Things our parents used to say


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If anywhere, especially the house, was untidy, my Mum would say. it: 'Looked like Jackie Pownall's' (I believe Pownalls scrap yard was down by the old Vic baths?) Another variation was .'Looks like

My old mum, now passed, grew up in old St Anne's and knew hard times from being little until she met and married dad, one of her regular sayings was "If you can't afford it wi real money, you can

Tomlinson, In answer to your question #1387, I used to have some really good Tide Marks on my neck and running up my arms. The back of our house on Hardy's Drive, Gedling was a shared yard, I can'

I had a bonfire today and the smoke was 'puthering'. I haven't thought of that word in years, is it Nottinghamese?

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I'll go to the foot of our stairs!

I knew it meant surprise but never knew the reason it was associated with it?

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 still staple fare for any writer wishing to write a part for a stage northerner.

The foot of the stairs was en route to the lavatory, as was, in the days of the outside privy, the less well-known alternatives, 'the back of our house' and 'the bottom of our garden'. The implication of the speaker's destination suggests that the real meaning was 'I was so surprised that I soiled myself and need to visit the lavatory to clean up'.

See http://www.phrases.org.uk for more.

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I remember many years ago the long departed Eddie Waring commentating on a Rugby League match when the player was clear and running for the line came out with "I gu ta our 'ouse 'e's dropped it".

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One of my dad's favourites was to say if I had done something clever, or at least I thought it was clever, He said "you can go to Miss Aggie's class".

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I had a bonfire today and the smoke was 'puthering'. I haven't thought of that word in years, is it Nottinghamese?

Certainly my mum (from Hucknall) would use that expression, usually to describe smoke coming thickly from a chimney.

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My dad used puthering as well, he came from Mansfield. I use it as well, shows the southerners that I come from as they say up North, shows how much they know, everyone knows the north begins at Worksop.

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Ay weyad " M'all sludged up" yet??

(Meaning I'm filthy, particularly with mud)

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Not parents, but my old boss used to remark, if you were particularly successful at something.

"Every egg a bod and every bod a churper"

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If I was being miserable and complaining of nothing to do etc, mum would say 'stop maunging'. Heaven knows where that words came from.

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Not so much things my parents used to say but my Gran;

Black ovver Bill's muthers

gerrowt road - please move

owd yer osses - wait a minute

bat yer tabs

never hang yersen - when you couldn't make your mind up

When the house looked a bit messy she would always refer to it as looking like Jackie Pownalls.

She didn't swear but the odd bleddy would be used and when she was really riled the word futty came out ie you're being a futty bogger today!

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Not something I recall my parents saying but a popular one heard in the 1950's was "Charlies Dead" it was thought of by kids as rather risque! I'll leave it to someone else to explain? (sorry if already mentioned but nothing found in search and I'm not trawling through 89 pages!)

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Was there was also a saying for not fastening your fly,

But I cant remember it?

"The gate is open, but the beast is asleep"

But my favourite version (Courtesy of the late great Dave Allen) "You've got egg on your chin"........................................... think about it !!

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When asking my Gran what my Xmas/birthday present was going to be the answer was always "a whim wham for an oojar"

All girls were referred to as "that Judy".

If a girl was particularly large she was always referred to as a "big stag".

Effeminate men were referred to as "Jessies" - too old to be pc I'm afraid!

If you asked for anything that she thought was rather expensive she'd always say "aa we'll a two".

If she thought someone was a bit stingy with ingredients (ie raisens in cake, meat in stew) she'd say "I think she stood on Trent Bridge and chucked them in"

You were nesh if you felt the cold (or code!) and mardy if you complained.

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My ex mum in law and her mum were from Bulwell (Forest side) and they always said 'yer like a man made of smoke'. No idea what it meant but they sid it to my kids a lot when they were little.

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