petal
Holger Freese
here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
(affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
no context or example.
Thanks, in advance,
Ho
--
If you mail me direct take the ho out of free...@web.de
TOF
Holger Freese wrote:
> Hi, native speakers of English,
>
> here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
> (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
> and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
> sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
> no context or example.
>
> Thanks, in advance,
>
> Ho
It's often used to address children or to patronise someone. Be careful
using it.
TOF
Peter Duncanson
<ma...@freese-privat.de> wrote:
>Hi, native speakers of English,
>
>here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
>(affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
>and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
>sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
>no context or example.
>
It is possibly to do with flower petals.
The word "flower" is also used:
http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/f.htm
flower Noun. An affectionate term of address, mainly applied to
females. {Informal}
In this usage "flower" means the flower head, the coloured part with
the petals. "Flower" is also used to mean a complete plant, but that
is not the meaning used here.
Flowers are conventionally thought of in a positive way.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Peter Duncanson
Good point.
It is one of those words to be understood but not to be used unless
one is very familiar with its use in a particular community. If one
is an outsider to the community the word is best avoided until one
has been accepted as part of the community.
Donna Richoux
> Holger Freese wrote:
> > here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
> > (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
> > and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
> > sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
> > no context or example.
>
> It's often used to address children or to patronise someone.
Perhaps it's often used in Australia, but not North America. Is it like
the impersonal affectionate terms British bus drivers and waitresses
might use -- "duck," "love"?
> Be careful using it.
--
Best -- Donna Richoux
Peter Duncanson
wrote:
I think it is very similar, perhaps slightly more personal in some
circumstances.
I stand to be corrected, but I think that "duck", "love" and "petal"
are used by men to women, and by women to both men and women.
If a man uses such a word of another man it might well suggest that
the other man is effiminate. Such usage might well be sarcastic.
>> Be careful using it.
Seconded.
John Holmes
> Hi, native speakers of English,
>
> here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used
> as an (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same
> as "pet" and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals?
> Again one of my sources is the online dictionary found at
> peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives no context or example.
It probably combines the ideas of 'pet' and 'petal'. 'Petal' almost
sounds like a possible diminutive for 'pet'. But it always reminds me of
this:
[quote}
Your lips are like petals--bicycle pedals. (This works verbally,
not written.) Your eyes are like pools--cesspools. Your teeth are like
stars--they come out at night. Your nose is a Roman nose--it's roamin'
all over your face. Your ears are like flowers--cauliflowers.
[end]
(found quoted online at http://www.hipiers.com/03april.html )
I don't know where that originally came from -- possibly an old
music-hall routine, or something like that. I've heard numerous
variations over the years, but can't remember them all.
--
Regards
John
for mail: my initials plus a u e
at tpg dot com dot au
Holger Freese
John Holmes schrieb:
> It probably combines the ideas of 'pet' and 'petal'. 'Petal' almost
> sounds like a possible diminutive for 'pet'. But it always reminds me of
> this:
>
> [quote}
> Your lips are like petals--bicycle pedals. (This works verbally,
> not written.) Your eyes are like pools--cesspools. Your teeth are like
> stars--they come out at night. Your nose is a Roman nose--it's roamin'
> all over your face. Your ears are like flowers--cauliflowers.
> [end]
> (found quoted online at http://www.hipiers.com/03april.html )
>
> I don't know where that originally came from -- possibly an old
> music-hall routine, or something like that. I've heard numerous
> variations over the years, but can't remember them all.
This newsgroup really never lets you down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Ho
J. J. Lodder
> Hi, native speakers of English,
>
> here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
> (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
> and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
> sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
> no context or example.
-The- rule for non-natives:
-never- use terms like this
unless you have heard them being used
by the natives you are talking with,
and understand what's appropriate usage.
Jan
TOF
Peter Duncanson wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:08:38 +0100, tr...@euronet.nl (Donna Richoux)
> wrote:
>
> >TOF <Fran...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Holger Freese wrote:
> >
> >> > here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
> >> > (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
> >> > and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
> >> > sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
> >> > no context or example.
> >>
> >> It's often used to address children or to patronise someone.
> >
> >Perhaps it's often used in Australia, but not North America. Is it like
> >the impersonal affectionate terms British bus drivers and waitresses
> >might use -- "duck," "love"?
