Odd sayings

[chowder]

F'rinstance..

"Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs"
and

"Daft as a Brush"
and

others along the same line.

These may well be British in origin but how did they come about

[Shrinking Violet]

Originally Posted by chowder

F'rinstance..

"Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs"
and

"Daft as a Brush"
and

others along the same line.

These may well be British in origin but how did they come about

Both from www.phrases.org.uk

I'll go to the foot of our stairs

Meaning

An exclamation of surprise.

Origin

This originated in the North of England. It did travel to others parts of the UK during the 20th century, but not much further, and is little known in other parts of the English-speaking world. It is now less used than previously, although it is staple fare for any writer wishing to write a part for a stage Yorkshireman. Beyond that there's little more to tell. When it was coined and by whom, I don't know. Why the stairs and not the kitchen, the back-parlour or Belgium? I don't know that either.

I found an explanation which I think is a maybe---the Victorian chimney sweep!
It seems that children were first used as sweeps since the skilled child was small and could easily work his way vertically through the confined space, clearing blockages and removing the build up of soot by hand.
While in training the apprentice was sometimes dropped head first down the chimney which caused severe cerebral damage. Hence the phrase.

Seems both are British in origin.

[Chez Guevara]

'Daft as a brush' is discussed here and here.

Both sources support Shrinking Violet's chimney sweep theory (on preview).

[chowder]

You Shrinking are a mine of info. Thanks a bunch for that site......however.....

It does not give the origin of "F**k me standing low" or "Well I'll stand pissing"

These being just two filthy sayings of which we Northeners are fond of

[Shrinking Violet]

Originally Posted by chowder

You Shrinking are a mine of info. Thanks a bunch for that site......however.....

It does not give the origin of "F**k me standing low" or "Well I'll stand pissing"

These being just two filthy sayings of which we Northeners are fond of

Now c'mon chowder .... you made those up, didn't you.

[WotNot]

I can't add any more to the origin of "go to the foot of our stairs", but I can say that the origin of "daft as a brush" is, in fact, known and recorded, and has nothing to do with chimney sweeps.

The original (Northern English) expression was "soft as a brush" (ie soft in the head).

It was adapted to "daft as… " and used as a catchphrase by comedian Ken Platt. His obituary says that he added it to his act in 1951, though I have a book here that quotes him as saying: “I started saying this when I was doing shows in the Army in the early 1940s. … People used to write and tell me I'd got it wrong!”

Where the chimney sweep idea came from I don't know, but it does show the effectiveness of the internet at promulgating peoples WAGs.

[chowder]

Originally Posted by Shrinking Violet

Now c'mon chowder .... you made those up, didn't you.

No honestly I didn't.

Matter of fact there are any number of sayings along those lines.

Example.." F**k my old boots"

I suspect they are native to the north of England 'cos we aint as posh as what they are darn sarf

[11811]

Originally Posted by chowder

No honestly I didn't.

Matter of fact there are any number of sayings along those lines.

Example.." F**k my old boots"

I suspect they are native to the north of England 'cos we aint as posh as what they are darn sarf

One I heard recently: "Bless his little cotton socks"

[chowder]

Originally Posted by 11811

One I heard recently: "Bless his little cotton socks"

Yep another good one along with "Fit as a Fiddle"


What?

[Shrinking Violet]

Originally Posted by chowder

I suspect they are native to the north of England 'cos we aint as posh as what they are darn sarf

Quite.

[Shrinking Violet]

My grandmother (Suffolk) had quite a few little sayings she would often come out with, among them:

"I'll give you socks" - once I got old enough to wonder, I decided "socks" as in "sock round the ears".

"oh FOOT!" - her own little swear word.

"Well I'll be jiggered" - this may be more widespread (I can well imagine your version chowder )

"joeing" - talking, as in "I was held up joeing to Mrs Smith". Possibly joeing = jawing?

"hocker with laughter" - not sure where that comes from.

