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Does anyone know where the word "babbar" comes from? My grandad used to say it when we touched anything that we should not, like well, anything in his house.

He used to bang his hand down on the table and say, quite loud, "babbar!" He said it: bab-are.

We must have been tough, if I did that to my grandchildren I don't think I should see them any more. Mind you, psychology's come a long way since the 1940/50s, I always let them investigate things unless too dangerous, then I explain.

I wish I'd been my grandad! And he was the only grandparent I had.

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I don't know where it came from, but now you've brought the subject up I remember it - even though I haven't heard it used for well over 40 years.

Slight variation...I seem to recall it in the plural, as in Babb-ars. Even so, it had the same meaning as yours and was used in the same circumstances. I think it was one of those expressions which was only used by adults talking to very young children/babies who probably couldn't answer back anyway

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'babbar': I wonder if the word derives from baby? A language made up by adults to make it easier for the baby / young child to understand.

Remember?: 'bobbo' when meaning a horse, or tatas when meaning a walk?

Or Choo Choo!...a subject most on here seem to be fascinated by...

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Very simular to a Hindi word "babaar",(unclean,dirty).

I think Denshaw is spot on, I now recall it being said to dissuade an infant picking up something dirty.

Dog Poo and' suckers' dropped on the 'corse'

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Very simular to a Hindi word "babaar",(unclean,dirty).Brit's were coming from and going to India for 200 years,we did bring back many words that were absorbed into our own langauge.

I go for that too, thanks!

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