Forum Topic

Family sayings

This sprung to mind watching the Lottery Quiz show last night when one of the questions was who used the phrase "Wakey, wakey", this is something for only those of use of certain age, and the poor sole who got the question was of the younger generation and hadn't a clue. Similarly talking to someone at work I happened to mention during the course of the conversation that I'd seen someone in Tescos' also from work, and that when I bumped into her I looked like 'the wreck of the Hesperus'. An expression from my Mum for when you look a sight or 'dragged through a hedge backwards'. All I got was a strange look and a question as to what I meant, so I tried it on someone else and got the same reaction. Are there others out there who have much-used old family sayings that mean nothing to anyone these days?

Vanessa Smith ● 6731d29 Comments

"The back of my hand"I think it goes back to the days of duelling,used as a precursary warning before the actuall challenge was issued...I could easily be wrong though.Andrew..Your parents used all but ten of the letters of the alphabet naming you,that's just plain greedy :0) Mind you they missed out Xavier and Zephyr,they'd have got a huge Scrabble score with those.

Tony Wood ● 6726d

I have never heard the word "Gormandise" used, since my late father used it to tell us off for overeating. Anyone else heard of it before?You will get the "back of my hand" if you don't behave.....why the back, was it easier to do, or less/more painful for the recipient?

Account suspended ● 6726d

I remember as a kid the oft shouted saying - "Don't do as I do - Do as I tell yer!!! - smack!!

Fred Robinson ● 6727d

People would actually say that from Northern ireland.  My RE teacher, Mr Woodcock (a.k.a. Tindick)used to say exactly that.

Conal Stewart ● 6727d

And who was the Larry that was always happy?

Vanessa Smith ● 6728d

We had a phrase 'family hold back' shortened to FHB when we had relations/guests round for a meal and Mum thought she'd not cooked enough food.

Sue Thornton ● 6728d

The black hole of Calcutta was an infamous point in Indian history when (I think)a hundred and fifty odd Brits were incarcerated in a small building and most subsequently died.I don't know the actual facts,but I think that is the gist of it. Mr. Google would definitely know more.

Keith Iddon ● 6728d

Like yesterday, it rains in January, it is dark in the middle of the day and you want to do something so you turn the light on because it's "like the black hole of Calcutta" now where does that come from ( silly sod Calcutta) no seriously does anyone know?

Jo Smith ● 6728d

"" My giddy Aunt, we don't want you having a bun in the oven.. tell OOH Ja Ma Flip to take a running jump!

Jim Lawes ● 6728d

My folks used to sometimes say,in response for a request for something  'What do you want more(of whatever subject was),you've already more  than Soft Mick'.Who the hell Soft Mick was I will never know.

Keith Iddon ● 6728d

I taught you everything you know but not everything I know.

Paul Fisher ● 6728d

Say what you mean and mean what you say -  but don't always say what you think

Fred Robinson ● 6728d

"Newgate's Knocker" - that makes sense. It's interesting the way that words (especially names) can get corrupted in common use - like the way local kids call Carville Hall Park, "Carvinall" - if you question them they will assure you that there is definitely an "N" in there.Mick

Mick Brent ● 6728d

Mick - I think it may have been 'as black as Newgate's Knocker' - referring to the infamous prison, often said in our house too. As well as this as a description for a scruffy individual -'a bundle of muck tied up ugly'.

Vanessa Smith ● 6729d

I remember my old granny referring to us when we were  particularly dirty after a day of playing in the fields as being "as black as Nooker's Knocker" - no idea who Nooker was???Each night we were taken "up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire" but only after we had eaten every scrap of our supper because, after all, "There's millions starving in China."Being a poor working class family, things were always tight and sometimes mum and dad had to resort to the local money-lender - The "Tally Man" who came round each Saturday to collect his repayments for the things we bought from him "on the never never."

Mick Brent ● 6729d

I think my favourite is an expression that I've not heard outside my family,but I'd love to think that someone else grew up with it."The Dust Hole Fairy", Who could be blamed for things that went missing,or to describe someone who ate vast amounts quickly,or as a threat if we didn't go to sleep,in fact it was used for almost anything unpleasant. So I'm wondering if the DHF wasn't in fact a euphemism for the Devil,anyone else heard of him/her? Google hasn't.

