Comment | I agree that most likely shag made its way into American English slang, because of Austin Powers. It also was used some in "Bridgette Jones Diary". Both of these are semi-recent entries into English and if an American is not familiar with either movie, then there is a good chance they might not understand. Although, context many times will clue someone to the intended meaning.
To illustrate that shag is used differently in slang in the US, I offer you a couple stories.
More than 15 years ago (pre-Austin Powers), I was working at a all boy's summer camp staffed mainly by college age students. Some of the staff was from Britian. Overheard one day during open activity period (playtime) during a fun pseudo-baseball game (more along the lines of batting type practice), one American male was grabbing a mitt to head into the outfield and said, "I hate to shag balls." (He seemed to be a real red-blooded American male and he was.) I noticed the Brits sort of raising their eyebrows at each other with quizzical looks. A couple weeks later, I overheard one of the Brits saying, "You know I like a good shag as well as the next bloke, but ....". I immediately realized why they looked at him puzzled and confused.
(To the Brits - shag meant sex (trying to be polite). To the American, it meant being banished to the outfield to catch the balls hit by the batter (which can sometimes be real boring especially in right field).)
That probably should go in cultural misunderstandings, but it fits this conversation too.
Golfers in America at one point also would say I am going to shag some balls when they were heading over to the driving range. (I am not sure if this is still common usage.)
In the North Carolina and/or South Carolina area of the US, there is a dance called the "Shag". I think it tended to be done in the sand at the beach. I am not positive that it is still danced or referred by this name within the youth circles. However, I am pretty sure someone 40 and older would have an understanding. I vaguely remember a friend saying they had to learn the dance in physical education class. I think there may have been a Hollywood movie or two from the 60's with the beach theme and used the term and had scenes of the dance. Within the last 10 years, there was a film set in the Carolina's about a high school/college reunion of women from the 60's where there was mention of the dance and possibly either flashbacks to a dance or a dance party at the beach to recreate times of old.
|
---|