# UK Dopers: What does this phrase derive from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2002, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156 "2002-11-17T11:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/1 "2002-11-17T11:20:36Z")
Am reading the current Ruth Rendell: **Adam and Eve and Pinch Me**. Little more than halfway through, one character tells his solicitor he’d like to sue the _Sun_ and the _Mail_ and so forth for libel. The solicitor tells him, “When it comes to newspaper editors (and solicitors), don’t touch their ears.” Now obviously, that means “Don’t mess with them”. But what does the phrase derive from? Is it like, if you touch someone’s ear you’re asking for a fight, which you don’t want to do with editors? [spoiler]Like everything else by Rendell, this book is terrific. But it’s incredible how Zillah has managed to do everything wrong since day one. Though that’s partly Jims’ fault, at least his omission: he should have made it more clear that he was offering a job, and outlined the duties of the job. Poor Minty. I really hope she gets away with it. But either way, she needs help. I’m flashing back to Dolly Yearman in **The Killing Doll** , who also heard ghosts that weren’t there; they couldn’t have been, because they were giving her false information. Jordan needs some help too, poor kid. And if Eugenie were my daughter, I would be crying out, “Will no one rid me of this troublesome child?”[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/2 "2002-11-17T11:26:49Z")
I’m afraid I’ve never heard that in my life. Not a very useful answer, I admit, though perhaps an indicator of the phrase’s popularity (or my ignorance). ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/3 "2002-11-17T11:47:01Z")
Me neither. I think it’s an in-thing for solicitors rather than UK people. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/4 "2002-11-17T13:23:34Z")
Sounds like a _Star Trek_ reference to me (the Ferrengi). ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/5 "2002-11-17T18:25:30Z")
Never heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/6 "2002-11-18T00:07:02Z")
Huh. Well, maybe she made it up…but see, that’s what I can’t imagine Rendell doing. She’s never before tried to _introduce_ catch phrases; she draws heavily on speech and fashion and activity that is already popular. (I’ve always liked that about her; the way she makes each novel clearly of its time, but not so much that it becomes dated. Except…how old should Inspector Wexford be now, on this timeline—ninety?) So what the hey? The solicitor says this is what his dad told him when he was a kid, which was probably thirty years ago, and the novel is **definitely** set in 2000. Aha! Maybe that’s it; maybe none of y’all have heard it because it’s thirty years out of date! ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/7 "2002-11-18T05:57:36Z")
Nope, at thirty years old I would have heard it. Besides, if it was part of UK culture it would have to be reasonably well known and would have been reproduced elsewhere on film, tv or printed media. This seems so rare that it could only have been an in thing with specialist or at least small social group. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/8 "2002-11-18T07:38:15Z")
Crud. Well, thanks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowWarrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@ShadowWarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowWarrior)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/9 "2002-11-18T11:26:46Z")
never heard of it either - the only possible reference I can think of is the ‘war of Jenkin’s ear’ in Elizabethan times (i think) a war was supposedly started because a sailor got his ear cut off in a bar fight - but I can’t see the connection to solicitors or editors. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/10 "2002-11-18T11:32:13Z")
Shouldn’t the OP title be “from what does this phrase derive?” [Churchill] Ending a sentence with a preposition is the kind of language up with which I shall not put. [/Churchill] ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/11 "2002-11-18T12:34:54Z")
On the other hand, this _is_ a reference to the Sun and the Mail. Perhaps the subject should be **DOPER IN MURDER PHRASE SHOCK DRAMA**. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/12 "2002-11-18T12:40:06Z")
Or even **JR8 DENIES THREE-IN-A-BED ROMP**. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/13 "2002-11-18T12:44:36Z")
Actually, I’d want to tell as many people about that as possible. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/14 "2002-11-18T12:50:23Z")
**JR8: MY STEAMY 3-IN-A-BED FANTASY** ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/15 "2002-11-18T14:08:08Z")
I’ve never heard this as an expression, as such, but what it makes me think of is dogs. I don’t know whether it’s just me, but I seem to have come across more than a few dogs that have quite sensitive ears, and don’t like them played with. You can pat them, stroke them, hug them, roll around on the floor with them, pull them around by their tail, and they’ll sit there grinning with their tongue hanging out – but touch their ears, and RROWF! They’ll have your arm off. Just an idea, and it seems to fit. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/16 "2002-11-18T14:29:43Z")
Actually, now I’m thinking the OP title should be: **UK Dopers: whence derives this phrase?** God I’m pompous today. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/17 "2002-11-18T14:53:28Z")
**JJIMM: MY GRAMMAR HELL** ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/18 "2002-11-18T14:59:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > **"don’t touch their ears."** [No one has said this, ever.](http://www.google.com/search?q=%22don%27t%20touch%20their%20ears%22&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8) ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/19 "2002-11-18T23:07:50Z")
**jjimm** , here’s a handy rule about sentences ending in prepositions - just add “asshole” or “wanker” to the end, and you are all set. (Not calling you either name, BTW. Just being helpful.) Cheers - beckwall ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156/20 "2002-11-19T01:14:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > \*\*[No one has said this, ever.](http://www.google.com/search?q=%22don%27t%20touch%20their%20ears%22&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8) \*\* Crimeny crumbcake! (That’s an old American expression that I made up about five years ago. ;)) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-does-this-phrase-derive-from/137156.md?page=2)