Many more which I can't bring to mind.

[chowder]

Jiggered??

You mean savagely rogered surely.

Socks!! My mother used to threaten us with "A box round the lugholes"

[Shrinking Violet]

Originally Posted by chowder

Jiggered??

You mean savagely rogered surely.

Socks!! My mother used to threaten us with "A box round the lugholes"

The thought of my lovely, meek little Nan saying that!

According to dictionary.com, to "sock" is to deliver a blow - btw this was only ever said in an affectionate, jesting manner. No thug, my Nan.

[Lissa]

Here's one I asked about in its own thread and never got a clear answer for:

My prim-and-proper grandmother (who would NEVER use vulgar language) said of a friend's baby: "Poor little thing is just as ugly as a dick."

Gave me pause, it did. I wondered briefly if I should tell her that she was using a word which had a very different meaning in today's world, but decided not to embarass her.

Anyone know where that might have come from?

[Capt. Ridley's Shooting Party]

My mother used to threaten us with "A box round the lugholes"

Ha! My mum used to threaten to "box my ears", too.

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

Does anyone in England still say,

"not half <doing X>", actually meaning "<doing X> to a great extent"?

[chowder]

Originally Posted by Spectre of Pithecanthropus

Does anyone in England still say,

"not half <doing X>", actually meaning "<doing X> to a great extent"?

Not half mate, not half we do

[chowder]

Lissa I never heard that expression but I have heard "Face like a blind cobblers thumb" or Face like a Slaters Nailbag" or even "Face like a sack full of Hammers"

[11811]

Originally Posted by chowder

Not half mate, not half we do

Or the American redneck version "about"

Heard someone say to his misbehaving dog, "Dog, you're about a mother******, ain't ya?"

See also, Doug Sahm's "She's About A Mover"

[Sonia Montdore]

[quote=Shrinking "Well I'll be jiggered" - this may be more widespread .[/QUOTE]

"I'll be jiggered" is used here in New England, mainly by people over the age of 60.

[PBear42]

WAG but, Lissa, could the pudding usage of dick be the provenance of Grandma's expression?

[Enola Straight]

Phrase etymology:

http://www.yaelf.com/questions.shtml

http://www.wordorigins.org/

http://www.libraryspot.com/dictionar...ctionaries.htm

http://www.businessballs.com/clichesorigins.htm

http://www.fun-with-words.com/etym_phrases.html

GOOGLE "phrase etymology" for more sites.

[Valgard]

Originally Posted by chowder

Lissa I never heard that expression but I have heard "Face like a blind cobblers thumb" or Face like a Slaters Nailbag" or even "Face like a sack full of Hammers"

My personal favorite is "Face like a pitbull licking piss off a thistle".

[Myglaren]

Originally Posted by 11811

Or the American redneck version "about"

Heard someone say to his misbehaving dog, "Dog, you're about a mother******, ain't ya?"

See also, Doug Sahm's "She's About A Mover"

Yep, see it Here folks.

[Civil Guy]

"I'll whup you upside the head, I will."

...thus speaketh a 'Merkin. We knows how to speak proper English, we does.

[C-TATUM89]

You should've named this thread, "Confusing Yanks For Fun And Profit."

Just as a precaution, I'm not the stereotypical American gun-nut bible-thumping hillbilly imbecile from your fancy british TV shows. I hate rednecks with a passion.

Adding to the mix: What are some af the worst derogatory slangs for "American" that you guys know? Gimme your best shot.

[chowder]

Originally Posted by Valgard

My personal favorite is "Face like a pitbull licking piss off a thistle".

......while chewing a wasp

[ASAKMOTSD]

...and Bob's yer uncle

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Civil Guy

"I'll whup you upside the head, I will."

...thus speaketh a 'Merkin. We knows how to speak proper English, we does.

Or better yet: "I'll whup you upside yo head with a 2 X 4 'bin soaked for 6 months in a barrel of used motor oil, heah?