Rude and unusual sounding English surnames

[Bod]

Like:

Glasscock
Hiscock
Gotobed
Shufflebottom
Bracegirdle
Hardmeat
Nutters
Rattlebag
Pigfat
Bonefat

Must've been strong ale when they thought of those :-P

[Peter Duncanson [BrE]]

The names are hundreds of years older than the slang words you are using
to interpret them.

Glascock and Hisacock originated hundreds of years before "cock" began
to be used to mean "penis".

Gotobed:
http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Gotobed

Shufflebottom has various spellings. It is of geographical origin.
http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Shufflebotham

Bracegirdle:
https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Bracegirdle

is a metonymic occupational name for a maker of breech-girdles,
that is a maker of belts for holding up breeches, from the Olde
English pre 7th Century, Middle English "brec" (Old French "braie"),
breeches, with the Olde English "gyrdel", a girdle, belt. The
surname is particularly widespread in the county of Lancashire. It
is a good example of the interesting group of medieval
job-descriptive surnames, which originally denoted the actual
occupation of the namebearer, and later became hereditary.

Hardmeat:
http://www.americanlastnames.us/last-names/English/H/HARDMEAT.html

Local: Of Hardmead, a parish in county Bucks.

Nutter:
http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Nutter

Two possibilities:

Nutter may be of Anglo-Saxon origin, and a variant of Nothard,
itself an occupational name for a keeper of oxen, deriving from the
Olde English pre 7th Century "neat", Middle English "nowt", beast,
ox, with "hierd", herd.

The second possibility is that Nutter originated as an occupational
name for a scribe or clerk, from the Olde English "notere" (Latin
"notarius", an agent derivative of "nota", mark, sign).

C.f. the occupation "Notary".

I can find no information on Rattlebag, Pigfat and Bonefat. They may be
modern versions of older spellings that don't mean what they seem to
mean today.


--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

[Peter Duncanson [BrE]]

On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:52:24 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:

>Hisacock

Accidental variant spelling of Hiscock.

[Bod]

Thanks for the info.

[Bod]

On 09/11/2013 13:27, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:
> On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:52:24 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
> <ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>
>> Hisacock
>
> Accidental variant spelling of Hiscock.
>

Only half a point deducted :-P

[Steve Hayes]

On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:52:24 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:

>On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 11:58:11 +0000, Bod <bodr...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Like:
>>
>>Glasscock
>>Hiscock
>>Gotobed
>>Shufflebottom
>>Bracegirdle
>>Hardmeat
>>Nutters
>>Rattlebag
>>Pigfat
>>Bonefat
>>
>>Must've been strong ale when they thought of those :-P
>
>The names are hundreds of years older than the slang words you are using
>to interpret them.
>
>Glascock and Hisacock originated hundreds of years before "cock" began
>to be used to mean "penis".

Some of my ancestors had the name "Sandercock" (= Alexcander's son).

Some of the cousins who went to North America found it embarrassing, and
changed it to Sandercott, Saunderlock, Sanderlok and other variations.

But then Americans changed cocks to roosters.


--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

[Peter Duncanson [BrE]]

Even if the names don't mean what we think they mean we can still have a
chuckle.

[Bod]

>>> Two possibilities:
>>>
>>> Nutter may be of Anglo-Saxon origin, and a variant of Nothard,
>>> itself an occupational name for a keeper of oxen, deriving from the
>>> Olde English pre 7th Century "neat", Middle English "nowt", beast,
>>> ox, with "hierd", herd.
>>>
>>> The second possibility is that Nutter originated as an occupational
>>> name for a scribe or clerk, from the Olde English "notere" (Latin
>>> "notarius", an agent derivative of "nota", mark, sign).
>>>
>>> C.f. the occupation "Notary".
>>>
>>> I can find no information on Rattlebag, Pigfat and Bonefat. They may be
>>> modern versions of older spellings that don't mean what they seem to
>>> mean today.
>>>
>>>
>> Thanks for the info.
>
> Even if the names don't mean what we think they mean we can still have a
> chuckle.
>

Indeed :-P

[Phil L]

Even normal surnames can be fun if the parents don't think too hard about
their offspring's first names, EG:

