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Thread: British sayings disappearing?

  1. #1
    Master
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    British sayings disappearing?

    So I'm sitting here all maudling because of my man-cold (unable/CBA to get outside and clean my car) and am thinking (as you do) what happened to the sayings from my childhood (a more innocent time perhaps). Are they still in use? Such as...
    "Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs!"
    "I'm so sorry, I'm coming over all unnecessary"
    "Chin up!"
    "War wound!"
    "Alright wack/Wacker/sausage/petal" and many other useful sayings I bet about to disappear
    Last edited by Suds; 10th February 2019 at 15:28.

  2. #2
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    I'm just popping into town to buy a Rolex Sports watch.

  3. #3
    I'm more familiar with most of those being 'Northern' sayings rather than general British? As such no, I don't hear them and haven't ever other than when I've left the South!

  4. #4
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    I'm just popping into town to buy a Rolex Sports watch.
    I'll carry on buying as many watches as I like dear

    I worked hard all month to buy this

  5. #5
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Suds View Post
    I'll carry on buying as many watches as I like dear

    I worked hard all month to buy this
    Put wood in hole on your way out.

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    Master vRSG60's Avatar
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    Please & thank you!


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    Craftsman brummie64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    Put wood in hole on your way out.
    Its looking Black over Bill's Mother's.

    And one my Nan taught me that seems to have gone out of fashion of late. A gentleman always walks on the outside.
    Last edited by brummie64; 10th February 2019 at 16:18.

  8. #8
    Grand Master Velorum's Avatar
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    I will go to the foot of our stairs.

    Never in the creation of crows.

    His promises are like pie crust.

  9. #9
    Master
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    I'm not as green as I'm cabbage looking

    "Get off there...right, don't coming running to me when you fall off and break your leg"

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    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Light and bitter.

    Wouldn't stop a pig in a poke.

    Under a gooseberry bush.
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  11. #11
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    “Clockwise” Kids of today are as thick as Sh1t I’m afraid.Our future is bleak

  12. #12
    Craftsman
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    Half of those i have never heard so i suspect that most British sayings are regional me ol' mucker.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldoakknives View Post
    Light and bitter.

    Wouldn't stop a pig in a poke.

    Under a gooseberry bush.
    I thought it was "he wouldn't stop a pig in a passage". Implying somebody is bow-legged

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by oldoakknives View Post
    Light and bitter.

    Wouldn't stop a pig in a poke.

    Under a gooseberry bush.
    Two different sayings: -

    Wouldn't buy a pig in a poke

    AND

    Couldn't stop a pig in a passage

  15. #15
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trident-7 View Post
    I thought it was "he wouldn't stop a pig in a passage". Implying somebody is bow-legged
    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Two different sayings: -

    Wouldn't buy a pig in a poke

    AND

    Couldn't stop a pig in a passage
    Maybe so but it's how I heard it in the '60s. Mind you they weren't exactly scholarly types where I grew up so I agree with what you say!
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  16. #16
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by brummie64 View Post

    And one my Nan taught me that seems to have gone out of fashion of late. A gentleman always walks on the outside.
    Apparently dates from Tudor times when people threw their shite from the upstairs window into the gutter in the middle of the street. Buildings had an overhang so a lady would walk on the inside to prevent accidental shite splash. This could be one of those QI klaxon myths though.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by vRSG60 View Post
    Please & thank you!


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    Along with "excuse me"
    Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.

  18. #18
    Master unclealec's Avatar
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    Piss or get off the pot

    If you have a black cat - he'll have one that's blacker

    He's gone north (rugby)

    As plentiful as pilchards

  19. #19
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    A nod is as good as a wink.

    See a man about a dog

    A young old boy
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  20. #20
    Shut ya cake hole!

  21. #21
    Grand Master hogthrob's Avatar
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    Well I for one take every opportunity to use them on my kids.

    If the wind changes your face will stay like that

    Don't wear your coat indoors, you won't feel the benefit

    Were you born in a barn?

    We've picked up a few from TV as well:

    The computer says no. (although this seems very recent to me, my 15 year old told us he had no idea what we were talking about).

    Language Timothy!

  22. #22
    Grand Master Andyg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by vRSG60 View Post
    Please & thank you!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    You can add Pardon and Excuse me.

    In some parts of the country, "Dad"

    Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
    Friedrich Nietzsche


  23. #23
    No idea where this little ditty is from, but it has stuck with mr since childhood.

    You know what THOUGHT did. Followed a muckcart and thought it was a wedding, peed his pants and thought he was sweating.

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    Ark at him
    She's gotta gob on her

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    Craftsman
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    Not heard "bent as a nine bob note" since my days in the Glasgow car market in the 70's. (The real car market that was a cattle market during the day!)

  26. #26
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by billymac View Post
    Not heard "bent as a nine bob note" since my days in the Glasgow car market in the 70's. (The real car market that was a cattle market during the day!)
    I still use 10-bob for 50p. I'm only 46 and have never 'known' a bob so it must have been passed down to me. Confuses the young 'uns at work though.

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    He walks like a duck, at ten to two

    Little Gob.... (Rhymes with right, but it's not good)

    There's nowt so queer as folk

    Play the referee

    She's got fireside legs (lazy housewife with bright red shins from sitting in front of the coal fire all day)

  28. #28
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    Shift your corpse.

    Chop chop.

    I be caddled.

