Clean up calls
Garry J. Vass
Thanks to all who helped on the my Vulgar Comparative Metaphor FAQ.
There remain a few clean-up calls. Please note that I already
understand the underlying vulgarities, and do not need explanations
about that.
I am attempting to locate source and etymology information here.
"...stickier than the Billy Mill roundabout...". (Brit.) [1] Is there
(was there) such a roundabout? [2] If so, where? and who/what was
Billy Mill? [3] How did it come to be associated with its current
meaning?
"...busier than a kangaroo shagging a space jumper..." (Aussie) [1] what
is a space jumper? [2] can a more recognizable term be substituted?
[3] do kangaroos do anything unusual when they shag that I should know
about?
"...longer than the line for Chinese singing lessons..." (Brit.)
Although I find racial/ethnic vulgarity repugnant and refuse to include
it in the FAQ, I am interested to know how "Chinese singing lessons"
came to this association.
If anyone can provide substantive information about the
sources/etymology of these expressions, I would be greatful.
--
Garry J. Vass
James Haigh
Garry J. Vass wrote:
> [some snips]
>
>
> is a space jumper? [2] can a more recognizable term be substituted?
> [3] do kangaroos do anything unusual when they shag that I should know
> about?
>
Would this be what is called a space hopper in Britain? My American
girlfriend can't provide a name but, when asked, described it as "a
giant bouncing ball that you sit on." In Britain it had a face printed
on it and was a definite '70s thing. I supposed the allusion in the
phrase is the sight of one hopping thing trying to shag another hopping
thing.
James
--
"I regret to say that we of the FBI are powerless to act in cases of
oral-genital intimacy, unless it has in some way obstructed interstate
commerce." --J. Edgar Hoover
Mike Barnes
In alt.usage.english, Garry J. Vass <Ga...@gvass.demon.co.uk> spake
thuswise:
>"...longer than the line for Chinese singing lessons..." (Brit.)
Sounds unlikely: Brits have "queues", not "lines".
--
-- Mike Barnes, Stockport, England.
-- If you post a response to Usenet, please *don't* send me a copy by e-mail.
Graeme Thomas
In article <UD7T2DAp...@gvass.demon.co.uk>, "Garry J. Vass"
<Ga...@gvass.demon.co.uk> writes
>"...busier than a kangaroo shagging a space jumper..." (Aussie) [1] what
>is a space jumper? [2] can a more recognizable term be substituted?
>[3] do kangaroos do anything unusual when they shag that I should know
>about?
no idea what the American equivalent is. It is a large heavy-duty
balloon with handles. One sits on it, in an ungainly fashion, and one
then bounces down the road. They were once, for reasons which escape
me, popular.
Given that kangaroos are naturally bouncy things, and that space jumpers
are also bouncy, the combination boggles my mind.
--
Graeme Thomas
tom.b...@ingrammicro.com
In article <353616...@sb.fsu.edu>,
James Haigh <ha...@sb.fsu.edu> wrote:
>
> Garry J. Vass wrote:
> > [some snips]
> > Thanks to all who helped on the my Vulgar Comparative Metaphor FAQ.
> >
> > I am attempting to locate source and etymology information here.
> >
> > is a space jumper? [2] can a more recognizable term be substituted?
> > [3] do kangaroos do anything unusual when they shag that I should know
> > about?
> >
>
> girlfriend can't provide a name but, when asked, described it as "a
> giant bouncing ball that you sit on." In Britain it had a face printed
> on it and was a definite '70s thing. I supposed the allusion in the
> phrase is the sight of one hopping thing trying to shag another hopping
> thing.
The American cousin of this toy is the "Hippity Hop" (Hoppity Hop?) This was
a brand name for a giant rubber ball with a pommell-horse type handle on top.
Often they featured cartoon character heads (Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Nixon,
etc.) on top. I don't know of any generic name for this toy. It seems to me
that Hippity Hops were marketed by the same people who made slinkys
(slinkies?)
