fag as slang for cigarette

[ffantastik]

Story is set in an American summer camp for girls in the late 1980s, in New Hampshire. One of the characters is a British girl, about 17 years old, of significant wealth. Her mother went to this camp as a child, and arranges to send her there as a counselor; she wants her daughter to have a real American summer experience

Comments

[naughtydolphin]

People from the UK still use it now, so I'd assume so. I don't know whether it was used in the UK much, and my googling shows it's mostly an Aussie/NZ thing, but we'd call them durry/durrys. durries? I don't know about the spelling, we only ever said it :)

[smirnoffmule]

I've not heard that in the UK. We basically call them fags, or sometimes smokes, or rollies, if they're handmade, but that's about it.

[naughtydolphin]

From said googling, I finally learnt that it comes from the brand Bull Durham, which is rolling tobacco, but we'd use it for any sort of cigarette. Such as "oy Tommo, toss me a durry!" (best said in your best ocker accent for full effect)

[smirnoffmule]

That is cool to know :) We don't get that brand here, I don't think.

[naughtydolphin]

I can only assume we do because of what I found. I've never bought rolling tobacco before, so I'm out of touch!

[daphnie_1]

I find it intresting that everyone thinks it's common UK useage. I've heard the word used in older tellevision shows but I don't think I ever recall hearing it used in person. (I'm in my 20's, up north :P so perhaps that has something to do with it)

[naughtydolphin]

Maybe it does, but from discussions I've had with various English folks, they said it is commonly used. Maybe more so in their circles than others.

[daphnie_1]

"Maybe more so in their circles than others." - that too I guess. Especially since i'm not a smoker xD

[loganberrybunny]

up north

I think that may be it. I'm in my 30s and from Worcestershire, where it's quite common. It was very noticeable when I was at uni in Liverpool in the mid-1990s that everyone said "ciggie" instead.

[blacknarcissus2]

I'm a born and bred Scouser and I still live in Liverpool. I've heard "fag" used all my life, although yes, we do also say "ciggie", "cig" and "smoke". Fag is still very commonly used, though. I gave them up three years ago and I still miss them woefully.

[daphnie_1]

I LOVE all the regional differences!

[trialia]

I'm in Manchester, and nearly everyone I know here would say "fag".

[loganberrybunny]

Well, come on - could inhabitants of either of the two cities live with themselves if they actually agreed on something?!

[trialia]

*laughs* I actually had thought that. But even my one close Scouse friend uses "fag".

[trialia]

Lol, really?

I'm in Manchester, and my Dad's from the northwest Midlands, and both of us use the word for cigarettes pretty much invariably, unless talking to American friends. (I don't smoke, but he and my stepmother do, and so do some of my friends.)

I've never met a northerner who wasn't really rich who didn't use it, so maybe it's more of a class thing than a regional one.

[daphnie_1]

Really xD Have never heard anyone use that.

(I should have probably been more specific xD By 'up north' I meant Scotland XD)