Dwayne Pipe

Mike Hunt

Eileen Dover

Annette Fisher

Theresa Greene

Etc etc

[Mike L]

On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:52:24 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:

>On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 11:58:11 +0000, Bod <bodr...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Like:
>>
>>Glasscock
>>Hiscock
>>Gotobed
>>Shufflebottom
>>Bracegirdle
>>Hardmeat
>>Nutters
>>Rattlebag
>>Pigfat
>>Bonefat

[...]".
>
>Gotobed:
>http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Gotobed
>
One of my favourites. It first came to my attention from J.B.S.Haldane
in his book of children's stories _My Friend Mr Leakey_. Mr L was a
real magic-practising magician, and when he didn't want company he'd
put an uninteresting professional plate on the door of his flat, or,
in extreme cases, magically replace it with plain brick wall. The
brass plate I remember read "Noah Gotobed, Artificial Toenail
Manufacturer" - possibly with the remark "wholesale enquiries only",
but I don't remember.
[...]
--
Mike.

[John Briggs]

You missed out "Shakespeare" and the cognates "Shakeshaft" and "Wagstaff".
--
John Briggs

[LFS]

We moved to live in Sheffield when I was in my late teens and I started
work where I was introduced to a co-worker called Walter Wall. I grinned
and said "Carpets!" It transpired that no-one had ever responded to his
name in that way before. I concluded that Yorkshire homes did not have
fitted floor coverings.

I also discovered someone called Philippa Glass.

--
Laura (emulate St George for email)

[LFS]

One of my favourite childhood reads! Have we discussed this before?

[Peter Young]

And I'm sure I must have mentioned Ivor Payne, Albert Hall and Pearl
Gates. A surgeon here whose surname is Hunt was nicknamed Isaac.

Peter.

--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk

[Bod]

On 09/11/2013 21:11, Phil L wrote:

Indeed.

[Mike Barnes]

Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk>:

>On 9 Nov 2013 "Phil L" <neverc...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Bod wrote:
>>> Like:
>>>
>>> Glasscock
>>> Hiscock
>>> Gotobed
>>> Shufflebottom
>>> Bracegirdle
>>> Hardmeat
>>> Nutters
>>> Rattlebag
>>> Pigfat
>>> Bonefat
>>>
>>> Must've been strong ale when they thought of those :-P
>
>
>> Even normal surnames can be fun if the parents don't think too hard about
>> their offspring's first names, EG:
>
>> Dwayne Pipe
>
>> Mike Hunt
>
>> Eileen Dover
>
>> Annette Fisher
>
>> Theresa Greene
>
>And I'm sure I must have mentioned Ivor Payne, Albert Hall and Pearl
>Gates. A surgeon here whose surname is Hunt was nicknamed Isaac.

Then there's my favourite racehorse, Norfolk & Chance.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

[Bod]

Lol.

[Ian Jackson]

In message <be6run...@mid.individual.net>, Bod
<bodr...@yahoo.co.uk> writes

I know a guy whose surname was simply Cocks (and the not the usual Cox).
His prudish ISP would not allow his name to appear in his e-mail
address.
--
Ian

[Nick Spalding]

Mike L wrote, in <8tft79l0iv687d3em...@4ax.com>
on Sat, 09 Nov 2013 23:11:34 +0000:

I remember Mr Gotobed the sexton in The Nine Tailors.
--
Nick Spalding
BrE/IrE

[Bod]

Blimey!

[Katy Jennison]

On 10/11/2013 07:08, LFS wrote:
> On 09/11/2013 23:11, Mike L wrote:
>> On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:52:24 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"

>>> Gotobed:
>>> http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Gotobed
>>>
>> One of my favourites. It first came to my attention from J.B.S.Haldane
>> in his book of children's stories _My Friend Mr Leakey_. Mr L was a
>> real magic-practising magician, and when he didn't want company he'd
>> put an uninteresting professional plate on the door of his flat, or,
>> in extreme cases, magically replace it with plain brick wall. The
>> brass plate I remember read "Noah Gotobed, Artificial Toenail
>> Manufacturer" - possibly with the remark "wholesale enquiries only",
>> but I don't remember.
>> [...]
>>
>
> One of my favourite childhood reads! Have we discussed this before?
>

I think we did - in relation to eating mangoes in the bath, perhaps.

