# the origin of the phrase "how's your father?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2001, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343 "2001-10-04T07:09:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bdubs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@bdubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdubs)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343/1 "2001-10-04T07:09:23Z")
what is the origin of the phrase “how’s your father?” is it about sex? why? is there something obvious I can’t see here. Someone at work thought it referred to having a punch-up or a fight rather than sex. another suggested masturbation. I think this saying has gone out of control. Please clear it up for me. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343/2 "2001-10-04T09:34:11Z")
I’ve never heard it, except in the sense of inquiring after the health of one’s male parent. I found one reference on the Internet > [@](#): > > Pat would like to know the origin of the phrase “a bit of how’s your father”, meaning having it off with someone (i.e. a sexual dalliance as he called it). > [http://www.aldertons.com/question.htm](http://www.aldertons.com/question.htm) ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343/3 "2001-10-04T09:45:03Z")
Okay, more than one. It’s British, not Australian, which threw me off. [this cached page from Google](http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:pZszBI-K4O4:ws.bowiestate.edu/archives/1998/0824.html) discusses several theories of its origin. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343/4 "2001-10-04T10:09:32Z")
Once, when I was in prison, whilst tossing the salad\*, I do recall hearing the expression: “Who’s yor daddy? Who’s yor daddy?” But, no, I too hadn’t heard the expression mentioned in the OP. Thanks for the link Biblio. (\*see Chris Rock) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343/5 "2001-10-04T10:37:59Z")
IMHO it is derived from the idea that prudish people might interrupt and suddenly change the subject to something mundane and comfortable if it looks like it is heading towards anything (ahem) sensitive or embarassing. compare with the phrase “More tea, Vicar?” ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343/6 "2001-10-04T10:55:38Z")
Like the parallel in the page \*\* bibliophage\*\* links to with ‘Bob’s your uncle’. Perhaps they do both have Regal associations even if both explanations do seem a little contrived. I suppose it’s also possible the origin lay in a stage play in which the older man was caught by his wife chatting up the girlie. May have then evolved into a social catch-phrase ? I wonder if it’s just lost in the mists of time… ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343/7 "2001-10-04T11:14:19Z")
Ahoy mates! going out an a mental limb here… the phrase is very geezerish “a little bit wheey, a little bit whooo, I’m a geezah!!”. Its the type of line that a guy would use to get friendly with a young female aquaintance. I suppose it morphed into common parlance as a substitute for “I went to her place for various deviant activities that would boil buttewr at 50 paces”. Afterall, there is quite a status for pulling nuible young birds when your in your late 40’s, jumper and suitcoat down the pub regularly phase… Am I making sense ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-phrase-hows-your-father/85343/8 "2001-10-04T11:45:33Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by London\_Calling \*\* > Like the parallel in the page \*\* bibliophage links to with ‘Bob’s your uncle’. Perhaps they do both have Regal associations even if both explanations do seem a little contrived._ The meaning and etymology of **Bob’s your uncle** according to _Brewer_ is: _That will be alright; you needn’t bother any more, just leave it to me! The phrase was occasioned by A. J. Balfour’s promotion by his uncle Robert (Lord Salisbury) the Tory Prime Minister, to the post of Chief Secretary for Ireland. Balfour had previously been made President of the Local Government Board in 1886, then Secretary for Scotland with a seat in the Cabinet. The suggestion of nepotism was difficult to ignore._