> >
I've not heard a male use "pet" or "petal" in this way.
For mine, both words are exclusive to women, especially older
workingclass women, although petal strikes me as more likely to be used
by someone want ing to be taken for someone with a little more grace
and charm.
I doubt the words as used above will be in use 25 years from now.
TOF
Frank ess
Not to include "bloomin' ijit".
--
Frank ess
Don Phillipson
news:4rivv0F...@mid.individual.net...
> I understand "petal" can be used as an
> (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
> and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals?
Keep an ear open for the English TV soap opera
Coronation Street, where characters commonly
address each other affectionately as pet, petal,
blossom and flower. I.e. these uses are still
current (at least in Manchester.)
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
Peter Duncanson
<ma...@freese-privat.de> wrote:
>Hi, native speakers of English,
>
>here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
>(affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
>and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
>sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
>no context or example.
>
Today there is a letter in The Times (of London) in which the writer
from the London area expresses his pleasure at being addressed as
"darling", "sweetheart" and "my lovely" during a five hour visit to
Doncaster in the North of England.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2707-2445738,00.html
sage
It seems that it is now verboten to call the DHSS (it's where they deal
with pensions) staff in Newcastle-on-Tyne "pet" or "hin" (the latter
short for "hinny"). They are now considered demeaning. Surely the first
word uttered by a Geordie is "hinny"; it's part of the soundscape.
Cheers, Sage
Robin Bignall
You look like a million dollars - all green and crinkly.
--
Robin
Herts, England
Robin Bignall
I don't remember the word 'hinny' being used once in 'When the Boowat
Comes In", bonnie lads and lasses.
--
Robin
Herts, England
Django Cat
Spot on. I'm also inclined - having returned to my Southern roots
after 25 years exile up North, and still finding my feet with what is
and isn't regional dialect a bit - to think it's regional. Certainly
'flower' is common in the North but not heard in the South. 'Pet' as
opposed to 'Petal' is an archetypical Geordieism, as readers of Andy
Capp will know. (What on Earth do US readers make of Andy Capp, BTW?)
On male to male usage, it's not unheard of for male strangers to refer
to each other as 'love' in parts of the North - I used to hear that a
lot in Oldham. However, that's one to approach with *extreme* caution.
DC
Jonathan Morton
> On male to male usage, it's not unheard of for male strangers to refer
> to each other as 'love' in parts of the North - I used to hear that a
> lot in Oldham. However, that's one to approach with *extreme* caution.
Similarly "duck" in parts of the midlands - especially Stoke-on-Trent.
But Stoke is a law to itself - where "youth" means a person of the male
sex of any age from 4 to 104.
It's a minefield to be avoided.
Regards
Jonathan
Tony Cooper
wrote:
> (What on Earth do US readers make of Andy Capp, BTW?)
>
Periodically, the Orlando Sentinel asks the readers to vote on
retaining comic strips and on which ones to add. "Andy Capp" used to
appear in the Sentinel, but it was evidently voted out (or didn't
receive enough votes to be retained). It was one of my favorites.
Never a problem for me to understand.
Currently, the Sentinel carries "Fred Basset" (Alex Graham). Fred is
a Basset Hound, and the strip is set in the UK. There are very, very
few UK references used in the strip, though. You could read it for
months and not realize the setting is the UK. "Pub" is about the only
UK term routinely used.
The Sentinel also carries "For Better or for Worse" (Lynn Johnston)
which is set in Canada. Again, not a strip with a lot of language
uses or terms of the country in which it is set. You only recognize
that the setting is Canada because of the cities mentioned.
My question would be if UK and Aussie readers would easily follow
"Zits" (Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman). Fairly universal teenagers, but
some US high school and slang references that might be difficult to
understand by non-Americans.
http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/zits/about.htm
For example, some strips deal with high school lockers and locker
contents. I don't think that this travels overpond.
Today's strip, though, is aue material. A character uses "fully
sorry", "fully awesome", and "fully my fault". The other character
asks "New adverb?", and the first character replies "'Fully' is the
new 'totally'".
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL
John Dean
> Donna Richoux wrote:
>> TOF <Fran...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Holger Freese wrote:
>>
>>>> here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be
>>>> used as an (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about
>>>> the same as "pet" and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc
>>>> petals? Again one of my sources is the online dictionary found at
>>>> peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives no context or example.