Tom "hop this helps" Bernard
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Andy Keck
In article <clQceKAN...@graemet.demon.co.uk>, Graeme Thomas
<gra...@graemet.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I think that an Aussie Space Jumper is a British Space Hopper. I have
> no idea what the American equivalent is. It is a large heavy-duty
> balloon with handles. One sits on it, in an ungainly fashion, and one
> then bounces down the road. They were once, for reasons which escape
> me, popular.
In the U.S they were sold as Hippity-Hops. My sister and I each had one in
the mid-70s, and besides being great for
bouncing, the made fantastic weapons. Grab one by the handle and give it a
huge swing and you could knock just
about anyone into next week. That's about all we ever did with them.
--
andy
H Gilmer
: In article <clQceKAN...@graemet.demon.co.uk>, Graeme Thomas
: <gra...@graemet.demon.co.uk> wrote:
: > I think that an Aussie Space Jumper is a British Space Hopper. I have
: > no idea what the American equivalent is. It is a large heavy-duty
: > balloon with handles. One sits on it, in an ungainly fashion, and one
: > then bounces down the road. They were once, for reasons which escape
: > me, popular.
Because they were the coolest thing on the planet. I haven't had a
hippety-hoppety (U.S. term, as pointed out in another post) in 20
years and I still miss it.
Hg
Cissy . Thorpe
They were called Hoppity Balls and now they are Bouncers - of some sort
or another, but you can still get them at the local Marts and TOYS-R-US -
just bought one for a friend's 3yo and it had all of us "remembering when"
Cissy
Garry J. Vass
In article <s25ksTDl...@exodus.co.uk>, Mike Barnes
<mi...@exodus.co.uk> writes
>In alt.usage.english, Garry J. Vass <Ga...@gvass.demon.co.uk> spake
>thuswise:
>>"...longer than the line for Chinese singing lessons..." (Brit.)
>
>Sounds unlikely: Brits have "queues", not "lines".
Thanks for the reminder, Mike.
May I quote your text anonomously in the FAQ?
--
Garry J. Vass
Garry J. Vass
>Given that kangaroos are naturally bouncy things, and that space jumpers
>are also bouncy, the combination boggles my mind.
scrabble-things that you do (where you mix up the letters and get a new
phrase/word - what is that name of that anyway? Anigram? Damn, I can't
think of the name.)... But you know what I mean. Would you provide one
of those scrabble things for "colder than a witch's tit"?
Take whatever artistic liberties are needed, advance the standard.
Inspiration: Think of the 44th Light at Grandamack, the Black Watch at
Quatre-Bras, the 93rd Highlanders at Balaclava, the Cold Stream Guards
at Hougomont, the Inniskillings at Bangalore, the Greys at Nunzio...
Let's have it, lad, out with it!
Thanks in advance!
PS: The clock is ticking...
--
Garry J. Vass
John Holmes
Graeme Thomas wrote:
>In article <UD7T2DAp...@gvass.demon.co.uk>, "Garry J. Vass"
><Ga...@gvass.demon.co.uk> writes
>>"...busier than a kangaroo shagging a space jumper..." (Aussie) [1]
what
>>is a space jumper? [2] can a more recognizable term be substituted?
>>[3] do kangaroos do anything unusual when they shag that I should know
>>about?
>I think that an Aussie Space Jumper is a British Space Hopper. I have
>no idea what the American equivalent is. It is a large heavy-duty
>balloon with handles. One sits on it, in an ungainly fashion, and one
>then bounces down the road.
The only time I have ever encountered one of these things it was called
a "Jolly Jumper". I think that was a brand name. Perhaps "Space Jumper"
was another brand of the same thing, although I've never heard of it.
A pogo stick might be the closest easily recognised alternative,
although they've never been particularly popular here.
Regards,
John.
hol...@smart.net.au
email copies of any replies would be appreciated.
Mike Barnes
In alt.usage.english, Garry J. Vass <Ga...@gvass.demon.co.uk> spake
thuswise:
>In article <s25ksTDl...@exodus.co.uk>, Mike Barnes
><mi...@exodus.co.uk> writes
>>In alt.usage.english, Garry J. Vass <Ga...@gvass.demon.co.uk> spake
>>thuswise:
>>>"...longer than the line for Chinese singing lessons..." (Brit.)
>>
>>Sounds unlikely: Brits have "queues", not "lines".
