Mackay in his enjoyable if occasionally overwrought
("He who walks through a great city to find subjects for weeping, may, God
knows, find plenty at every corner to wring his heart")
*Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds*
- and Partridge after him in his co-authored *Dict. of Catchphrases*- says
the expression had a brief career; perhaps because nobody really understood
it? Funny that Partridge fails to make the connection with his own
definition of "mangle" as "the female pudend" in his own *Dict. of
Historical Slang*. Obviously, selling one's pudend is more profitable than
doing others' washing - " 'We never do work when we're ruined', said she."
I can't help it if the result of my honest labour turns out to be naughty
business, Missus!
mj
Creator - A comedian whose audience is afraid to laugh.
H.L.Mencken
----- Original Message -----
From: Judy Prince
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 2:32 PM
Subject: Re: question (UK)
I knew I could count on you, Martin. Since it is plainly evident about
laziness with you, and with all people, it is a picker and a chooser; we
will hack away with great burrowed delight at what we love doing whilst
ignoring all else. It's much like the helpfully true saw that my
Canadian-born mom used to say, years before I knew what 'pound' meant:
"Penny wise and pound foolish." I've met no one who's an exception to
that, btw.
So, now, tie the mangle and the wet ear expressions together, will you? I'm
yet unable to do it, but feel that somewhere there's a connection.
You knew I'd have more assignments for you, didn't you?
Best,
Judy
2009/5/8 Martin Walker <[log in to unmask]>
> How did you know that I am lazy, Judy - you are quite right. It is my
> defining characteristic, after intuitive understanding, wit and orneriness
> (US term). Dang it.
> My mother never sold her mangle, she dumped it when she finally got a
> washing machine. I loved that mangle. Never did like all those new-fangled
> gadgets.
> Wet behind the ears comes from ranches, cowboys (a lot of them black but
> not
> in westerns) check behind ears of calves to see if they were recently
born,
> thus proving something or other.
> mj
> Creator - A comedian whose audience is afraid to laugh.
> H.L.Mencken
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Judy Prince
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 1:07 PM
> Subject: Re: question (UK)
>
>
> Oh, Martin, I should've known that it, too, is a British term. Do
> USAmericans have any original thoughts?! <wail weep gnash>
> Judy who wonders about the expressions "wet behind the ears" and "Has your
> mother sold her mangle yet?" Justin Case you wish to further research,
you
> lazy bloke.
>
> 2009/5/8 Martin Walker <[log in to unmask]>
>
> > I've come in late on this grisly question: my Shorter Oxford says [abbr.
> by
> > me]
> > Guy [...] 1806 1. An effigy of Guy Fawkes [...] 2. A person of grotesque
> > looks or dress; a fright 1836. 3. A man, fellow (US Slang) 1896.
> > I've always preferred the second of these - as in "Grisly guys some of
> them
> > turn out" 1836.
> > mj
> > Creator - A comedian whose audience is afraid to laugh.
> > H.L.Mencken
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Judy Prince
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 10:46 AM
> > Subject: Re: question (UK)
> >
> >
> > All y'all bloody blokes, and not the one of ya knows it's a USAmerican
> > stoopid term ["guy"]. The other two terms, chap and bloke, originate
> from
> > England.
> > Judy
> >
> > 2009/5/8 David Bircumshaw <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > > Same here in Leicester. The place is swimming with 'blokes'. 'chap'
> isn't
> > > ubiquitous, you hear of him now and gain, but as for 'guy', well, I
> > haven't
> > > seen him in ages. I wondered how he was doing: so he's found himself a
> > spot
> > > in the TLS then?
> > > best
> > >
> > > dave
> > >
> > > 2009/5/8 Mark Weiss <[log in to unmask]>
> > >
> > > > "Bloke" is alive and well in Glasgow.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > At 09:49 PM 5/7/2009, you wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> when were "chap" and "bloke" replaced by the ubiquitous and
> classless
> > > >> "guy"?
> > > >>
> > > >> question asked by reviewer in the current TLS online
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > >> This email was sent from Netspace Webmail:
> http://www.netspace.net.au
> > > >>
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > David Bircumshaw
> > > "Nothing can be done in the face
> > > of ordinary unhappiness" - PP
> > > Website and A Chide's Alphabet
> > > http://www.staplednapkin.org.uk
> > > The Animal Subsides http://www.arrowheadpress.co.uk/books/animal.html
> > > Leicester Poetry Society: http://www.poetryleicester.co.uk
> > >
> >
>
|