Tony Wood ● 6729d

'' Would you like me to wipe that smile off your face'' To this day I'm not sure if there's a reply to this!

Kevin Farnan ● 6729d

I like the expression Eric Sykes used to use in his much loved series with Hattie Jacques in the 70's.If a room was untidy he used to say 'It's like the military hospital at Scutari in here...'

Keith Iddon ● 6729d

'Fanny Fernackerpan' is one.  Cheeky monkey is another (always said in fondness).  Tinker's cuss (MIL's favourite accompanied with a stamp of the foot.  :-)  )Our own saying when about to drive over a cattle grid - 'hold on to your teeth'.

Sarah Felstead ● 6729d

I a similar vein Jim I was walked past a hot dog stall in central London at about 11pm one night last year. It was staffed by a man of,shall we say,middle eastern extraction.I asked him where he went to relieve himself when taken short.He indicated a small alley behind him.I then asked where he washed his hands after he had performed.There followed that infuriating and nonchalant shrug of the shoulders so often used by those who have no excuse or good reason.I had a right go at him for being a filthy pig.

Keith Iddon ● 6729d

Yes - I've heard that one too - how about 'Well - I'll go to the foot of our stairs' on hearing something surprising.

Vanessa Smith ● 6730d

"You'll have to pull your socks up" was a phrase often used in my old home.If I had used that phrase when telling off the Security Chap in Tesco Express last night, he wouldn't have known what I was on about. This suit dressed individual had been fiddling with his nose, poking as well,wiping his hands around his mouth and on his beard, and was 3 minutes later seen by me handling Tesco products..which he was returning to shelves..that customers were going to be buying. That's the London Road,Isleworth branch for you!!I challenged him...and called his Manager too.He hadn't used a handkerchief..didn't have one..didn't know what he was doing wrong.. wondered why I was causing a fuss(!)..came back with a piece of tissue from the toilet (probably he doesn't wash his hands either)...and I asked about his Company's training and instructions with regard to hygiene.  Not much response! ;0(Saying ""you'll have to pull your socks up""..might have made him wonder what socks had got to do with the complaint!!Gordon Bennett! Having to put up with hygiene standards here that are tolerated in Dacca,Bangladesh is not on!!

Jim Lawes ● 6730d

Not family sayings as such, but (and I hop this is not entirely off-topic) I do often find myself reflecting upon some of the comments for which my (Northern Irish) German teacher became famous amongst my schoolmates and I."Get out your Rough Book books", was one."If you want to muck around in a German lesson, don't muck around in mine," was another (he was the only German teacher at the school).And not to forget my all-time favourite: "I don't know who you think you are, but you're not!"I try not to think too deeply about some of the sayings which might have emanated from my family.

Phil Andrews ● 6730d

We had the most wonderful Aunt Grace and instead of asking us how we were doing at school and all those boring things aunts can do.  She would greet us kids with "hows your belly off for spot" I have never known what this meant, but we all adored her, she made us laugh,she was just different. And for years after we would say it to one another and just giggle

Jo Smith ● 6730d

No, but you're close.  It was Bennett who sent Stanley to find Livingstone.A quick bit of googling reveals that "Gordon Bennett", as a more genteel way of saying "gor blimey" which in turn was a less blasphemous way of saying "God blind me", was named after the New York newspaper proprietor and playboy James Gordon Bennett Jr.  In 1868 Bennett sent one of his reporters, one Henry Morton Stanley, to Africa to "find Livingstone".

Richard Jennings ● 6730d

Aha, I think Gordon Bennett was the journalist who found Dr. Livingstone in Africa, anyone else confirm that?

Vanessa Smith ● 6730d

Vanessa, yes I remember the 'the wreck of the Hesperus'- in fact my mother used to read us the whole poem!She also used to say 'Gordon Bennett' meaning ' well I never'. I've no idea who Gordon was!

Sue Thornton ● 6731d

Ouch!Yes it was Harold MacMillan.Now don't be a "Bessie Braddock" with me!! ;0)

Jim Lawes ● 6731d

That was MacMillan - hardly a family saying unless you are related to him.

Vanessa Smith ● 6731d

"We've never had it so good!"

Jim Lawes ● 6731d