It has a different meaning in the north of England, apparently.
Picture the scene.
You’re chilling out with your husband. You’re getting kind of hungry. You ask him where he’s going to take you dinner because you have no money or are the kind of person who expects a man to pay for your meals always.
Whichever.
Your husband suggests a specific kind of restaurant that’s got a few deals on as of late.
You freak out and call him a “mingebag” before the watershed.
The whole of the UK and Ireland freaks out. Well, most of them.
That’s what happened during last night’s Coronation Street when Tracy and Steve were trying to plan an evening out.
Steve suggested they go to a certain Indian restaurant because they had a few solid deals on – and Tracy flipped out and called him a “mingebag.”
Gas.
And now we stick #Corrie on and find Tracy calling Steve a mingebag! Had to stick subtitles on for confirmation #mingebag pic.twitter.com/WmoV3Td1m7
— Garthy (@Garthy1983) February 25, 2019
Now, in most parts of the UK and Ireland, a “mingebag” refers to the female genitalia combined with the word “bag.”
It is a slang word generally used to call offence by suggesting another human being is simply a bag of vaginas, or indeed, vulvas.
Audiences were understandably shocked that Tracy had used such a word on the show last night long before the watershed.
Did Tracy just casually drop the line #mingebag #CoronationStreet
— Michelle Welsh (@michelle200481) February 25, 2019
What the blazes is a "mingebag" or did I mishear Tracy? #Corrie
— Corrie Art (@CorrieArt) February 25, 2019
And Tracy Barlow just called someone a "mingebag"
This could be a Classic #Corrie
— afterglow (@afterglow2046) February 25, 2019
https://twitter.com/EdmundsAlbert/status/1100136890387386369
However, as it turns out, “mingebag” doesn’t mean the same thing in the north of England than it does in other places.
According to Collins Dictionary, it refers to a person who is “frugal or avoids paying their ways.” It’s a colloquial word apparently often used in Liverpool, eg: “Gary did not buy a beer all night. What a mingebag.”
Right, so.
That makes more sense, yeah. But still, you can see where the confusion arose in fairness.
More of this going forward, please.
