[alt.usage.english] Re: Underarms
John Dean
From: tony cooper <tony_co...@earthlink.net>
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
On Thu, 19 May 2011 00:28:37 +0100, "John Dean"
<john...@fraglineone.net> wrote:
> Nasti J wrote:
>> On May 18, 3:34 pm, jgharston <j...@arcade.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>> If "underarm" is now the new word for "armpit"
>>> (http://www.dove.co.uk/products/deo/cream.html)
>>> what arm underarms now called?
>>>
>>> JGH
>>
>> "Underarm" has been used to describe the axilla since at least 1947:
>
> And we've had underarm bowling for even longer.
I finally figured out what you meant. At first I thought it was some
English pub sport involving clenching a ball in the armpit and then
dropping it on a bundle of faggots or something. After all, you have
stoolball, rolly polly, daddlums, nipsy, knur and sling, pummel, and
Aunt Sally.
I think it would be great sport for some English pub in the Cotswolds
to make up a game involving a bowling ball, armpits, faggots, and
bells sewn on the trouser and put it on when a tour bus full of
Americans stop for a Ploughman's Lunch. Gather some locals, fit them
out with flat caps, donkey jackets, and Wellies. Let them make up
terms like "doolally giggle" when a certain number of faggots end up
facing a certain direction, and tell the tourists its traditional for
the watchers to stand a round when a twig from the faggot ends up
vertical.
Stop the game in the middle innings and have everyone sing "God Save
The Queen".
If you can convince people that gurning is a recognized competition,
you can pull this off. Maybe the underarm bowlers could wear a
braffin'.
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