--
Katy Jennison

[Gus]

There are some people in the US with last name "Head" who name a boy Richard, and has the nickname Dick. Probably apocryphal, but heard one became a major once. In the phone here there is a listing for "Dick Head, atty".

[Bertel Lund Hansen]

Phil L skrev:

> Even normal surnames can be fun if the parents don't think too hard about
> their offspring's first names, EG:

> Mike Hunt

Sound like Simpsons.

--
Bertel, Denmark

[Bod]

On 10/11/2013 17:34, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
> Phil L skrev:
>
>> Even normal surnames can be fun if the parents don't think too hard about
>> their offspring's first names, EG:
>
>> Mike Hunt
>
> Sound like Simpsons.
>

William Bentwell>>>> Willy Bentwell.

And yes, Bentwell is a real surname. :-P

[Adam Funk]

(I don't know this one.)

> I think we did - in relation to eating mangoes in the bath, perhaps.

Well, they are rather drippy, so I can see the sense in that.


--
I heard that Hans Christian Andersen lifted the title for "The Little
Mermaid" off a Red Lobster Menu. [Bucky Katt]

[Adam Funk]

On 2013-11-09, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:

> Even if the names don't mean what we think they mean we can still have a
> chuckle.

Penistone (town)

Butt Hole Road (street in Conisbrough)


--
A recent study conducted by Harvard University found that the average
American walks about 900 miles a year. Another study by the AMA found
that Americans drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year. This
means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/average-americans-mpg

[R H Draney]

LFS filted:

>
>We moved to live in Sheffield when I was in my late teens and I started
>work where I was introduced to a co-worker called Walter Wall. I grinned
>and said "Carpets!" It transpired that no-one had ever responded to his
>name in that way before. I concluded that Yorkshire homes did not have
>fitted floor coverings.

"Walter Wall Carpets" would be a nice companion to a business we used to have
here in Phoenix: "Harry Green Wallcoverings"....

Or this, also in Phoenix:

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkcebnQy881qctkcl.jpg

....r


--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.

[R H Draney]

Bod filted:

We might as well start making up fake ones now, like Winnie DePew....

I've been toying with the idea of a book claiming that Jason, the killer in the
"Friday the 13th" series of movies, wasn't such a bad guy after all...I'd call
it "Voorhees: A Jolly Good Fellow"....r

[musika]

On 10/11/2013 20:53, Adam Funk wrote:
> On 2013-11-09, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:
>
>> Even if the names don't mean what we think they mean we can still have a
>> chuckle.
>
>
> Penistone (town)
>
> Butt Hole Road (street in Conisbrough)
>
>

Peniscola always makes me think twice.

--
Ray
UK

[Peter T. Daniels]

On Sunday, November 10, 2013 4:22:56 PM UTC-5, musika wrote:

> Peniscola always makes me think twice.

What's that?

[J. J. Lodder]

A prudish translator renamed Inspecteur De Cock
to Inspector DeKok.
(Despite Dutch not having intercapping)

De Kok, which is a common Dutch surname
(a Dutch 'kok' is an English 'cook')
was still too bad, apparently,

Jan

[Mike L]

He seems to have disappeared from conversation, though I see it's in
print: the woman warrior has three copies of the old one I had (now
lost) plus a new edition illus by Quentin Blake.

--
Mike.

[Robin Bignall]

On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 16:09:44 +0000, Katy Jennison
<ka...@spamtrap.kjennison.com> wrote:

That's "A Meal with a Magician", AFAIK. Had it in a volume of stories
for my 9th BD, together with "The Sword in the Stone".
--
Robin Bignall
Herts, England (BrE)

[fabzorba]

On Monday, 11 November 2013 03:21:13 UTC+11, Gus wrote:
> There are some people in the US with last name "Head" who name a boy Richard, and has the nickname Dick. Probably apocryphal, but heard one became a major once. In the phone here there is a listing for "Dick Head, atty".

Here's one that most certainly is NOT an urban myth.
From my home town, meet Richard Face, Labor minister
in the NSW Parliament.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Face

WP article mentions he had another first name, Jack. Now you MIGHT
have thought that he would have chosen Jack over Richard,
but no, he was Dick Face all his life, and it did not improve
when he was hauled up before the Anti-Corruption Board
and fined.

