Top 50 British words for money - from 'dough' to 'spondoolies' and 'moolah'
Top 50 British words for money - from 'dough' to 'spondoolies' and 'moolah'
A poll of 2,000 adults found that the most popular slang term for money was 'cash', with 29 per cent of Brits using it regularly
Do you know your Pony from your Monkey?
(Image: Photography taken by Mario Gutiérrez. via Getty Images )
The way Brits refer to money varies greatly between generations, with 'cash' being the term of choice for Boomers and 'paper' preferred by Gen Z, according to a recent survey.
The poll of 2,000 adults showed that 58 per cent of Gen Z use contemporary slang for money, whereas only 19 per cent of Boomers do the same.
Older phrases such as 'lolly', 'shekels', and 'folding green' remain popular with over-65s, yet these are rarely recognised or used by the younger generations. In contrast, trendy terms like 'stacks' and 'P's' are part of Gen Z's vernacular.
Ross Borkett, banking director at Post Office, which conducted the study, commented to say: "Money, how we talk about it and how we use it, has always been a unique part of British culture.
"Such a wide range of phrases are being used for money, showing how entrenched cash still is within our society.
"Whether you need money to pay the window cleaner or own a local shop and need to deposit your daily takings, we believe cash matters, and it seems so does the public."
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The research also indicates that regional dialects influence the language we use for money, with terms varying greatly across the UK.
In the North East, 'dosh' is widely used, whereas 'bread' is popular in the South East. Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, the preferred slang comprises 'bank' and 'moolah'.
Dr Lynn Robson, lecturer in English Literature at Oxford University, said: "As money has evolved from shells and coins to plastic and digital forms, so too has the language we use to describe it.
"Despite the changes in how we pay for things, 'cash' - which has been used in our language for over 500 years - is still the most popular word for money.
"When it comes to the language of money, there are many cultural influences that can move phrases from the margins to mainstream culture.
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"For example, sayings like 'loot' are infiltrating conversations due to the popularity of games like Minecraft, but it is still those closest to us which have the greatest impact on our language."
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