Blimey, I’m Knackered!

A professor of socio-anthropology with a lifelong interest in travel and linguistics, Marshall Hall began life on an Ohio farm. He moved from the University of Cincinnati to teach at the American College in London. 33 years later, he still calls the UK home. He is married to an English woman, has UK citizenship, and lives in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, just outside central London.

"Bloody Brilliant!" —Frommers.com"Full of colorful British slang like “scrumping,” (taking fruit from someone else’s tree) or “throw one’s toys out of the pram” (an adult having a temper-tantrum) and words we in the US should adopt such as “whinge” or “oojamaflip.”  The book will save you from the embarrassment of using “pants” or “suspenders” in the US sense. But the reader also gets an education in British history and culture—Roman Britain, Guy Fawkes, the structure of the education system, a complete list of bank holidays. It’s a delightful, unconventional book!"–Ellen Finkelpearl, the Helen Chandler Garland Professor of Ancient Studies, Scripps College and author of Metamorphosis of Language in Apuleius and translator of The Golden Ass"Hall’s book is appealing, not only for the linguistically bewildered but also for armchair travelers. The book shines in the chapter “In and Around London,” which does much to distinguish the actual geography of the city from the preconceived tourist notions based on the famous Underground map."—Rebecca Lommel, Professor Emeritus in English Language, Southern Methodist University"The conveniently arranged guide—which covers everything from differences in names for food, clothing, body parts, and buildings to colloquialisms and rhyming slang—is a treasure trove of definitions, phrases, and sayings.”—Skylar Hamilton Burris, editor of Ancient Paths Literary Magazine and author of When the Heart Is Laid Bare. “I was gobsmacked by Blimey, I’m Knackered! Hall’s perfect ear for Britishisms makes this indispensable for anyone who wants to understand the modern UK. This is a terrific and terrifically entertaining book.”—Eric A. Chiappinelli, Frank McDonald Endowed Professor of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law “Blimey, I'm Knackered is a really fun and humorous book that is basically a British dictionary, encyclopedia, how-to guide, and travel guide all in one.”—Crystal Lowery, Goodreads.com “Marshall Hall’s Blimey, I’m Knackered is an approachable, useful, and entertaining dictionary.”— Kalene Westmoreland, Ph.D., College of Southern Nevada"The definitive guide to help us navigate even the most confusing of conversations.”—Councillor Jane MacBean, Buckinghamshire County Council “This warts-and-all compendium of British English words and phrases showcases the inventiveness and wit of the language, the practical tips woven throughout the book, and the edifying plunge into the waters of rhyming slang."—Beth Castrodale, award-winning author of Marion Hatley, In This Ground, and I Mean You No Harm “Marshall Hall’s funny, enlightening book is essential reading for logophiles, linguaphiles, and Americans who can’t understand Guy Ritchie movies. Don’t be a bloody pillock, mate. Read Blimey, I’m Knackered!“ — Brett Riley, Ph.D., Professor of English, College of Southern Nevada and author of The Subtle Dance of Impulse and Light, Comanche, Lord of Order and Freaks. “Entertaining, educational and wonderfully thorough!"—Joseph Houghton, Administrator and Director at Troy University