(Note: A complete mediocrity, he is only remembered for being a
Dick Face but the WP article does not ever mention it…)

[fabzorba]

I believe there was a Garth Hopper.
I knew a young girl Olive Cherry.

She sure was glad when she married:
her husband: Tony Grove. (2nd part is joke).

I have seen Susan Spittle in phone book.

[Steve Hayes]

On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:02:41 +0100, nos...@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder)
wrote:

And then there was De Kock Bezuidenhout, son of the famous Evita.

http://www.evita.co.za/who%20is%20evita.html




--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

[Steve Hayes]

On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:53:34 +0000, Adam Funk <a24...@ducksburg.com> wrote:

>On 2013-11-09, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:
>
>> Even if the names don't mean what we think they mean we can still have a
>> chuckle.
>
>
>Penistone (town)
>
>Butt Hole Road (street in Conisbrough)

And then there is Intercourse, PA, from which porn mags used to post to their
subscribers (and perhaps still do, for all I know).

[J. J. Lodder]

Steve Hayes <haye...@telkomsa.net> wrote:

> On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:02:41 +0100, nos...@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder)
> wrote:
>
> >Ian Jackson <ianREMOVET...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> In message <be6run...@mid.individual.net>, Bod
> >> <bodr...@yahoo.co.uk> writes
> >> >On 09/11/2013 13:27, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:
> >> >> On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:52:24 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
> >> >> <ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>> Hisacock
> >> >>
> >> >> Accidental variant spelling of Hiscock.
> >> >>
> >> >Only half a point deducted :-P
> >>
> >> I know a guy whose surname was simply Cocks (and the not the usual Cox).
> >> His prudish ISP would not allow his name to appear in his e-mail
> >> address.
> >
> >A prudish translator renamed Inspecteur De Cock
> >to Inspector DeKok.
> >(Despite Dutch not having intercapping)
> >
> >De Kok, which is a common Dutch surname
> >(a Dutch 'kok' is an English 'cook')
> >was still too bad, apparently,
>
> And then there was De Kock Bezuidenhout, son of the famous Evita.
>
> http://www.evita.co.za/who%20is%20evita.html

Dutch and South African 'kok' have several spelling variants,
De Kok being the most frequent.

That's why Inspecteur De Cock used as his tag line:
"Mijn naam is De Cock."
"De Cock with Cee Oh Cee Kaa."

They could have made him into Inspector Cook,

Jan

[J. J. Lodder]

Steve Hayes <haye...@telkomsa.net> wrote:

> On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:53:34 +0000, Adam Funk <a24...@ducksburg.com> wrote:
>
> >On 2013-11-09, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:
> >
> >> Even if the names don't mean what we think they mean we can still have a
> >> chuckle.
> >
> >
> >Penistone (town)
> >
> >Butt Hole Road (street in Conisbrough)
>
> And then there is Intercourse, PA, from which porn mags used to post to their
> subscribers (and perhaps still do, for all I know).

They should go to Fucking, Austria instead.

They had to install theft proof road signs,

Jan

[Bod]

Ok , this isn't exactly English usage, but it's the connotation in
English that is so funny.
The German sportswoman named Fanny Schmelar.
This is funny:

http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/10/watch-law-order-uk-star-can-barely-contain-his-laughter/

[Peter Young]

Also Wank, in Germany.

Peter.

--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk

[J. J. Lodder]

Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:

> On 11 Nov 2013 nos...@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) wrote:
>
> > Steve Hayes <haye...@telkomsa.net> wrote:
>
> >> On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:53:34 +0000, Adam Funk <a24...@ducksburg.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>On 2013-11-09, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Even if the names don't mean what we think they mean we can still have a
> >>>> chuckle.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Penistone (town)
> >>>
> >>>Butt Hole Road (street in Conisbrough)
> >>
> >> And then there is Intercourse, PA, from which porn mags used to post
> >> to their
> >> subscribers (and perhaps still do, for all I know).
>
> > They should go to Fucking, Austria instead.
>
> > They had to install theft proof road signs,
>
> Also Wank, in Germany.

