Bugger

[Stevenloan]

Hi everybody! In several British films, some people say "bugger off!". According to an online dictionary, it is a rude way of telling someone to go away. Is it also used by native speakers in The US and Canada?

Your answers will be greatly appreciated.

StevenLoan

[Erik_Kowal]

First, a caveat: it's always dangerous to generalize in response to questions like this.

Having lived many years both in the US and my native England, I would say that many Americans understand the expression, but only a small minority actually use it.

I have no information about how the term is understood or used in Canada.

[trolley]

The term "bugger" is pretty common in Canada (but it seems you're more likely to hear it from someone who is over fifty years of age). It is often used as a mild "swear word". If something is broken it is "buggered" or "buggered up". It can be used in reference to something that you are not going to do or something that will be disregarded.
"You'll need a permit to have a fire on the beach"
"Bugger that"
It can also be used to describe someone who is foolish or annoying (oddly, often in an affectionate way)
"My Dad was a crazy old bugger"
"Those kids are little buggers"
Most (if not all) of these examples seem to have nothing to do with the literal meaning of the word. They may be connected to the word "bug" which can mean bother or annoy....one who bugs is a bugger.

[Phil White]

As a native British speaker, I fully concur with what trolley says. In particular, when he says that the term "bugger", when applied to a person, is often quite affectionate. My grandmother was from the North West of England and spoke with a beautiful Lancashire accent. I spent a lot of time with her when I was a toddler, and I grew up thinking my name was "thee daft bugger". (I do hope that was affectionately meant!)

A phrase that you rarely hear nowadays that is a pretty direct reference to the original meaning is "bugger handles" to refer to long, bushy sideburns (think Noddy Holder of the 70a band Slade): https://www.shropshirestar.com/resizer/ ... GWVXYE.jpg

I assume that the phrase has disappeared largely because nobody wears side-whiskers like that nowadays!

[Erik_Kowal]

A phrase that you rarely hear nowadays that is a pretty direct reference to the original meaning is "bugger handles" to refer to long, bushy sideburns

In the part of southern England where I attended secondary school in the 1970s, those were called "bugger's grips".

Sideburns were also regularly called "sideboards", despite their indisputable lack of storage capacity. It reminds me of the differing meanings of "thong" in Australia and the USA.

[Phil White]

In the part of southern England where I attended secondary school in the 1970s, those were called "bugger's grips".

On reflection, I may be misremembering the phrase. "Bugger's grips" rings bells.

[Bobinwales]

I have not come across "bugger's grips" before, and I am sorry if I am stating the obvious, but surely "bugger" in that sense refers to origin of the word rather than the slang.

[Phil White]

Quite so. That's what I said...

[BonnieL]

Those of us who are Terry Pratchett fans got quite an education in the use of "bugger." I don't use the word, but an aunt named her funny little dog Bugger. For her, it was a term of endearment.

[Erik_Kowal]

Those of us who are Terry Pratchett fans got quite an education in the use of "bugger." I don't use the word, but an aunt named her funny little dog Bugger. For her, it was a term of endearment.

I can't help thinking that your aunt and Phil's grandmother would have made a fearsome pair if they had ever met.

[Stevenloan]

Erik, trolley, Phil White, Bob and BonnieL : Thank you all so much for your answers. They are helpful and fascinating.

StevenLoan