My colleague Bill Sherman informs me that blog is suspiciously close to "blag," British slang for "talking at length and with authority about something you don't know anything about." Hmm.
You might want to know about this, then. {Sorry, couldn't resist!}
Posted by: George Williams at March 2, 2003 09:16 PM | Link to Comment"BLAG" - British slang for bluff. "Blagging" - pretending to know all about a subject, attempting to impress or con others by using verbal gymnastics. In this sense "blag" means the same as the British slang word "flannel".
Alternatively, "blagging" can also mean attempting to obtain goods, services, favours, by "blagging" them. In this second definition "blagging" means the same as the British slang word "scrounging".
Posted by: Peter B at December 8, 2003 12:28 PM | Link to CommentNot sure where you got your information from, but this is the real British definition of BLAG.
Here's the history:
BLAG, Brit informal. Noun. 1. Late 19C - To steal, (originally a band robbery) 2. 1940s - To deceive, to hoax, 3. 1960s (our favourite) To persuade, especially as in Blag in/into, to talk one's way into a party, concert. Blagger. Verb 1. A smooth talker, a persuasive person.
BLAG is definitely a fun word and doesn't really have any negative connotations anymore.
Not a scrounger, which is:
Seek to obtain something at the expense of others.
Not flannel, which is:
Bland, fluent talk, used to gloss over difficult subjects.