Looking it up again I find that two clever business men
have registered 'Fucking Hell' as a trade mark for a beer.
(over the protests of the mayor of Fucking)

'Hell' of course refers to the colour of the beer,
(despite the little devil on the label)

Jan

[Bertel Lund Hansen]

Peter Young skrev:

>> They should go to Fucking, Austria instead.

>> They had to install theft proof road signs,

> Also Wank, in Germany.

I believe that Hell in Norway has the same problem.

We once had a thread in the Danish newsgroup about very rude
Danish words that can be found as surnames around the world. They
wouldn't be funny for people who don't speak Danish, though.

--
Bertel, Denmark

[Ian Jackson]

In message <2at0891e7naueg1i8...@4ax.com>, Steve Hayes
<haye...@telkomsa.net> writes

>On Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:02:41 +0100, nos...@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder)
>wrote:
>
>>Ian Jackson <ianREMOVET...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> In message <be6run...@mid.individual.net>, Bod
>>> <bodr...@yahoo.co.uk> writes
>>> >On 09/11/2013 13:27, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:
>>> >> On Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:52:24 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
>>> >> <ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>> Hisacock
>>> >>
>>> >> Accidental variant spelling of Hiscock.
>>> >>
>>> >Only half a point deducted :-P
>>>
>>> I know a guy whose surname was simply Cocks (and the not the usual Cox).
>>> His prudish ISP would not allow his name to appear in his e-mail
>>> address.
>>
>>A prudish translator renamed Inspecteur De Cock
>>to Inspector DeKok.
>>(Despite Dutch not having intercapping)
>>
>>De Kok, which is a common Dutch surname
>>(a Dutch 'kok' is an English 'cook')
>>was still too bad, apparently,
>
>And then there was De Kock Bezuidenhout, son of the famous Evita.
>
>http://www.evita.co.za/who%20is%20evita.html
>

Or the "not quite so famous" Evita!
--
Ian

[Ian Jackson]

In message <bebft1...@mid.individual.net>, Bod

Of course, there's the British military medical organisation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Aid_Nursing_Yeomanry
I cannot be other than a tongue-in-cheek name. Ladies had no hesitation
to saying that they were in 'fannies'. I see it was officially renamed
in 1999.
[Most AmEers will realise that, in BrE, the word indicates a slightly
different geographical location in the human body from that in AmE.]
--
Ian

[Steve Hayes]

On Mon, 11 Nov 2013 09:48:34 +0000, Ian Jackson

Did she also have a son called De Kock?

I'm surprised?

[Gefreiter Krueger]

The Americans will think we're talking about bottoms.

--
People who live in glass houses should fuck in the basement.

[Mike L]

Absolutely right, as usual. It was the first time I had ever heard of
borscht. Or, even more impressive, of people who invited people to
dinner and then had the meal delivered from a restaurant - that was
Haldane's speculation at first, but then it turned out far less
impressive to me: the feller simply got it by magic.

--
Mike.

[Robin Bignall]

I can still see, in my mind's eye, illustrations from that book. For
Haldane, it was the dishes and cutlery washing themselves up. "Let's
duck the teapot", or something like. For White, it was Pellinore's
brachet, which had wrapped its lead around a dozen trees and was
prostrate, panting, with a big grin. In the background was the King,
searching for his glasses, and the Questing Beast, looking anxious.

[Katy Jennison]

In "My Friend Mr Leakey", it's the picture of the dragon, Pompey,
looking small and appealing, which sticks in my mind.

--
Katy Jennison

[Evan Kirshenbaum]

Bertel Lund Hansen <kanon...@lundhansen.dk> writes:

> Phil L skrev:
>
>> Even normal surnames can be fun if the parents don't think too hard about
>> their offspring's first names, EG:
>
>> Mike Hunt
>
> Sound like Simpsons.

Wikipedia lists a "Mike Hunt" who played (football) for the Green Bay
Packers from 1978 through 1980.

--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
Still with HP Labs |If all else fails, embarrass the
SF Bay Area (1982-) |industry into doing the right
Chicago (1964-1982) |thing.
| Dean Thompson
evan.kir...@gmail.com

http://www.kirshenbaum.net/

[Evan Kirshenbaum]

Mike Barnes <mikeba...@gmail.com> writes:

> Then there's my favourite racehorse, Norfolk & Chance.

