Calling All British

[flamingbananas]

This is proably a dumb question from a "stupid american" but im dying to know. What does "pip pip for now" really mean? I've read some british books and I adore that phrase, which is much better then the normal "seeya!" but I really want to know what it means. And yes I know it is a degreeting. I'm not THAT dumb

[Really Not All That Bright]

degreeting?

Is that what you use to degreet countertops and stuff?

[Ice Wolf]

A Bertie Woster and Jeeves version of "Ta ta for now"? (The latter came from the British radio show It's That Man Again.) "Pip pip" is usually something the upper classes would say in literature.

And "degreet"? Is that for real?

[Ice Wolf]

Ah, dang this keyboard. I meant Bertie Wooster.

[Small Clanger]

What-ho flaming!

just a bit of nonsence don'tchyaknow.

Toodle pip old chap!

[AngelicGemma]

You do know that no one British actually says that, right?

[Jennyrosity]

Jolly well take take that back you rotter! Us Britishers most certainly do say things like that, whilst taking high tea in our castles. You, madam, are a bounder and a cad and deserve a jolly good thrashing. Toodle pip.

[paulberserker]

it's like when fictional people say 'chin chin!' while toasting each other with drinks too. Man, I hate that 1930's Jeeves & Wooster crap.
And please, please be reminded that no-one talks like that, apart from fools at Galas in Henley on Thames. And I hate them too.

Jenny, I dare you to talk like that all day on Saturday, and see how long it is before you get thrown out de pub.

[Lars Aruns]

Originally Posted by Jennyrosity

Jolly well take take that back you rotter! Us Britishers most certainly do say things like that, whilst taking high tea in our castles. You, madam, are a bounder and a cad and deserve a jolly good thrashing. Toodle pip.

Aye, luv, bloody sup'ficial, that was! Sometimes even counter-sereotypes can be b*ll*cks! Now excuse while I go off for a Geoff!

Jennyrosity, long time no read! How are things in Devon? I'm nice and dandy on the shores of the Tyne now. I really valued your advice on housing in Newcastle.

[jjimm]

Fully paid-up card-carrying Brit reporting for duty sah!

Nobody but nobody British (or more accurately English) says "pip pip" - in the same way that nobody says "howdy pardner" in the US. The only people who say it are Americans imitating English people. It rather confused me when I first heard it. What what!

[jjimm]

Originally Posted by paulberserker

it's like when fictional people say 'chin chin!' while toasting each other with drinks too.

I say look here old chap, I say "chin chin"! It's Italian you see.

[paulberserker]

Italian? really?

Reet, am off t'sarnie shop to get mescen a big old 'am sanwitch, tha knows. Al sithee old cock.

Put wood int' oile!

[Jennyrosity]

Originally Posted by Lars Aruns

Jennyrosity, long time no read! How are things in Devon? I'm nice and dandy on the shores of the Tyne now. I really valued your advice on housing in Newcastle.

Things in Devon are good, if a tad cold (not like it'll be cold in Newcastle or anything!). Glad to hear you're settled - where did you end up living? Next time I go home we can meet up for a micro-Dopefest!

Weird isn't it? I realised this morning that by next month I'll have been living in Plymouth for five years, which according to some folk means I'm a native.If you'd asked me I'd have said about 3 or four. And yet I still think of Newcastle as home, and probably always will. You can take the girl out of Tyneside......

Anyway, apologies for the hi-jack. You can have your thread back now, old chap.

[Lars Aruns]

Originally Posted by jjimm

I say look here old chap, I say "chin chin"! It's Italian you see.

Just go easy with that in Japan, mate, it apparently means "Small penis" or something in the local idioma. What about sticking to "Prosit!" like our Empire-ruling ancestors did?

[Hokkaido Brit]

Originally Posted by jjimm

I say look here old chap, I say "chin chin"! It's Italian you see.

And it's Japanese for "willy". It thrilled my seven year old skinny when we heard it used as a toast by a large Italian family seated next to us in a restaurant in France!

[Hokkaido Brit]

Originally Posted by Lars Aruns

Just go easy with that in Japan, mate, it apparently means "Small penis" or something in the local idioma. What about sticking to "Prosit!" like our Empire-ruling ancestors did?

Oops! I should have read to the bottom of the thread. It isn't a small penis, just a regular sized one!

Chin-chin is the word used by little boys and politer men. Maybe similar in meaning and force/vulgarity as "willy" in English.

What is the fairy tale most guaranteed to send my bilingual boys into paroxysms of tits-and-bums-mirth?

"No no, by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin, I WON'T let you in!"

Do you think that the original author knew Japanese? It takes on a whole new meaning....

[a35362]

I have two questions:

When you say someone is in the bath, does it mean the person is:

in the bathroom (doing anything that might be done in that room)

or

in the bathtub (taking a bath)

?

I ask because Bridget Jones describes Mark once or twice this way, and we don't usually hear of men taking baths in the U.S. -- it's usually little kids, or women trying to de-stress.

Second question:

In 19th century lit, one's aunts and uncles are referred to by their surnames ("Uncle Gardiner," "Aunt Reed"), not "Aunt Jane" and so on. Is this still done?

[jjimm]

In the bath means actually in the bathtub.

Most people shower these days, but in a lot of older flats there is only a bath. Also, there's no stigma about men taking baths in the UK (of which I am aware).

As for the Aunt/Uncle thing - it's first name in my experience. They were much more formal in the 19thC.

[Small Clanger]

"In the bath" means what it says. That person is physically in the bath. No-one in Britain "goes to the bathroom", we generally go to the "toilet" or various colloqualisms of same. And blokes can bath why on earth not?