>>>
>>> It's often used to address children or to patronise someone.
>>
>> Perhaps it's often used in Australia, but not North America. Is it
>> like the impersonal affectionate terms British bus drivers and
>> waitresses might use -- "duck," "love"?
>>
>
> Spot on. I'm also inclined - having returned to my Southern roots
> after 25 years exile up North, and still finding my feet with what is
> and isn't regional dialect a bit - to think it's regional. Certainly
> 'flower' is common in the North but not heard in the South. 'Pet' as
> opposed to 'Petal' is an archetypical Geordieism, as readers of Andy
> Capp will know. (What on Earth do US readers make of Andy Capp, BTW?)
You think *that's* an imponderable? On an exchange visit to Germany in the
60s I found German 6th-formers obsessed with Andy and Flo - in the original,
not translation.
BTW, just picked up a Geordie joke on another froup:
General Custer : I can hear the sound of war drums from the Sioux camp.
Geordie Sergeant : So they're not just murdering savages, they're thieving
bastards.
>
> On male to male usage, it's not unheard of for male strangers to refer
> to each other as 'love' in parts of the North - I used to hear that a
> lot in Oldham. However, that's one to approach with *extreme*
> caution. DC
Most definitely, me owd flower. If Oscar Wilde had been tried at Manchester
Crown Court he'd have walked.
--
John Dean
Oxford
Wood Avens
<tony_co...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>My question would be if UK and Aussie readers would easily follow
>"Zits" (Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman). Fairly universal teenagers, but
>some US high school and slang references that might be difficult to
>understand by non-Americans.
>http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/zits/about.htm
>
>For example, some strips deal with high school lockers and locker
>contents. I don't think that this travels overpond.
I don't have any trouble following "Zits" (and love it), but I may not
be typical. It's hard to know how much of my familiarity with the
references comes from time spent in the US (including with
high-schoolers), how much (conjecturally) from other strips, or shows
such as The Simpsons, or just general cultural seepage.
--
Katy Jennison
spamtrap: remove the first two letters after the @
Robert Bannister
My paper has been carrying a daily "Zits" for ages. It took me some time
before I even noticed that it was American. Lockers exist in Australian
schools and certainly did in my school in England.
--
Rob Bannister
John Holmes
> Donna Richoux wrote:
>> TOF <Fran...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Holger Freese wrote:
>>
>>>> here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be
>>>> used as an (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about
>>>> the same as "pet" and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc
>>>> petals? Again one of my sources is the online dictionary found at
>>>> peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives no context or example.
>>>
>>> It's often used to address children or to patronise someone.
>>
>> Perhaps it's often used in Australia, but not North America. Is it
>> like
>> the impersonal affectionate terms British bus drivers and waitresses
>> might use -- "duck," "love"?
I think there's a significant difference between Australian usage and
what DC says below. In Australia 'pet' would be mainly used within
families, or at least people who know each other well. Not to strangers
very often. It is perhaps what someone might call a young daughter,
niece or granddaughter. Other than that, it would sound rather
patronising, as Fran said.
> Spot on. I'm also inclined - having returned to my Southern roots
> after 25 years exile up North, and still finding my feet with what is
> and isn't regional dialect a bit - to think it's regional. Certainly
> 'flower' is common in the North but not heard in the South. 'Pet' as
> opposed to 'Petal' is an archetypical Geordieism, as readers of Andy
> Capp will know.
Also, I've noticed that Scots use 'pet' a lot. Maybe it's just in some
parts of Scotland.
Amethyst Deceiver
>
>Peter Duncanson wrote:
>> On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:08:38 +0100, tr...@euronet.nl (Donna Richoux)
>> wrote:
>>
>> >TOF <Fran...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Holger Freese wrote:
>> >
>> >> > here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
>> >> > (affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
>> >> > and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
>> >> > sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
>> >> > no context or example.
>> >>
>> >> It's often used to address children or to patronise someone.
>> >
>> >Perhaps it's often used in Australia, but not North America. Is it like
>> >the impersonal affectionate terms British bus drivers and waitresses
>> >might use -- "duck," "love"?
>> >
>
>I've not heard a male use "pet" or "petal" in this way.
