Compo 10,328 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 My dad was in north Africa during the war and often used phrases he picked up out there; so that might be your answer. It may be, as suggested by DAVIDW, something along the lines of WWI's bastardisation of Ploegsteert by the British Tommies; resulting in the common term "Plug Street" wood and other similar Anglicisations. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,872 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 SFA meaning Sweet F*** All or even Scotish Football Association. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 I just Googled' another one we all say, many of us not knowing its origins, (Me included) Sweet Fanny Adams...........meaning Nothing This is a very sad story, about the murder of an eight yr old girl. The saying comes from this sad tale, and is often said as Sweet F..k All. But you must understand...Never by me It is a story worth googleing. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 To all the boys on here.... 'This is going to hurt me a lot more than it hurts you' Bloody Liars! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Did anyone else have an "Outhouse"? We lived in a 1950s built council house with a room accessed by a side door. This room was within the house but not accessible from the inside until my dad put an internal door through. He always called the room "The outhouse". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Re ~1274 and 1275, I think the original French was ca ne fait rien (soft c to the "ca" - can't do a cedilla on here, and it won't let me paste from Word). The ne is abbreviated to n' so "San Fairy Ann" is pretty accurate pronunciation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Isn't it ce rather than ca? Ce n'est fait rien - literally, 'it makes nothing'. Well, it's a long while since I passed French O Level (thanks to 'Wassimodo' at High Pavement)! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 The phrase 'Is there owt on the box this Christmas' is largely redundant now, the 'box' is now a large flat screen HD smart screen TV. Having said this, there's seldom owt on the box worth switching it on for - as usual. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 I'm doing a crossword - nowt on the box. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 re the outhouse, we had one, it was a toilet Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 That's a sh*te house not an outhouse! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Anyone know the origin of this one. I said it today and I must have got it from my parents as Chris say's he has never heard anyone here In W-ton say it. Referring to something that is dirty, as being Ditched Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,091 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 We said that in our house too. Usually it meant the dirt was ingrained, it was so bad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 I seem to remember Mam looking at my knees but mainly my neck when she said it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 I cud grow spuds in your neck!!! nah gerit wesht. Colin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mattsdigs 104 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 My parents, especially my mother who never had a chance at school, always insisted on learning being the difference between having lots of money and not having much. One thing I did learn was the beauty of the english language. Here is a very good example of the use of the language. http://www.wimp.com/powerwords/ 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Nice one, Mattsdigs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Pianoman 1,535 Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 If the house looked like a tip, my Mother always used to say something along the lines of 'Look at it in 'ere, its just like Jacky Pownalls' Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 My father when admiring a lady would always say now she has a 'well turned ankle'. Never did find out what he meant by it, but I am a leg man myself so it must have rubbed off. Colin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I had a well turned ankle once, on crutches for weeks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,683 Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Something made to a poor standard was often described as "shoddy" Just been reading some old news reports about the Pownalls . In one report John Pownall was described as a rag and bone man and there is an article of a court case where he had contracted to supply a dealer in Yorkshire with a certain amount of second hand wool that was to be used in shoddy . He didn't supply the agreed amount and so got sued . Never knew shoddy was a real article . Its a mixture of old wool, shredded and added to new wool making a cheaper material . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beduth 202 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've read up to about posting 200. I'll pick it up again tomorrow. I can't stop laughing. I remember just about all of them. I took all of these sayings with me to Coventry when I was 15 and youths thought I was wappy. I'll try to contribute after I've scratch me head. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,292 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 David, re #1296, Batley up 'ere in West Yorkshire is the Shoddy capital of the UK,( some say in more ways than one), but there are still mills there turning out shoddy for the textile trade in just about the same way since the early 1800's when the process originated. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,683 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Commo , wouldn't look good on your CV........."I was a shoddy worker " Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor S 2,003 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Break something or not do it right etc and the common response in our family was:- You've put the kibosh on that, haven't you. Another one was the word for face.....Jeez, you've got an ugly fizzog. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.