion fairly, then a motion to table the discussion can be made. The length of, and reason for, tabling the motion must be included in the table to motion. A majority of members must support the tabling in for it to pass."

I love those Sally Jessie Raphael glasses 🤓. 🔥

Oooooh Lawrence why do the Brits say a pinch of salt instead of take it with a grain of salt ?

One of my favorite saying is; Get outta Dodge! The saying started the long-running TV show Gunsmoke, which takes place in Dodge City. The law, AKA Marshall Dillon, tells a nar-do-well the leave town. It has come to mean a combination of 'I don't believe what you just said' & 'bye Felicia.'

St. Felicia, the patron saint of goodbyes

Larry, all I can say is, "Bob's your Uncle."

"Have a cup of Joe." Or "want a cup of Joe?" Is what I hear the most. Kinda like "have a spot of tea." In Britain, or at least that's what I hear them saying in those old BBC shows.

Somebody probably has already, but I think you could make an entire video on expressions just from baseball: "touch base", "touch all the bases", "throw someone a curveball", "play hardball", "hit a home run", "strike out", "go to bat for someone", etc., plus a couple that may be from baseball but could be from sports in general: "drop the ball" and "be on the ball"...

I rarely say "Monday morning quarterback". I usually say "Hindsight is 20/20" or "Would've, could've, should've". They all pretty much mean the same thing.

I could swear that my friends and i used "Bye Felicia" during high school, (1987 - 1991), which predates that movie. We'd use it toward anyone regardless of name, but took particular joy in using it toward one of our classmates whose name was Felicia. When the movie came out it seemed to me that it was simply using that phrrase which was already in the common parlance. My googling today seeme to exclusively attribute the phrase to the movie, though, so.... manufactured memory, perhaps?

"Bye, Felicia" is a new one to me. "Plead the fifth" is used more often in conversation than in the courtroom. A defendant is not required to testify in a criminal trial, but if he or she does testify, must answer all questions, even if the answer is incriminating. That is, a criminal defendant on the witness stand can't refuse to answer a question by pleading the fifth. Someone other than the accused can do this, and a witness in a civil case (even the defendant) can plead the fifth. One can also do it in a legislative hearing. But most often, it's used as a joke. Q: "Who was that woman I saw you with last night?" A: "I plead the fifth."

I'm from Appalachia and boy do we have the phrases. I love your videos they always have me grinnin' like a donkey chewing saw briar!

3:46 One of my great-great-[...]-uncles is the second signature in the leftmost column.

Prohibits double jeopardy. Well, I'm calling one of those lawyers on the TV to file suit to prevent the airing of the second half of a quiz show.

To all saying that you never heard the term “bye Felicia” ​​⁠it comes from the Ice Cube/Chris Tucker movie Friday, its origin is from that movie because it’s a direct line from that movie. Felicia was the main character’s cousin and the running joke in movie is that each time Felicia came into scene he would say bye Felicia.

Your John Hancock is nothing like your John Thomas. 😂

I've heard some people say "John Henry" when they actually mean "John Hancock".

As a Canadian watching your channel, most of the US stuff leaks over the border, but I have never heard of "Monday Morning Quarterback" or "as all get out". But the stuff that is very clearly US-focused, is stuff I've heard plenty. "John Hancock" and "plead the fifth" (because the fifth amendment of the Canadian constitution is recognizing British Columbia as a province)

I learned something. I have never heard "Monday Morning Quarterback". Thanks Lawrence.

We appreciate you Laurence!! This was a fun one!

"I appreciate you" is only something I heard after moving to Texas. On the east coast, I never heard that phrase; it was always, "I appreciate it/that."

Lost in the Pond, This video is fantastic! I liked it a lot!

Im really surprised nobody has heard "Bye Felicia" before. Maybe it's a generation thing? Older generations probably dont say it and maybe younger generations too lol. Its from the movie Friday, Ice Cube says it. That movie came out on the 90s so it's probably more popular among Gen X and Millennials.

A funny thing about "bye Felicia" is that I was watching an episode of Columbo where a woman was getting a beaty treatment at salon and pleasantly said "Bye Felicia" which was quite the surprise for us.

5:41 As a native speaker whose older than you, I was surprised to learn one I wasn't aware of. Thank you.

I'm not sure if this is an expression that you'd be familiar with or not, but it was inspired by your sponsored ad, which is, "There's no such thing as a free lunch."

I highly recommend the movie Friday. That movie has a few phrases that have made it into the popular vernacular. When you watch the movie, you'll be able to answer this: "Why you don't like Hector?"

You can table a discussion, chair a meeting, bench a player, floor an audience ....

Another great video, LB.