My Granda and great uncle used to call family "pet", as did my uncle.
My cousin, the same age as me, calls his children "pet". It's still
used, in the north-east of England, at least.
--
Linz
Wet Yorks via Cambridge, York, London and Watford
My accent may vary
Amethyst Deceiver
<john...@fraglineone.net> wrote:
>You think *that's* an imponderable? On an exchange visit to Germany in the
>60s I found German 6th-formers obsessed with Andy and Flo - in the original,
>not translation.
>BTW, just picked up a Geordie joke on another froup:
>
>General Custer : I can hear the sound of war drums from the Sioux camp.
>Geordie Sergeant : So they're not just murdering savages, they're thieving
>bastards.
That was on QI on Friday night. Steven Fry completely and utterly
failed to get it, which made the joke all the funnier. Watch the
repeat next week!
Millicent Tendency
<docr...@ntlworld.com> wrought:
--
Millicent Tendency
(TEFKATHE)
TOF
Must be an Old Dart thing then.
TOF
John Dean
> On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 19:07:18 -0000, "John Dean"
> <john...@fraglineone.net> wrote:
>
>> You think *that's* an imponderable? On an exchange visit to Germany
>> in the 60s I found German 6th-formers obsessed with Andy and Flo -
>> in the original, not translation.
>> BTW, just picked up a Geordie joke on another froup:
>>
>> General Custer : I can hear the sound of war drums from the Sioux
>> camp. Geordie Sergeant : So they're not just murdering savages,
>> they're thieving bastards.
>
> That was on QI on Friday night. Steven Fry completely and utterly
> failed to get it, which made the joke all the funnier. Watch the
> repeat next week!
Ah. I'm not a QI watcher. I find I have to keep myself at a distance from Mr
Fry these days - the joke has worn too thin.
--
John Dean
Oxford
Millicent Tendency
<sp...@lindsayendell.org.uk> wrought:
>On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 19:07:18 -0000, "John Dean"
><john...@fraglineone.net> wrote:
>>General Custer : I can hear the sound of war drums from the Sioux camp.
>>Geordie Sergeant : So they're not just murdering savages, they're thieving
>>bastards.
>
>That was on QI on Friday night. Steven Fry completely and utterly
>failed to get it, which made the joke all the funnier. Watch the
>repeat next week!
Or "which made the weak joke moderately funny". It's a non-starter for
me because it relies on cheating with the stress patterns ("WAR drums"
versus "wor DRUMS").
But it is Monday morning.
--
Millicent Tendency
(TEFKATHE)
Millicent Tendency
<john...@fraglineone.net> wrought:
Yes. Although he perhaps aspires to be The New Noel Coward he all too
often ends up as The Old Noelle Gordon.
And he spreads himself so thin these days that if he's not careful
he'll be best remembered only as one of the world's Syd Littles, Tommy
Cannons or Mike Winterses -- put your hands together for "Dr House's
former sidekick".
--
Millicent Tendency
(TEFKATHE)
Wood Avens
Gosh, thank you for that. I was still trying to work it out, and I
now feel much better about not having succeeded. But, oh dear, the
ignominy of being in the same camp as Fry.....
Peter Duncanson
Fry? In a camp?
That's it. Sign him up for next year's "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out
of Here" (UK).
I suggest "next year" because this year's Looming Disaster Hopeless
Misfit slot is filled by David Gest (formerly Mr Liza Minelli).
the Omrud
> On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:41:19 +0000, Wood Avens
> <wood...@askjennison.com> wrote:
>
> >Gosh, thank you for that. I was still trying to work it out, and I
> >now feel much better about not having succeeded. But, oh dear, the
> >ignominy of being in the same camp as Fry.....
>
> Fry? In a camp?
>
> That's it. Sign him up for next year's "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out
> of Here" (UK).
I've never seen that, but I do recall that Fry said he found no
difficulty in adjusting to prison after his experiences at his
boarding school. He might enjoy the jungle.
--
David
=====
Donna Richoux
He was once, he described in a very funny manner (perhaps on Room 101?)
how noisy it was at night, with animals screeching things like "GET OUTA
HERE" and "not aGAIN not aGAIN not aGAIN".
But can we go back to the joke? I'm saying "war DRUMS, war DRUMS" with a
proper British "woah" and I don't get any connection to thieving
bastards.