And, of course, the famous law firm of Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe.

--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
Still with HP Labs |Oh, forget it: I can't write about
SF Bay Area (1982-) |this anymore until I find a much
Chicago (1964-1982) |more sarcastic typeface.
| Bill Bickel
evan.kir...@gmail.com

http://www.kirshenbaum.net/

[Dr Nick]

Although it only seems to have become even slightly taboo in other uses
relatively recently. My great aunt was called* "Fanny" and when Titus
Salt named the streets of Saltaire after his children he had no problems
calling one of them "Fanny Street".

* she was named that as well. I've mentioned before how odd I find it
that a brother and a sister where registered and christened as Frank
and Fanny.

[Peter Young]

On 12 Nov 2013 Evan Kirshenbaum <evan.kir...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Mike Barnes <mikeba...@gmail.com> writes:

>> Then there's my favourite racehorse, Norfolk & Chance.

> And, of course, the famous law firm of Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe.

And another law firm somewhere in Ireland Argew and Phibbs. Not
forgetting the Shropshire Estate Agents, Dolittle and Dalley.

[charles]

In article <4b4e53a95...@pnyoung.ormail.co.uk>,

Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:
> On 12 Nov 2013 Evan Kirshenbaum <evan.kir...@gmail.com> wrote:

> > Mike Barnes <mikeba...@gmail.com> writes:

> >> Then there's my favourite racehorse, Norfolk & Chance.

> > And, of course, the famous law firm of Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe.

> And another law firm somewhere in Ireland Argew and Phibbs. Not
> forgetting the Shropshire Estate Agents, Dolittle and Dalley.

we used to have a village garage called George Stuart - quite a respectable
name - but the directors of the company were George Crook and Stuart
Swindle!

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

[R H Draney]

charles filted:

I once paid two guys to install a car stereo...Chad and Jeremy...and I had to
explain to *them* why that made me laugh....r


--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.

[Bertel Lund Hansen]

R H Draney skrev:

> I once paid two guys to install a car stereo...Chad and
> Jeremy...and I had to explain to *them* why that made me
> laugh....r

You have to explain it to me too.

--
Bertel, Denmark

[Mike Barnes]

R H Draney <dado...@spamcop.net>:

>I once paid two guys to install a car stereo...Chad and Jeremy...and I had to
>explain to *them* why that made me laugh....r

So why *did* it make you laugh?

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

[Peter T. Daniels]

On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 1:37:29 AM UTC-5, Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:
> Bertel Lund Hansen <kanon...@lundhansen.dk> writes:
> > Phil L skrev:

> >> Even normal surnames can be fun if the parents don't think too hard about
> >> their offspring's first names, EG:
> >> Mike Hunt
> > Sound like Simpsons.
>
> Wikipedia lists a "Mike Hunt" who played (football) for the Green Bay
> Packers from 1978 through 1980.

Which would only seem to be a problem for the h-deprived of a small part
of the London, England, area.

[Peter T. Daniels]

LMGTFY:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_&_Jeremy

They're English, no less.

[Ian Jackson]

In message <ddedad2d-805c-4a27...@googlegroups.com>,
Peter T. Daniels <gram...@verizon.net> writes

>On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 6:57:28 AM UTC-5, Mike Barnes wrote:
>> R H Draney <dado...@spamcop.net>:
>
>> >I once paid two guys to install a car stereo...Chad and Jeremy...and

>> >had to
>> >explain to *them* why that made me laugh....r
>>
>> So why *did* it make you laugh?
>> --
>> Mike Barnes
>> Cheshire, England
>
>LMGTFY:
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_&_Jeremy
>
>They're English, no less.

Never heard of them - nor their song, "Yesterday's Gone".
--
Ian

[Leslie Danks]

Neither have I. Perhaps they met on the boat and only then started to sing
together - from the WikiLink Peter gave:

[q]
They were part of the British Invasion, a large influx of British rock and
pop musicians to the American music scene.
[/q]

Were they funny?

--
Les (BrE)

[John Briggs]

They are completely unknown in England - and always have been, except
for a brief occasion in 1964 when their record charted at 37...

[On a side note, I am pleased to see that you have started using
Wikipedia for fact-checking.]
--
John Briggs

[Tak To]

Never watched the "Porky's" movies, I presume?

