*This post is in collaboration with Regatta
I’m sure you’ll all agree with me in saying that we’ve had some rather drastic weather conditions over the past week. Large parts of the UK have been covered in a deep blanket of snow, which has been to the delight of the little ones, but not so much for adults who are having to travel to work or to do the weekly shop. It’s during the winter months that many conversations across the country center around the cold weather. It may never have crossed your mind, but it’s interesting to hear how many different phrases there are for saying, ‘it’s cold’ throughout the UK.
To look in more detail at how certain phrases for the winter weather differs across the UK and how different regions deal with the colder climates, Regatta surveyed 800 people to gain a better insight into the subject. From the different ways of saying ‘it’s cold’ to the nation’s preferred hot drink during the winter months, I wanted to share some of the findings with you.
What are the most common ways of saying ‘it’s cold’ by each region?
After looking at the results from Regatta’s survey, I’m probably not the only one who can say some of the phrases are much more common than others. I think the most heard of phrase is predominantly said in South West England and East Midlands, that being, ‘it’s cold’. Heading up to Scotland, you’ll more than likely be familiar with the preferred phrase of ‘it’s baltic’.
As I’ve mentioned, It was interesting to hear some of the phrases which aren’t as familiar to me, with the first one being ‘in the dead of winter’, which according to the survey is more common in the West Midlands. Secondly, it appears that in London and the surrounding areas, ‘it’s taters’ is one of the most preferred ways of describing the cold conditions.
What is the nation’s favourite hot drink?
Like me, I’m sure the most common guess would be tea, but in fact, this isn’t the case. Out of the 800 respondents who were surveyed, the winning drink with 39% of the vote is coffee. It does appear that we are still a nation of tea lovers though, as 38% would choose the quintessentially British drink as their preferred hot beverage. Other drinks featured in the results included hot chocolate with 18%, fruit/herbal tea with 4% and a malt drink with 1%.
The name for a hot drink can often spark a debate, again, with different regions option for a preferred phrase. The survey has revealed that 66% of people refer to a hot drink as ‘a cuppa’, whilst 17% opt for ‘a brew’. At the other end of the voting table was a ‘Rosy Lee’ with 4% of the vote and a ‘builder’s brew’ with 1%.
What do you think about Regatta’s findings?
I must admit, some of the phrases outlined in the campaign were new to me and it would be interesting to hear if you felt the same way. Leave your comments below and join in the conversation on social, using #AFrostyDebate