--
Best - Donna Richoux
the Omrud
> But can we go back to the joke? I'm saying "war DRUMS, war DRUMS" with a
> proper British "woah" and I don't get any connection to thieving
> bastards.
"wor" is the North-East (Geordie) dialect pronunciation of "our".
"wor drums" are "our drums". The indians have knicked them.
The sergeant was noted as a Geordie.
--
David
=====
Dick Chambers
> Today there is a letter in The Times (of London) in which the writer
> from the London area expresses his pleasure at being addressed as
> "darling", "sweetheart" and "my lovely" during a five hour visit to
> Doncaster in the North of England.
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2707-2445738,00.html
A little story from my own Bank of Personal Experiences.
In 1972, I moved from Berkshire up to Leeds, to take up an appointment as a
power engineer with the (then) Central Electricity Generating Board. When I
went to the canteen for my first lunch, I noticed that the normal form of
address from males to the mainly female catering staff was "luv". As my
first week progressed, I noticed that I was not getting a full helping of
chips with my lunches. I thought it worthwhile to test my theory that the
reason for them giving me slightly short measure was that I was a stuck-up
southerner who was not calling them "luv". So I decided to start calling
them "luv". Within a week, they had accepted me, and I was no longer getting
short measure.
Over the next few years, this form of address became habitual. But I was a
travelling specialist engineer, who would have to drive to the four corners
of England in response to problems that might arise within my specialist
area. I particularly remember one outing to Wylfa Power Station, on the
island of Anglesey, just off the north-west coast of Wales. In response to
the question "Chips?" from the young female assistant, forgetting where I
was, I answered "Yes please luv".
Fine. No problem. At least, not immediately.
The next day, I went into the canteen, and noticed that some of the older
canteen staff were smiling at me. One even winked. But nothing more than
that. The next day, some of them unsuccessfully stifling their laughter, and
they were nudging each other. It got worse. By Friday, I was so
self-conscious that I went into the Gents, combed my hair, made sure my zip
was done up properly. After I had completed all my checks, I was convinced
there was nothing about me that would cause anybody to laugh. I walked into
the canteen full of confidence, to be met with loud laughter and even
clapping. Completely puzzled, I asked the supervisor what it was all about.
[To be read in a broad Welsh accent]:-
-- You have an admiiiiiiiiiirer, you know!
-- How do you make that out?
-- Yes, a real admiiiiirer! Do you want me to go and fetch her?
There were screams from inside the kitchen as they tried to drag the young
assistant out to meet me. I fled in alarm, and bought some sandwiches from
the machine instead.
--------------
Britain is divided into various zones, where different forms of address are
used. You should never use "luv" in Anglesey, I learned by practical
experience. "Darling" is often heard in Derbyshire, both by men addressing
women and by women addressing men. I was mildly surprised to be called
"darling" by the barmaid at a pub I visited in Chesterfield, but it means
nothing. "Pet" and "petal" are common in the Newcastle upon Tyne area, but
again it means nothing. Where are all the Geordies when you want them? I
have even been addressed as "babe", in London. Serves me right for visiting
a strip club in Soho.
Richard Chambers Leeds UK.
John Dean
Natatat. The General says WAR drums and the Geordie hears WOR drums - ie not
their own drums but WOR drums, the cheeky bastards.
--
John Dean
Oxford
Sara Lorimer
> But it is Monday morning.
>
> --
> Millicent Tendency
> (TEFKATHE)
It is indeed, and I haven't even had my tea yet. So 'splain, please. The
eh formerly known as eh?
--
SML
the Omrud
Millicent Tendency
(Sara Lorimer) wrought:
Eh for ehntity.
--
Millicent Tendency
(TEFKATHE)
Peter Duncanson
There is batch of follow-up letters in The Times today:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2713-2451019,00.html
One of the writers wonders whether T. Edward Bevin had wandered into
the red-light district when he visited Doncaster.
From a man in Dartmouth, South Devon:
Just today, in our little town centre, three nice but unknown
ladies addressed me as "my lover".
Another man said that he had been addressed in London as:
"my dear mister friend" from an overly gregarious [sic]
shopkeeper in Mile End.