Tak
--
----------------------------------------------------------------+-----
Tak To ta...@comcast.netxx
--------------------------------------------------------------------^^
[taode takto ~{LU5B~}] NB: trim the xx to get my real email addr

[Evan Kirshenbaum]

This is a great example of the AmE "named/called" distinction. Here,
that reads that their names were something else, but--presumably due
to their business practices--people referred to George and Stuart as
"George Crook" and "Stuart Swindle".

--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
Still with HP Labs |...as a mobile phone is analogous
SF Bay Area (1982-) |to a Q-Tip -- yeah, it's something
Chicago (1964-1982) |you stick in your ear, but there
|all resemblance ends.
evan.kir...@gmail.com | Ross Howard

http://www.kirshenbaum.net/

[Mike L]

On Tue, 12 Nov 2013 07:42:26 GMT, Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk>
wrote:

>On 12 Nov 2013 Evan Kirshenbaum <evan.kir...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Mike Barnes <mikeba...@gmail.com> writes:
>
>>> Then there's my favourite racehorse, Norfolk & Chance.
>
>> And, of course, the famous law firm of Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe.
>
>And another law firm somewhere in Ireland Argew and Phibbs. Not
>forgetting the Shropshire Estate Agents, Dolittle and Dalley.
>

Let's not forget Lord Gnome's own solicitors, Messrs Sue, Grabbit, and
Runne.

--
Mike.

[Peter T. Daniels]

On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 11:11:27 AM UTC-5, Tak To wrote:
> On 11/12/2013 10:22 AM, Peter T. Daniels wrote:
> > On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 1:37:29 AM UTC-5, Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:

> >> Wikipedia lists a "Mike Hunt" who played (football) for the Green Bay
> >> Packers from 1978 through 1980.
>
> > Which would only seem to be a problem for the h-deprived of a small part
> > of the London, England, area.
>
> Never watched the "Porky's" movies, I presume?

Once, long ago ... notable mainly because the first one was the first of
its genre to feature frontal nudity -- and, as it happened, the last to
feature male frontal nudity.

What's the connection?

[Tak To]

There was a "Mike Hunt" prank in one of them (probably
the first).

[Peter T. Daniels]

On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 5:56:40 PM UTC-5, Tak To wrote:
> On 11/12/2013 4:40 PM, Peter T. Daniels wrote:
> > On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 11:11:27 AM UTC-5, Tak To wrote:
> >> On 11/12/2013 10:22 AM, Peter T. Daniels wrote:
> >>> On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 1:37:29 AM UTC-5, Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:

> >>>> Wikipedia lists a "Mike Hunt" who played (football) for the Green Bay
> >>>> Packers from 1978 through 1980.
> >>> Which would only seem to be a problem for the h-deprived of a small part
> >>> of the London, England, area.
> >> Never watched the "Porky's" movies, I presume?
>
> > Once, long ago ... notable mainly because the first one was the first of
> > its genre to feature frontal nudity -- and, as it happened, the last to
> > feature male frontal nudity.
>
> > What's the connection?
>
> There was a "Mike Hunt" prank in one of them (probably
> the first).

There were Cockney-speaking characters in that movie?

[Peter T. Daniels]

On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 11:38:48 AM UTC-5, Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:

> charles <cha...@charleshope.demon.co.uk> writes:

> > we used to have a village garage called George Stuart - quite a
> > respectable name - but the directors of the company were George
> > Crook and Stuart Swindle!
>
> This is a great example of the AmE "named/called" distinction. Here,
> that reads that their names were something else, but--presumably due
> to their business practices--people referred to George and Stuart as
> "George Crook" and "Stuart Swindle".

I don't get your point -- it could only reflect the distinction if you
are of the opinion that the name of the firm was Crook & Swindle but
that it was called George Stuart to avoid the connotation.

There's also the question of "directors" -- surely they're the _owners_?
Or the _principals_?

[Tony Cooper]

Why can't the Managing Director be the owner or a principal? "Managing
Director" is just a term for the person who runs the show. We call
that person "President" or "CEO". In the case of "George Stuart",
they evidently have co-owners.

You may be thinking of the Board of Directors, but that's a different
function.