The genesis of Monday Morning Quarterback is from those unofficial football officianados who "offer" their opinions of how the weekend footbal games SHOULD have been played. (IE: "This is what Elway should have done......") With regards to your (Britain's) "armchair pundit", we actually have a very similar phrase. We call them "armchair quarterback". These are basically the same as the MMQ, but like your pundit, operate in real time, AS the game is proceeding.

Bless your heart

Here's one Brits don't know: "Put up yer Dukes!" as in a challenge to a fistfight.

7:43 Interestingly, the term “on the table” *is* used like that in American English! It’s just when “table” is by itself as a verb that it means to discard or set aside.

I would comment on this video but I'm pleading the fifth.

Howdy, y'all, from Temple, Texas, USA!

Reminds me, vaguely, when i was a young engineer from New York who took a job in Montreal for a couple of years. i drove up, found the office, looked out the window and saw next door the “Hotel De Ville”. Thinking it would be convenient to stay there until i explored a little more, I went over during lunch break. A large marble lobby had small windows for customers rather than a long desk for checking in. I approached a person at a window, a woman, and asked for a room. I did not speak French, and in Quebec they resist speaking English, so we were at odds. She called over someone who spoke some English and i asked for a room, to puzzled stares. Finally, the woman figured out the problem: Sir, hotel de ville means City Hall. I was in the Brossard City hall, trying to rent a room. Ugly American (i was only 27 yrs old).

Love your content, Laurence!

Bye Felicia??? Another “haven’t heard!

To the Commenters who havent heard "Bye, Felicia", it is a more Millennial/Older Gen Z phrase. I have heard it and I am a born and raised American Millennial

Another great video! I've been an Upside user for 2-3 years.

Another great video. Preciate y’all

As someone born in US, living in US for nearly 70 years, I've never heard "Bye, Felicia." I'm not sure what the significance of that is.

TEN DOLLARS??? That's almost a whole avocado toast!

Brilliant, Laurence!

Can we take a moment to appreciate the unsung heroism of Lawrence’s comedic timing? He makes me actulol (actually lol rather than just using it as shorthand for a funny thing) in actual public. 😂

Oooh, Laurence!

Ooooh Lawrence, you heard of "ghosting", as in What is she doing? Oh, she's just ghosting, meaning you're present but not doing much. Or "He's a gold brick," meaning "he's there but can't be used" or just taking up space.

Love your videos

your humor makes me smile , thanks

A couple of phrases I used growing up in a he Midwest decades ago might be options for another video: “scarce as hen’s teeth” and “good Lord willing’ and the crick don’t rise.” (Crick is a regionalism for creek.)

Missed the opportunity to say "bye Felicia" at the end of the video 😅

"As I reluctantly pull down my trousers "😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Image that in a bank or car lot!! Lol

Great observations Business also has trendy words used for a few years and become over used. Like “ pushing the envelopeL. Now Come - n - gone. That whole crawdad/crawfish is very colloquial and a lot of southern states definitely different than other areas.

I might have heard "Monday Morning Quarterback" once but it would have been a long time ago, and I wouldn't have understood it. Never, ever, ever heard "Bye Felicia" Thanks for sharing these though. Fun to hear.

Never heard of “bye, Felicia”! Born & bred in the US.

Another winner! Love your American accents, always right on the money!!!!

You just keep getting better and better.

I’ve never heard “bye Felicia” before today. Maybe it’s a Chicago thing. And table means to put something aside until the next time, not to discard it.

Some more phrases we use are “C notes” and “Benjamin’s” for our 100 dollar bills, the idiom “as far as Timbuktu” for exaggerating something that’s far away, we also say “Franks” for hot dogs, and the term “Not worth a continental” which describes something that’s utterly worthless.

Excellent video! You really are a funny as all get out.😂

Love you!

😂mean you are no Basil Fawlty but you are okay 👍

Do british people consider the week to be starting on monday? Cause if not friday isn't the fifth day of the week it's the sixth.

I haven't been to Britan, but I really enjoy your posts.

Love you Lawrence!!!

Pleading the 5th became a household phrase in the 80s during the televised Iran/Contra hearings.

I've never heard anyone say "Bye, Felicia". Been around a while at this point.

I absolutely love your humor

Thanks 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Never heard of 'Bye Felicia'.

I’ve live my 69 year life here, and you just taught me what “Monday Morning Quarterback” means! I’ve always just nodded and laughted… as long as they weren’t talking about me.😁🤣 Hate all the sports-related sayings!🙄

"And Bob's your uncle." Means there you go.

The term to "table" something refers to Robert's Rules of Order, used in formal meetings. It is like making a motion, seconding it, and voting on it. Namely: save it for later discussion.