DIBS~!

Last Friday, I was at my Japanese lesson and a British guy mentioned the word bagsies. Which is slang from the UK and New Zealand which means that you want to do, have or be something. You are reserving something for yourself.

For example:

Bagsies on that last piece of toast~!

I'll bag the seats. which means I'll claim the seats.

It seems to be spelled bags, bagsie, or bagsy or as the verb to bag since it is slang there is no fixed spelling and all are ok. In North America, we use dibs instead. This word is used alot by kids or teenagers, or even adults between friends. We use it by saying:

"Dibs on ____" or "Bob has dibs on ______".

Take a look at this link for a nice explanation on the rules of how to call dibs:

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Bagsy

Basically, the rules are you can only use it for something happening "right now" and you can only call dibs on something if you will use it. So calling dibs on the last coke, and then you don't drink it will get you into a fight or your friend will steal it from you~!

You can only call dibs on one thing at a time, so:

Dibs on the last coke!

then

Dibs on the last slice of pizza!

Is ok, but:

Dibs on the last coke and slice of pizza!

Is NOT acceptable.

We typically use dibs for things around you, things you can see but NOT things on TV or in magazines. It can even be used to reserve or claim people~! You see a cute girl and say to your friend:

Dibs~! (while gesturing to the cute girl)

This means your friend has to give you the first chance to date her, even if she comes to talk to him first he is NOT ALLOWED to date her and has to make an excuse to give you your chance first. ^_-

Be careful, when you want to reserve the front seat of the car you don't say dibs but shotgun~!

This is because a long time ago in the Wild West, people might attack a stagecoach and so someone would sit next to the driver with a shotgun to protect the coach. So if you are walking with your friends towards the car and want to sit in the front you yell:

Shotgun~!

I hope you enjoyed the lesson, this is a bit of a short month so only 6 lessons--Sorry! I will try my best to post 8 times next month, if you have any topic suggestions please leave me a comment.

Thanks, have a nice week,

Phil