--
Tony Cooper - Orlando FL

[Tak To]

No, and that is the point: "Mike Hunt" is a "problem"
for those outside of the Cockney area as well -- and as
long as there are people who remember "Porky's".

Tak
--
----------------------------------------------------------------+-----
Tak To ta...@alum.mit.eduxx

[John Briggs]

No, you are thinking of "general manager". "Managing Director" is the
member of the Board of Directors who runs the show.
--
John Briggs

[Tony Cooper]

The man who runs the show in the US, be he President or CEO, usually
has a seat on the board. As far as I know, the practice exists in the
UK so the Managing Director would be the chap who runs the show. The
General Manager would be a level below.

[John Briggs]

No, there is a "general manager" when there is no "managing director",
i.e. when the Chief Executive does not have a seat on the board.
--
John Briggs

[Evan Kirshenbaum]

"Peter T. Daniels" <gram...@verizon.net> writes:

> On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 11:38:48 AM UTC-5, Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:
>> charles <cha...@charleshope.demon.co.uk> writes:
>
>> > we used to have a village garage called George Stuart - quite a
>> > respectable name - but the directors of the company were George
>> > Crook and Stuart Swindle!
>>
>> This is a great example of the AmE "named/called" distinction.
>> Here, that reads that their names were something else,
>> but--presumably due to their business practices--people referred to
>> George and Stuart as "George Crook" and "Stuart Swindle".
>
> I don't get your point -- it could only reflect the distinction if
> you are of the opinion that the name of the firm was Crook & Swindle
> but that it was called George Stuart to avoid the connotation.

You're right. I misread it and somehow saw the "called" before the
second "George" rather than the first.

Never mind.

> There's also the question of "directors" -- surely they're the
> _owners_? Or the _principals_?

If it's a corporation, it will have a board of directors. If it's
small and privately held, the directors will likely be just the
owners.

--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
Still with HP Labs |Well, if you can't believe what you
SF Bay Area (1982-) |read in a comic book, what can you
Chicago (1964-1982) |believe?!
| Bullwinkle J. Moose
evan.kir...@gmail.com

http://www.kirshenbaum.net/

[Mark Brader]

Laura Spira:
> We moved to live in Sheffield when I was in my late teens and I started
> work where I was introduced to a co-worker called Walter Wall. I grinned
> and said "Carpets!" It transpired that no-one had ever responded to his
> name in that way before.

We are in a Monty Python joke. From Episode 31, 1972-11-16:

"Ah. Good morning. I'm Bounder of Adventure."

"My name is Smoke-Too-Much."

"What?"

"My name is Smoke-Too-Much. Mr. Smoke-Too-Much."

"Well, you'd better cut down a bit then."

"What?"

"You'd better cut down a bit then."

"Oh, I see! Cut down a bit, for Smoke-Too-Much."

"Yes, ha ha... I expect you get people making jokes about
your name all the time, eh?"

"No, no actually. Actually, it never struck me before.
Smoke... too... much!"

I had some difficulty finding this one, by the way; it's indexed under
the title "Travel agent", thus also omitting the other notable bit,
where Mr. Smoke-Too-Much goes on to reveal that due to a traumatic
incident as a schoolboy when he was attacked by a bat [sic], he is
unable to pronounce (or even name, it seems) the letter C, and always
substitutes B instead. (Yes, even though he just used the letter
several times in the above dialogue.) Fortunately Mr. Bounder is
able to help:

"Why don't you say the letter K instead of the letter C?"

"What? Spell 'bolour' with a K?"

"Yes."

"Kolour. Oh, that's very good. I never thought of that."


> I concluded that Yorkshire homes did not have fitted floor coverings.

Or that the Yorkshire accent is rhotic?

For me, Walter has an O sound as in cot, not an aw as in caught, so
even ignoring rhoticity, it dosn't work that well.
--
Mark Brader "I can say nothing at this point."
Toronto "Well, you were wrong."
m...@vex.net -- Monty Python's Flying Circus

My text in this article is in the public domain.

[Mike L]

The Republic of Yorkshire is big by Brit standards, and accents vary
quite a lot. Some of them are rhotic; but on the whole I associate
rhoticism more with their neighbours across the Pennines in
Lancashire.

--
Mike.