Bob Purdy of Sheffield suggests that those who addressed Mr Bevin
might not have been locals. He makes comments about the regional
usage of various forms of address.
Roland Hutchinson
Show of hands, please!: any Americans who didn't need to have the joke
explained.
--
Roland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food.
NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to
remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it.
the Omrud
> the Omrud wrote:
>
> > Donna Richoux <tr...@euronet.nl> had it:
> >
> >> But can we go back to the joke? I'm saying "war DRUMS, war DRUMS" with a
> >> proper British "woah" and I don't get any connection to thieving
> >> bastards.
> >
> > "wor" is the North-East (Geordie) dialect pronunciation of "our".
> > "wor drums" are "our drums". The indians have knicked them.
> >
> > The sergeant was noted as a Geordie.
>
> Show of hands, please!: any Americans who didn't need to have the joke
> explained.
I think fondly of the character in Viz asking his son to: "Hoy us wor
tabs!"
--
David
=====
Django Cat
Nope, you're not the only one who needed an explanation, Katy.
DC
Tony Cooper
<my.sp...@verizon.net> wrote:
>the Omrud wrote:
>
>> Donna Richoux <tr...@euronet.nl> had it:
>>
>>> But can we go back to the joke? I'm saying "war DRUMS, war DRUMS" with a
>>> proper British "woah" and I don't get any connection to thieving
>>> bastards.
>>
>> "wor" is the North-East (Geordie) dialect pronunciation of "our".
>> "wor drums" are "our drums". The indians have knicked them.
>>
>> The sergeant was noted as a Geordie.
>
>Show of hands, please!: any Americans who didn't need to have the joke
>explained.
Tell me when the Americans who *still* don't get because they don't
know a Geordie accent from a hiccup are supposed to raise hands.
If I'm not mistaken, the porter on the "I'm Alan Partridge" TV show is
a Geordie. A standing joke in the show is his accent in describing
his military career. He's understandable to me, but the joke in this
thread is not.
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL
Paul Wolff
Django Cat <vivju...@lineone.net> writes
about prison life, if ever push came to shove.
--
Paul
In bocca al Lupo!
Nick Spalding
on Mon, 13 Nov 2006 20:06:41 +0000:
Not quite prison but I noticed when doing my Army service back in the '50s
that those who had been to boarding school had much less trauma than those
who hadn't.
--
Nick Spalding
the Omrud
> On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:46:47 GMT, Roland Hutchinson
> <my.sp...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> >the Omrud wrote:
> >
> >> Donna Richoux <tr...@euronet.nl> had it:
> >>
> >>> But can we go back to the joke? I'm saying "war DRUMS, war DRUMS" with a
> >>> proper British "woah" and I don't get any connection to thieving
> >>> bastards.
> >>
> >> "wor" is the North-East (Geordie) dialect pronunciation of "our".
> >> "wor drums" are "our drums". The indians have knicked them.
> >>
> >> The sergeant was noted as a Geordie.
> >
> >Show of hands, please!: any Americans who didn't need to have the joke
> >explained.
>
> Tell me when the Americans who *still* don't get because they don't
> know a Geordie accent from a hiccup are supposed to raise hands.
I've explained it. You don't have to understand - just believe.
> If I'm not mistaken, the porter on the "I'm Alan Partridge" TV show is
> a Geordie. A standing joke in the show is his accent in describing
> his military career. He's understandable to me, but the joke in this
> thread is not.
I have to say I'd forgotten the character (it was 10 years ago, you
know and Partridge's best work was on the radio), but I've tracked
down the actor. He's from Cumbria, but you are right - the character
he plays is a Geordie.
--
David
=====
Tony Cooper
wrote:
It's just showing here. We get things a bit late. I heard Diana was
in an accident. Not serious, I hope.
John Dean
I recollect in West Hartlepool the man standing next to you in the pub
toilet would, as likely as not, deliver a philosophical apercu on the lines
of "It gans in and it gans oot. Talk aboot hoyin money away."
--
John Dean
Oxford
Django Cat
the Omrud wrote:
> Donna Richoux <tr...@euronet.nl> had it:
>
> > But can we go back to the joke? I'm saying "war DRUMS, war DRUMS" with a
> > proper British "woah" and I don't get any connection to thieving
> > bastards.
>
> "wor" is the North-East (Geordie) dialect pronunciation of "our".
