A mardy bum is a Northern English slang term for a moody, grumpy, or sulky person, often used affectionately to tease someone (usually a child, teenager, or partner) who is pouting. Popularized by the Arctic Monkeys song "Mardy Bum", it refers to someone acting "spoiled" or in a bad mood over something minor.
Mardy Bum: 'northern english slang term. a Mardy Bum is someone who is sulking or pouting for attention, due to something small or insignificant happening that causes minimum inconvenience.'
I learnt that "mardy bum" is a UK slang from Sheffield folks. They use it to discribe someone who is sulking, complaining or being grumpy. Arctic Monkeys, who are from Sheff wrote a song about being a Mardy Bum... and it's pretty awesome...
Anyone who's a fan of the Arctic Monkeys will probably already be aware of the word "mardy" from their song "Mardy Bum." It's mainly used in the North of England and means stroppy (another English word) or bad tempered. It apparently comes from the 19th century word "marred" meaning "spoilt."
M-A-R-D-Y. A word from the Midlands. I heard it first, years ago, somewhere in Birmingham, I think, or was it Wolverhampton? But it's certainly that sort of area, but it's moved in all directions.
Buggerlugs: A friendly nickname often used to catch someone's attention or say hello. It's one of those classic bits of Yorkshire slang that sounds cheeky but affectionate. "Ey up, buggerlugs, stick kettle on."
Flibbertigibbet is a Middle English word referring to a flighty or whimsical person. In modern use, it is used as a slang term, especially in Yorkshire, England for a gossipy or overly talkative person.
Mardy Bum was a term made by the great Alex Turner to give to someone who was always in a bad mood, moaning about everything and just being a plain pessimist about everything. Mardy on the other hand has its origins in Yorkshire, where it means uncooperative or sulky!
Bum is a name sometimes given to a beggar or vagrant: someone who tries to bum change from you. This word can also be used as a general insult, as in "The Yankees are bums!" (if you're a Red Sox fan) or "The Red Sox are bums!" (if you're a Yankees fan).
For example: "It's a nice day, innit?" (meaning "It's a nice day, isn't it?"), "You're coming with us, innit?" (meaning "You're coming with us, aren't you?") In addition to seeking confirmation, "innit" can also be used as a filler or a way to create a sense of camaraderie or familiarity in informal conversations.
The slang term "berk" is a contraction of "Berkeley Hunt", which in turn refers to the English vulgarity "cunt" (the usage is dated to the 1930s). It is an example of Cockney rhyming slang. The "berk" in Berkeley is pronounced /ˈbɑːk/, but in Cockney it is pronounced /ˈbɜːk/, as in American English.
Beginning our Yorkshire slang list is “'ey up”. Meaning “hello”, you'll often hear this when people are greeting each other here! “'Ow do” is another way to greet people in the county. This Yorkshire phrase is derived from the Old Norse saying of “sey up” which means “watch out!”
pony and trap (uncountable) (Cockney rhyming slang) Crap; rubbish, nonsense. (Cockney rhyming slang) Excrement; the act of defecation. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see pony, trap.
F*ck. The F-bomb is officially the UK's favourite swear word, as 1 in 4 adults say it's one of their most-favoured profanities (25%). Sh*t. Our survey found that this excrement-themed exclamation is the nation's second most-loved swear word, with 14% of respondents choosing this option as one of their faves.