    He's now't but nizzletrip.

  29. #29
    Master wildheart's Avatar
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    A bit black over Will's Mum's.
    The doings?
    Plenty of room up top
    Mind the dog
    Gercha
    You cow son
    Keep schtum
    Up here for thinking down there for dancing
    Oi Oi

  30. #30
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Went out tiv the cree earlier and var nigh cowped me creels on some clarts.
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  31. #31
    Could anyone explain the 'go to the foot of my stairs' saying as my Nan used to say this and I never knew what she meant and was too embarrassed to ask her.

  32. #32
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    Also proper cockney rhyming slang, my Mum used it all the time when I was a saucepan.

    "Want some more holy ghost?" etc etc. Although usually only using the first part of of the saying like "Berk" for Berkshire hunt.

    Dying out I think.
    Cheers,
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  33. #33
    alright my babber

  34. #34
    Master
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    Crafty as a cartload of monkeys

  35. #35
    Master
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    As black as hell cre'k
    Well ah'll go to 'ummer
    Coyle oyle
    Chip oyle
    There's nowt wrong wi' right folk
    They'll chuck you in t' hole (Black hole of Calcutta)

  36. #36
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by saturn5 View Post
    Ark at him
    She's gotta gob on her
    Oo, 'ark at ee. I still hear that quite a lot in Bristol

  37. #37
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil.C View Post
    Also proper cockney rhyming slang, my Mum used it all the time when I was a saucepan.

    "Want some more holy ghost?" etc etc. Although usually only using the first part of of the saying like "Berk" for Berkshire hunt.

    Dying out I think.
    Not dying out Neil. There's a few berks here . . . ;-)
    F.T.F.A.

  38. #38
    Journeyman
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    Not sure whether this a UK wide saying or it whether it was localised to people I used to work with, I used to hear it a lot

    "Looks like a Friday afternoon job"

    Does anyone else know the meaning ?

  39. #39
    "They all piss in the same pot" my dad always said this when talking about politicians.

  40. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by Itizme View Post
    Not sure whether this a UK wide saying or it whether it was localised to people I used to work with, I used to hear it a lot

    "Looks like a Friday afternoon job"

    Does anyone else know the meaning ?
    Always heard this said about cars that had problems referring to our great car industry, I suppose meaning the guys on the production line just wanted to finish for the weekend so less attention was made to the build ?

  41. #41
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil.C View Post
    Also proper cockney rhyming slang, my Mum used it all the time when I was a saucepan.

    "Want some more holy ghost?" etc etc. Although usually only using the first part of of the saying like "Berk" for Berkshire hunt.

    Dying out I think.
    Quote Originally Posted by magirus View Post
    Not dying out Neil. There's a few berks here . . . ;-)
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  42. #42
    Grand Master Passenger's Avatar
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    'Guts for garters'/'skin you alive', 'born in a barn'/ 'put wood in hole', 'weak as watter', 'ay up me duck', 'clever as a cart load'a monkeys', 'neither use nor ornament', 'You make a better door than a window'.

  43. #43
    Master wildheart's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vanguard View Post
    Could anyone explain the 'go to the foot of my stairs' saying as my Nan used to say this and I never knew what she meant and was too embarrassed to ask her.
    Seems to have been a phrase used by George Formby on his radio show in the 1940's. Probably 'I'll get me washboard' off the fast Show was a take on that type of saying! Its seems to have originated up North

  44. #44
    Master unclealec's Avatar
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    Here's one in response to someone farting:

    Speak up Brown, you're through.

  45. #45
    Master grey's Avatar
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    I'll swing for you yet, you little bugger!

    (N E Derbyshire circa1950 - gentle motherly explanation of the consequences of continued poor behaviour and all that that might entail).

  46. #46
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by brummie64 View Post
    Its looking Black over Bill's Mother's.

    And one my Nan taught me that seems to have gone out of fashion of late. A gentleman always walks on the outside.
    Years ago we ( about 10 of us, extended family) went on holiday to Florida and a few of us went to a comedy improv club and the comedians asked for a phrase they had to act out to the other comedians, my brother in law came up with ‘it’s black over Wills mothers’ which of course they had never heard before, it was pretty funny watching them try to act it out.

    At least ‘thick as mince’ is unlikely to die out as long as we have the Bear pit. 😁
    Cheers..
    Jase

  47. #47
    Grand Master Passenger's Avatar
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    to swear blind to, something or that what you claimed was the truth.

    'I'd rather feed yer fer a week than a month boy', 'summat' my grandad would often say bless him, but does anyone else recall hearing it or was it just a personal saying?

  48. #48
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Onelasttime View Post
    Apparently dates from Tudor times when people threw their shite from the upstairs window into the gutter in the middle of the street. Buildings had an overhang so a lady would walk on the inside to prevent accidental shite splash. This could be one of those QI klaxon myths though.
    It was explained to me as most gents were right handed and so walked to the right of the lady in order to be able to draw their sword without the lady getting the way.

    Worked in the mining industry for 30 years and have come across a great many of these sayings due to the migration of a workers, laughed at the mention of please thank you and excuse me, unfortunately it is true.

  49. #49
    "Sticks like s**t to a blanket"

    "If you don't go bed the nine o'clock horses will get you"

  50. #50
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    Not that old, but I like...

    You can't polish a turd.

    Rolling a turd in glitter.

    A face like a bag of spanners.

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