Wrong 'un - 'un etymology?
a
QUESTION:
Where does the " 'un " term come from?
(I mean its etymolgy)
Here its meaning (from Urban dictionary):
A wrong 'un is a phrase used to describe someone or an action someone has
undertaken that you disapprove of. It is not offensive merely an
expression. Probably originates from the Midlands in England.
Billy-Bob ''I did 4 grams of coke last night!''
Jimmy-Joe ''You're a wrong 'un, you are!''
Joe/Joey da New York
(in article <ljumj5pcteucct072...@4ax.com>):
Although the term "wrong 'un" is foreign to me as an American, the 'un part
is short for 'one' in expressions like "young 'un" meaning a young one or a
young person.
--
Joe/Joey da New York
English as she is spoken (and sometimes written) in the US.
"English as She Is Spoke" is the common name of a 19th century book credited
to Josￜ da Fonseca and Pedro Carolino, which was intended as a
Portuguese-English conversational guide or phrase book, but is regarded as a
classic source of unintentional humour.
Joseph Curtin
"a" <a...@inwind.it> wrote in message
news:ljumj5pcteucct072...@4ax.com...
The Urban dictionary is not the most reliable source for etymology (or for
anything else, for that matter).
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wrong+'un
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wrong+'un?r=66
In the posted example and defintion from the Urban Dictionary, use of the
names "Billy-B�b" and "Jimmy-Joe" would suggest Southern US speech, or
feigned "rural" American speech, which contradicts the Midlands origin
suggested by the Urban "Dictionary".
http://www.gunslinger.com/billy.html
I don't think you will hear this expression in the US, rural or urban..
"'Un" is merely a lazy man's version of "one", or a funny or affected way of
saying "one".
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/unx?view=uk
"Bad 'un", "Good 'un", "Big 'un", "Young 'un", etc. are fairly common in the
US South. "'Un" seems to be used mostly after hard consonant sounds.
Sometimes it is used in the plural, as in "You'uns".
Joe from Massachusetts