The crews of American heavy bombers now stationed in the British Isles have fraternized, of course, with the personnel of R.A.F. It was a case of love at first sight -- but both sides experienced a little difficulty at first in savvying each other's lingo.
One American aviator, for instance, cited this example of the R.A.F.'s version of the King's English: "Three ropey types, all sprogs, pranged a cheeseye on bumps and circuits. One bought it; the other two sent for a burton. The station-master took a dim view and tore them off a strip. They'd taken along shagbat wofficer, who was browned off. The queen bee was hopping mad".
It took some time for the American to translate this cryptic report. Roughly, this is what it meant:

...provide your translation into a non-slang understandable English...

source: Queen's University Journal, Sept. 29, 1944 quoted by Greg Ross

Three "ropey types" (inferior individuals), all "sprogs" (novices; youths), "pranged" (crashed) "a cheeseye" ([clipping of "cheeseye kite"] a worn-out plane)] "on bumps and circuits" (in practice of flying circuits and landings). One [of the three pilots] "bought it" (died); the other two [pilots] "sent for a burton" (were placed on disciplinary confinement). The "station-master" (commanding officer of the station) "took a dim view" (regarded [their actions] with disapproval) and "tore them off a strip" (demoted [the two pilots] in military rank by one grade). "They'd" (they had) taken along "[a] shagbat wofficer" (a Women's Auxiliary Air Force [WAAF] officer of a British single-engine amphibious biplane), who was "browned off" (greatly annoyed). The "queen bee" (WAAF commander) was "hopping mad" (very angry).
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Three inferior individuals, all novices, crashed a worn-out plane in practice of flying circuits and landings. One of the three pilots died; the other two pilots were placed on disciplinary confinement. The commanding officer of the station regarded their actions with disapproval and demoted the two pilots in military rank by one grade. They had taken along a Women's Auxiliary Air Force [WAAF] officer of a British single-engine amphibious biplane, who was greatly annoyed [presumably, of the actions of the novice pilots].  The WAAF commander was very angry [presumably, in regard to the aforementioned incident involving one of her officers].

Edited on August 13, 2016, 12:18 am

Posted by Dej Mar on 2016-08-12 19:54:46