> "wor drums" are "our drums". The indians have knicked them.
>
Yup, you've got to be careful, those tomahawks are dead sharp.
DC
LFS
I'm sure there's something amusing that could link Geordies, tomahawks
and underwear but for the moment it eludes me...
--
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)
Django Cat
Three Geordies walk into a pub wearing French Pants and carrying
tomahawks. They order pints and the barman charges them 25 quid for
the beers. Then he says "we don't often get Geordies wearing French
Pants and carrying tomahawks in here".
And the first Geordie says:
"I'm not surprised at these prices".
Please yourselves....
DC
Robert Bannister
Was that a super-polite way of oying the spelling of "nicked"?
--
Rob Bannister
Peter Moylan
> I don't remember the word 'hinny' being used once in 'When the Boowat
> Comes In", bonnie lads and lasses.
I knew what they meant, but I could never stop myself from hearing the
name of that series as "When the boot goes in."
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Please note the changed e-mail and web addresses. The domain
eepjm.newcastle.edu.au no longer exists, and I can no longer
receive mail at my newcastle.edu.au addresses. The optusnet
address could disappear at any time.
LFS
Indeed. I'm practising super-politeness this week but I've discovered
that only those with the most refined antennae are aware of the nuances.
Robert Bannister
> Robert Bannister wrote:
>
>>>
>> Was that a super-polite way of oying the spelling of "nicked"?
>>
>
> Indeed. I'm practising super-politeness this week but I've discovered
> that only those with the most refined antennae are aware of the nuances.
>
A "Knicks" in German means a curtsy, which I want to spell courtesy.
--
Rob Bannister
John Savage
>here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
>(affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
>and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
>sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
>no context or example.
In OzE "petal" can be used in place of "pet" or "honey" as you mention,
but also where one intends "delicate" or "too delicate", e.g., "I intended
walking to the store, but I think I'll drive--the sunshine is a bit bright".
"Aw, poor petal."
Imagery of a delicate rose petal is spot on.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)
Peter Duncanson
Fair enough. The "curtsy" spelling of "courtesy" is recent[1]. It
takes time for such changes to become familiar.
[1] I.e. 16c.
Peter Duncanson
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 10:43:51 +0100, "Holger Freese"
><ma...@freese-privat.de> wrote:
>
>>Hi, native speakers of English,
>>
>>here is another question on usage. I understand "petal" can be used as an
>>(affectionate)address in British English. Is it about the same as "pet"
>>and/or does it have anything to do with rose etc petals? Again one of my
>>sources is the online dictionary found at peevish.co.uk.slang, which gives
>>no context or example.
>>
>Today there is a letter in The Times (of London) in which the writer
>from the London area expresses his pleasure at being addressed as
>"darling", "sweetheart" and "my lovely" during a five hour visit to
>Doncaster in the North of England.
>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2707-2445738,00.html
>
Yesterday's (November 15, 2006) crop of Pet Names letters:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2734-2453239,00.html
includes one in which the salutation is:
Sir (or may I say darling?),
This may be a historic first.
sage
As Amethyst Deceiver (I think) notes above, the joke doesn't work if you
don't know that a Geordie would put the emphasis on "drums". So, the
General has to say "war DRUMS" to get the Geordie sgt. to reply as
reported in the joke.
Am ah not RIGHT, hin/petal?
Cheers, Sage
sage
(Snip)
>
> Yesterday's (November 15, 2006) crop of Pet Names letters:
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2734-2453239,00.html
> includes one in which the salutation is:
>
> Sir (or may I say darling?),
>
> This may be a historic first.
>
Didn't Stephen Fry say (see upthread), get to utter the immortal line,
"Don't call me darling, Darling"?
Cheers, Sage
John Dean
Nope. Casting dialect aside - it's as if the General says "They're playing
OUR drums" - ie they're not playing their own, they're playing the ones they
stole from us. And the Sergeant then accuses them of being thieves. Because
they're playing OUR drums.
Putting the dialect back in and expanding the dialogue:
G.C. They're playing WAR drums
S. WOR drums? They're playing WOR drums? Have they nay drums of their own
though but?
--
John Dean
Oxford
sage
So, there are two ways of looking at it. No wonder them others were
flummoxed.
Cheers, Sage