>
>Thanks for the reminder, Mike.
>
>May I quote your text anonomously in the FAQ?
Yes, or anonymously, or onymously.
Mike Czaplinski
Graeme Thomas wrote:
>
> In article <UD7T2DAp...@gvass.demon.co.uk>, "Garry J. Vass"
> <Ga...@gvass.demon.co.uk> writes
> >"...busier than a kangaroo shagging a space jumper..." (Aussie) [1] what
> >is a space jumper? [2] can a more recognizable term be substituted?
> >[3] do kangaroos do anything unusual when they shag that I should know
> >about?
> I think that an Aussie Space Jumper is a British Space Hopper. I have
> no idea what the American equivalent is. It is a large heavy-duty
> balloon with handles. One sits on it, in an ungainly fashion, and one
> me, popular.
They were called 'Hippity-Hops' in the USA (at least, they were in the
mid-to-late 60's when I was a wee bairn), and I guiltily confess to
being one of those kids who had one as a child.
I believe they are still available, though I haven't seen them
advertised in ages.
Mike "Mine never worked right, though" Czaplinski
ekim.czaplinski<at>washingtoncd.rcn.moc
Larry Phillips
John Holmes wrote:
> The only time I have ever encountered one of these things it was
> called a "Jolly Jumper". I think that was a brand name. Perhaps "Space
> Jumper" was another brand of the same thing, although I've never heard
> of it.
A Jolly Jumper, in North America, is a sort of a baby-sized chair that
hangs in a doorway by bungee cords, so that the baby can bounce up and
down. They're fun to watch when they get going.
--
------------------------------------------------------------
Sixty billion gigabits can do much. It even does windows.
-- Fred Pohl, Beyond the Blue Event Horizon, 1980
http://home.bc.rogers.wave.ca/larryp
------------------------------------------------------------
Graeme Thomas
In article <MF81HGA2...@gvass.demon.co.uk>, "Garry J. Vass"
<Ga...@gvass.demon.co.uk> writes
>But you know what I mean. Would you provide one
>of those scrabble things for "colder than a witch's tit"?
After playing with the phrase for a while the best I could do was
CATHOLIC THIRST WANTED, so I asked some friends. Darryl confirmed that
ACCREDITATIONS is the longest word possible from those letters, but as
it leaves HHLTW it doesn't help much. Ivan Oddcat wrote to say that it
makes CATHARTIC THISTLEDOWN, but then went on to wonder if thistledown
was at all cathartic. Pledgor then cheated, in much the same way I had,
by asking someone else. That "someone" was Anagram Genius, <http://www.
genius2000.com/ag.html>. This responded with:
Cow shit! Darn it! chattel. What! not scattier child.
Now ditch athletic star. Twitters and loath chic.
Drat! athletic 'n' cow shit. In which total detracts.
An athletic, worst ditch. Two and athletic Christ.
Cow shit! Drat! in chattel. What! this idle contract.
Christ! to athletic dawn. That chronic twats idle.
Not react childish twat. Childish twat to trance.
Cow shit! neat child tart. To which drastic talent.
Contradict this wealth. Wasn't or athletic ditch.
Halt! Darn! choicest twit. Cow shit! darn chattel it.
Cow shit! detract in halt. Athletic dirt chats now.
What-ho! distract client. Cow and athletic thirst.
That while contradicts. What! not cliched artist.
Twit chats chlorinated. Castrated within cloth.
Christ! detach total win. Not childish twat trace.
Shh! twit ideal contract. Cow shit! Drat it! lech ant.
Toward this chic talent. Wanted, catholic thirst.
Rats! now athletic ditch. Catholic hand twitters.
Ditch on athletic warts. Not castrate with child.
Now that scattier child. Hated last chronic twit.
Twit to the rancid clash. Cow shit! Hitler and tact.
What-ho! rectal, distinct. Shit! contradict wealth.
What interacts to child. What! Shit! idle contract.
It isn't that coward lech. Chronic twat death-list.
Twat once childish tart. That chronic twat idles.
Rich, athletic don twats. Hate whilst contradict.
Contrast ethical width. Drat it! clown this cheat.