The "going to the bathroom" phrase had to be explained to me when I stayed with friends in the 'States as a kid. It really isn't self explanatory.

[twickster]

Originally Posted by Jennyrosity

You, madam, are a bounder and a cad and deserve a jolly good thrashing. Toodle pip.

Yo, I thought only men could be bounders and cads?

[Angua]

Originally Posted by twickster

Yo, I thought only men could be bounders and cads?

Er, why? A bounder is a cad, which is a "moraly reprehensible person"...

[Ximenean]

Originally Posted by Small Clanger

"In the bath" means what it says. That person is physically in the bath. No-one in Britain "goes to the bathroom", we generally go to the "toilet" or various colloqualisms of same. And blokes can bath why on earth not?

The "going to the bathroom" phrase had to be explained to me when I stayed with friends in the 'States as a kid. It really isn't self explanatory.

Of course, 'toilet' is itself a euphemism, as is 'lavatory', both originally meaning a washroom. We Brits can be prudish too.

[twickster]

Originally Posted by Angua

Er, why? A bounder is a cad, which is a "moraly reprehensible person"...

According to the Random House Unabridged that lies conveniently to hand:

bounder: an obtrusive, ill-bred man

cad: an ill-bred man, esp. one who behaves in a dishonorable or irresponsible way toward women

[Angua]

Originally Posted by twickster

According to the Random House Unabridged that lies conveniently to hand:

bounder: an obtrusive, ill-bred man

cad: an ill-bred man, esp. one who behaves in a dishonorable or irresponsible way toward women

Hmmm... Not what my dictionary said. Maybe I have a bad dictionary.

Mind you, I've never actually called anyone a bounder or a cad. But that said, I have only ever heard it used in reference to men.

[GorillaMan]

The Cambridge dictionary says it's a man, too:

"a man who behaves badly or dishonestly, especially to women"

[CaptBushido]

Nobody but nobody British (or more accurately English) says "pip pip" - in the same way that nobody says "howdy pardner" in the US.

Now, I take exception to that. I've used the ol' "howdy pardner!" many times in my life.

Of course, it should be taken into consideration that

1 - I am indeed from the deepest, darkest, most uncharted Texan depths of Texas

and

2 - when it is used, it is in an exaggerated, stereotyped, joking manner. So in other words: not with a straight face. I think I have, however (can't really think of a recent example, though), come across people who have used that greeting in full sincerity...

[GorillaMan]

Originally Posted by CaptBushido

2 - when it is used, it is in an exaggerated, stereotyped, joking manner. So in other words: not with a straight face.

I've not heard "pip, pip" used in this manner, but certainly "toodle-pip", "cheerio" etc

[Jennyrosity]

Originally Posted by twickster

According to the Random House Unabridged that lies conveniently to hand:

bounder: an obtrusive, ill-bred man

cad: an ill-bred man, esp. one who behaves in a dishonorable or irresponsible way toward women

One was trying to make a point. Bloody pedants.

[jjimm]

Originally Posted by CaptBushido

I think I have, however (can't really think of a recent example, though), come across people who have used that greeting in full sincerity...

Slight hijack - on the same subject, in all my years in Ireland I have actually heard one Irish person say "Begorrah" in sincerity. But never "Top o' the morning".

[Small Clanger]

[jjimm-style hijack]I've had reason to work a couple of times in Glasgow and been surrounded by people who in all seriousness constantly say "och aye" for "yes", never heard them follow through with "the noo" but people really do talk like that[/jjimm-style hijack]

Back on the English, My Dad has been known to greet with "What ho!" OD'd on P.G.Wodehouse I guess.

[serena]

Jennyrosity, long time no read! How are things in Devon? I'm nice and dandy on the shores of the Tyne now. I really valued your advice on housing in Newcastle.[/quote]

Tyne ? Dandy ?? Dashed northern riff-raff

[TheLoadedDog]

Okay so nobody British actually says this stuff, but ya gotta love Wodehouse.

Thankfully,some of this stuff still survives in the English (or Hinglish) spoken in India.

[flamingbananas]

Well thanks for answering my question, though it saddens me to think that not many use the charming phrase. I guess its good I found out now though, if I ever visit i don't want to make an ass out of myself for saying it.

[Hunter Hawk]

Originally Posted by Jennyrosity

One was trying to make a point. Bloody pedants.

Hey, watch the tone. Or have you now taken to oppressing the pedants?

[a35362]

Okay, thought of another one:

Is it true that the English don't rinse their dishes?

Have you noticed that your food tastes soapy?

[serena]

No, of course not: it's only you Americans that waste water without thinking of the devestating effect that you will have on plate life.
Fie on you all !
Lawks a'mercy; we can barely afford the cost of the plates: most of us still eat from the droppings of the rich folks what comes out of McDonalds.

[Lobelia Overhill]

Originally Posted by jjimm

Slight hijack - on the same subject, in all my years in Ireland I have actually heard one Irish person say "Begorrah" in sincerity. But never "Top o' the morning".

T'is true, we nivir say top o the mornin' at all, at all. Like.

[Futile Gesture]

Originally Posted by Small Clanger

[jjimm-style hijack]I've had reason to work a couple of times in Glasgow and been surrounded by people who in all seriousness constantly say "och aye" for "yes", never heard them follow through with "the noo" but people really do talk like that[/jjimm-style hijack]

You'll be telling us next that people in London really do say, in all seriousness, "Whatcha!" but never follow it up with "me ol' cocknee sparra!" People really do talk like that.

[Ximenean]

Originally Posted by a35362

Okay, thought of another one:

Is it true that the English don't rinse their dishes?

Have you noticed that your food tastes soapy?

Yes, but nothing masks the aftertaste of kidney pie and warm beer better than soap .