Comments on: Problems with the trouble and strife*

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:23:41 +0000

I wouldn’t mess about too much with the Special One. It could cost you a lot of Arthur Ashe.

By: Paul Sheffrin

Paul Sheffrin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:09:10 +0000

Hilarious post. I’m reliably informed that “Losing one’s bottle” which I’ve said for years (meaning failing to summon enough courage to go through with something) was in fact a truncation of the rhyming slang phrase “bottle and glass” which suggests losing control of your, erm, sphincter!

By: Expat Mum

Expat Mum — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:35:50 +0000

I say we all speak to our kids at least once a day using something so English/British that they won’t have a clue.
How about Geordie ryhming slang? Ah – got you there.
“Corned beef” = deef (deaf.)
Great post.

By: Mat Morrison

Mat Morrison — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:46:40 +0000

@Sarcasmom No-one, in fact, uses the whole phrase. So: “the flying squad” is “the sweeny”, “yanks” are “septics” and so on.

Something that’s just not very good is – in fact – “pony” . The “and trap” is silent, like the ‘P’ in swimming.

If someone really told me to get up the apples and pears, I’d expect them to do a little jig, play the spoons, and say “cor blimey, guv’nor” a la Mr Van Dyke. It’s just something older people make up to scare you.

By: gloria

gloria — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:48:36 +0000

A few years back I had a good laugh when I saw a caption underneath a photo in the NY times (online)the day after the Tartan Day Parade. Pictured in the photo was some New York big shot next to one of the Scottish bagpipers who had been in the parade. The caption gave the name of the man in the kilt as Jimmy Riddle.

By: Trixie Trouble

Trixie Trouble — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:22:36 +0000

I love saying ‘Oh no, it’s all gone Pete’.

Have you noticed though, that it is always “it’s all gone” Pete Tong? Things are never just Pete Tong or ‘No, that’s completely Pete’.

Always, ‘it’s all gone Pete’.

By: Siobhan

Siobhan — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:40:53 +0000

Now, you know I’ve been here almost 9 years, and I STILL catch myself saying, “…do you say that here?” It took until about 2 years ago to realise they don’t even say tutt/tutted. I love saying “take a butcher’s” and “would you adam and eve it?”

Sometimes I feel a bit left out not being married to a Brit, but then again, where would I get my comedy for the day?

By: Tara

Tara — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:56:37 +0000

“most Americans don’t even know where Cockney is.” You couldn’t make this stuff up!
There is modern Cockney slang now, can you believe it?
Like Ayrton Senna for tenner and it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong . . .

By: Brit Out of Water Snr

Brit Out of Water Snr — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:54:32 +0000

Trixie – Brit Out of Water’s Grandma used to use a variation on your phrase. She would say “Up the wooden hills to Bedfordshire”.

There’s one rhyming slang derivation that I’m always amazed has been allowed to pass into fairly common usage in the UK. If a man does someting stupid, acts inappropriately, or behaves badly, he’s said to be acting like a berk. Berk is a shortened version of Berkley Hunt (a fox hunting bunch of chinless wonders). I’ll leave the rhyme to your imaginations.

By: Marmite Breath

Marmite Breath — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:30:25 +0000

We are well versed in it, even though I’m a Leicester girl. In fact, my six year old is fond of saying, “OW, don’t hit me in the Granbys” after Granby Halls, a skating rink in Leicester.