Dealt this chronic twat. This chronic twat delta.
Twats hid tolerant chic. Twit inch halo detracts.
Christ! twit and to leach. Cow shit! rectal hadn't it.
Wotcha! ditch in starlet. What distort technical.
What! is not cliched tart. Crowd this athletic ant.
Christ! do athletic want. Not cater childish twat.
Not crate childish twat. Childish twat to nectar.
This catholic twat nerd. Rat on this cliched twat.
Chord in athletic twats. Darn! the catholic twist.
Twit clothed rich Satan. Twit hated chronic salt.
Twit chic, tolerant dash. No! athletic warts ditch.
Drat! athletic cows hint. Drat! athletic cow hints.
Cow shit! that rancid let. Wotcha! Let's! Drat it! inch.
Wotcha! Drat! this client. What-ho! distinct claret.
What! Let's! Darn it! to chic. What! Let's! Drat it! on chic.
Christ! chew and total it. White halt contradicts.
Athletic arts ditch now. Now thirst athletic cad.
Clothe this rancid twat. Twats halo ditch cretin.
Twit red-hot, antic clash. Cow shit! attract in held.
Hit wealth contradicts. Can't or athletic widths.
Technical width to star. Athletic third acts now.
Athletic third cats now. Wants or athletic ditch.
Wild accent this-or-that. That wild, choicest rant.
Lech to this rancid twat. Athletic and strict how.
Athletic and strict who. Drat! which total incest.
Christ! watched in total. Technical widths to rat.
Athletic width or scant. Athletic thirds act now.
Rich, athletic wasn't dot. Twat dons athletic rich.
Rich twats to neat child. Twit shod technical rat.
Twit clothed anarchist. Drat! thin, athletic cows.
Cow shit! lech tart and it. Cow shit! that lad cretin.
Christ! cheat total wind. Now halt scattier ditch.
Christ! ached twin total. Wild hate this contract.
Darn it! that lowest chic. Not clashed rich twat it.
Clothed rich twat saint. Hated chronic twat list.
It halted chronic twats. Twats clothe and rich it.
Twist chlorinated chat. The anarchic, told twist.
Darn! the catholic twits. Twit so and rich chattel.
Twit the cordial snatch. Twit to the rich scandal.
Twit on the rascal ditch. Twit that sardonic lech.
Worst hint athletic cad. Worst thin athletic cad.
Drat! this technical two. Cow shit! Halt! tranced it.
Drat it! show chic talent. What! Christ! not. Dialect.
Darn! to athletic switch. Drat! on athletic switch.
Halt! it is wanted crotch. Chat drowns athletic it.
Down charts athletic it. Athletic wind to charts.
Now cast athletic third. Drat! this new, chic total.
To athletic ditch warns. Do twat enthrals chic it.
Rich twat 'n' athletic sod. Candle to this rich twat.
Chic twats and to Hitler. Oh! Drat! technical twist.
Twits chlorinated chat. The anarchic twits told.
Twit chic rants loathed. Twit crash athletic don.
Christ! twit and the coal. Straw on athletic ditch.
Water not childish tact. Drat! swot athletic inch.
Wotcha! Drat it! isn't lech. Which tail detracts not.
What ditch articles not. Watch distinct loather.
Chart to athletic winds. Now act childish tatter.
Now tatter childish cat. Clown this attic hatred.
Rich twats chat not idle. The chronic, tidal twats.
Twats or the antic child. Oh! twit and chic starlet.
Rich lads twit not cheat. Cow shit! that clean dirt.
Wotcha! Christ and title. Which idle not attracts.
Contract as it withheld. Christ! total width acne.
What lech not drastic it. To what static children.
Crotch and what elitist. Watch to latrines ditch.
White halts contradict. With and scattier cloth.
Now that cliched artist. Win hot drastic chattel.
Christ! win the total cad. New attract to childish.
Want athletic rich dots. Shit! Drat it! clown cheat.
Low hated intact Christ. Rich twat chats not idle.
The chronic twat it lads. Shit! dealt chronic twat.
Trash not idle chic twat. Twats ditch nice harlot.
Oh! twats interact child. Twats don't ethical rich.
--
Graeme Thomas