Talk:Blighty

somebody check that

somebody please check the cite (external link to http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/blightywounds.htm ) - the url looks promising - but the page served there talks about the "big berta"-howitzer cannon, sounds a bit off topic for me. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.119.245.79 (talk) 22:15, 22 July 2012 (UTC)

Use of the term 'Blighty'

You know, I'm not so sure about Blighty being "self-consciously archaic". Hmmm. Tough one. I'm only 28 and I see what you mean about it being "slightly ironic" but I think "self-consciously archaic" might be a bit strong. I like the term. I came here to see where it was derived from and was a bit surpised by the first para. Am I completely wrong? What does everyone else think?

I agree, Blighty is really a term of endearment, used by everyone. Ironic does not come into it at all.

Yes it does. You're not even agreeing with the previous commenter there. Neither 'ironic' nor 'archaic' is necessarily negative, I find lots of archaic words, and institutions, endearing. I use the term 'Blighty', but only tongue-in-cheek; there's no way it's a contemporary term. Even The Sun would only use it when dealing with issues of national pride, especially associated with war. Want more proof, Google how many times it's used strictly within the phrase 'Old Blighty'. BarryNorton (talk) 13:39, 14 March 2008 (UTC)

Hmmm, I think that this is more contextual that you might realise, as an ex-pat I find myself much more likely to use the word Blighty than I was when I still lived there. It may be an ironic use, at times it is certainly "self-consciously archaic", but it is certainly contemporary, at least for me! pcr^talk 07:13, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

"Self-consciously archaic" is a perfect description as I see it. It is exactly the way I and people I know use it. 164.143.244.33 (talk) 12:39, 28 May 2008 (UTC)

As with everything, it depends on your generation and perspective. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.193.10.16 (talk) 13:46, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

The present article is quite long enough to explain a single word of slang. Why is it marked as a stub ? Johncmullen1960 13:12, 8 October 2006 (UTC)

It was a lot stubbier when first so marked in May 2005. I agree that it is no longer so, so I have boldly destubbified it. Frumpet 01:59, 2 January 2007 (UTC)

As far as I am aware, the term Blighty is only used in England, possibly only referring to England. As a Scot, I would never use it (either to refer to Britain or England), and I have only ever heard English people doing so. My evidence is purely anecdotal, however. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.173.31.167 (talk) 11:25, 10 March 2011 (UTC)

I agree that no one in Scotland would use the term Blighty, although they would understand what it means. That's a second subjective opinion.--Q-Jux Q-Jux Q-Jux (talk) 13:57, 6 February 2012 (UTC)

It is very much in use by the British expat communities around the world.--Kar98 (talk) 13:53, 25 April 2011 (UTC)

Meaning of Hindi vilāyatī

According to the article, vilāyatī means "foreigner". But this is undoubtedly the same word as Urdu vilayat, introduced from Persian vilayet and ultimately from Arabic wilayah, which means something like "province", an area. According to the World Wide Words entry linked to from External links, it got to mean something like Europe, a (foreign) area, not a (foreign) person, and was later specialized to just Britain.  --Lambiam 13:43, 11 March 2011 (UTC)

Use in media

Media and news sources often collect their own 'local' terminology, The Register uses this term rather often to frame local issues. A google search shows over 15k results for term on the register alone. The register is one uk's better sources of IT news, and while could probably considered rather niche, shows the term in rather active use. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Killer Hobbits (talk • contribs) 12:13, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

Etymology

Vilayat means province in many Turk languages, should be cognate to Hindi vilayti, I'd guess introduced by the Moguls (vilayti = someone from a different province/country, ie foreigner). To lazy to check sources, though. --tickle me 02:37, 18 January 2018 (UTC)

Etymology

The British sources on derogatory English terms can be unreliable. It's either from the Indi or its from the Boer conflict meaning "blighty wound," it can't be both. It seems to be liklier connected to soldiers being wounded and then going home, rather than the separate etymology of "foreigner." -Inowen (talk) 21:45, 9 May 2018 (UTC)

B/V sound

Although someone has written, "...but the use of b replacing v is found in Bengali and not Urdu) meaning "foreign","", the source quoted does not say anything about this consonant shift in Bengali, so this should be either referenced or taken out. As someone who knows a little Urdu, I would dispute that b's aren't replaced by v's; they can sound very similar. dh74g3y (talk) 15:40, 10 October 2020 (UTC)