News Britain has a new tallest mountain.

[statickid]

Hmm nope I've heard that used in the United States, although whenever I hear it, it seems either old fashioned or little used. :hmm:

 

[Linguofreak]

Just to totally confuse the issue...

"Its all gone South!" can mean "Its all gone wrong!".

Probably a local colloquial expression, might not mean anything outside the UK?

I'm not sure how much I use it, but I'm pretty sure it's in my active vocabulary, and it's solidly in my passive vocabulary.

I tend to think that the phrase comes from the association of south with down, and possibly with certain places that are traditionally said to be in a downward direction.

 

[jedidia]

"Its all gone South!" can mean "Its all gone wrong!".

I know that one, and actually use it every once in a while.
Not sure where I've picked it up, did Pratchet use the expression?

 

[Urwumpe]

Not sure where I've picked it up, did Pratchet use the expression?

Possible... but in which novel?

 

[Notebook]

It was common use for me forty years ago, pre-Pratchett?

N.

 

[Linguofreak]

I know that one, and actually use it every once in a while.
Not sure where I've picked it up, did Pratchet use the expression?

I think it's common enough that he might well have, but that you might have picked it up from a number of other sources too.

 

[jedidia]

It was common use for me forty years ago, pre-Pratchett?

Yes, but somebody that's only ever spent 5 days in an english speaking country usually has to absorb figures of speech through some medium.