In Scotland a pan loaf is bread baked in a tin rather than on an open shelf, giving it a softer crust all around — considered posher than a plain loaf. But the real cultural action is in its second meaning: in Scottish slang, 'pan loaf' rhyming-slang for 'talk' means speaking in an affected, posh, or overly refined accent — putting on airs. Telling someone they're 'talking pan loaf' is calling out their pretentiousness with a bread metaphor, which is deeply Scottish.
He came back from two years in London and suddenly started talking pan loaf — we didn't know whether to laugh or cringe.
No comments yet — say something.
(Scotland) A loaf of bread baked in a tin or pan.
No comments yet — say something.
Add your own interpretation of "pan-loaf".
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.