Comments on: Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins A Site About Everything and Nothing Tue, 22 May 2012 00:31:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: Rod http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20153 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 05:30:26 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20153 Peter, many thanks I have wondered about 'didley squat' myself. I've heard of the saying “I’ll go to the top of my stairs” although I've never actually heard it used in person, I'd guess it's a localized saying Regards Rod Peter,
many thanks I have wondered about ‘didley squat’ myself.

I’ve heard of the saying “I’ll go to the top of my stairs” although I’ve never actually heard it used in person, I’d guess it’s a localized saying
Regards
Rod

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: Peter http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20148 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:24:13 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20148 Does anyone know where the saying "I'll go to the top of my stairs" as I have heard it many times used as an exclaimation of supprise, but do not know its origin. Cheers Does anyone know where the saying “I’ll go to the top of my stairs” as I have heard it many times used as an exclaimation of supprise, but do not know its origin.

Cheers

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: Peter http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20147 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:22:01 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20147 With regards to didley Squat, It appears that it was invented by the Carneys (carnival workers) who traveled from town to town working one county fair after another developed their own private language. They had to do so in order to attract potential gamblers who would pay for a chance at a gimcrack prize. 'Diddle-e-squat' seems to have entered the carnival talk to name money - often a nickel or a dime, since that was the going rate for a game of chance. Frequently used to hide talk about a small amount of money, it was an easy and natural transition for the carnival term to indicate very little of anything." With regards to didley Squat, It appears that it was invented by the Carneys (carnival workers) who traveled from town to town working one county fair after another developed their own private language. They had to do so in order to attract potential gamblers who would pay for a chance at a gimcrack prize. ‘Diddle-e-squat’ seems to have entered the carnival talk to name money - often a nickel or a dime, since that was the going rate for a game of chance. Frequently used to hide talk about a small amount of money, it was an easy and natural transition for the carnival term to indicate very little of anything.”

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: Rod http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20056 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 06:32:52 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20056 Peter, cheers, I wasn't aware of the exact meaning - many thanks Best, Rod Peter,
cheers, I wasn’t aware of the exact meaning - many thanks
Best,
Rod

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: Peter http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20051 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 04:44:33 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20051 The saying As dead as a doornail is many hundreds of years old. The door nail itself was a plate or nail that was placed behind a door knocker so not to damage the wood and to ensure that the knock was heard.This nail was clearly very unresponsive and dead to the constant assault, hence the saying. The saying As dead as a doornail is many hundreds of years old. The door nail itself was a plate or nail that was placed behind a door knocker so not to damage the wood and to ensure that the knock was heard.This nail was clearly very unresponsive and dead to the constant assault, hence the saying.

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: RButhnot http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20024 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:16:49 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20024 I once read a similar thread where one debate was on how the phrase 'the bees knees' came about. No one ever suggested it might just be a corruption of 'the business'. Nowt so queer as folk. In a non-homophobic sense of course. I once read a similar thread where one debate was on how the phrase ‘the bees knees’ came about. No one ever suggested it might just be a corruption of ‘the business’. Nowt so queer as folk. In a non-homophobic sense of course.

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: RButhnot http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20023 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:07:05 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20023 'like a trump in a colander' and 'he would skin a fart', referring to an 'unetten' soul and a miserly one respectively. It would be lovely to imagine they were old Lincolnshire sayings but so much has been borrowed from the Yorkies over the years that they are probably from over the border. Another, definitely 'foreign', is 'Better to marry over the midden than over the moor', suggesting that a local person was more acceptable to the locals than a stranger when it came to marriage, the midden being the spot for dumping household rubbish etc. Not very good for the gene pool. ‘like a trump in a colander’ and ‘he would skin a fart’, referring to an ‘unetten’ soul and a miserly one respectively. It would be lovely to imagine they were old Lincolnshire sayings but so much has been borrowed from the Yorkies over the years that they are probably from over the border.
Another, definitely ‘foreign’, is ‘Better to marry over the midden than over the moor’, suggesting that a local person was more acceptable to the locals than a stranger when it came to marriage, the midden being the spot for dumping household rubbish etc. Not very good for the gene pool.

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: Peter http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20019 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:13:39 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20019 In the 15th century, a bygone was was simply 'a thing that has gone by', i.e. a thing of the past. Shakespeare used it with that meaning in The Winters Tale, 1611: This satisfaction, The by-gone-day proclaym'd, say this to him. Hope that that helps In the 15th century, a bygone was was simply ‘a thing that has gone by’, i.e. a thing of the past. Shakespeare used it with that meaning in The Winters Tale, 1611:

This satisfaction, The by-gone-day proclaym’d, say this to him.

Hope that that helps

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: WHITL3SS http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20002 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:28:28 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-20002 Where does the term "let bygones be bygones" come from. I know that it means "let what's in the past stay in the past" but where did it start? Where does the term “let bygones be bygones” come from. I know that it means “let what’s in the past stay in the past” but where did it start?

]]> Comment on Strange Sayings Phrases and Their Origins by: Ritari http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-19473 Sat, 23 Apr 2011 04:45:26 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/strange-sayings-phrases-and-their-origins#comment-19473 Katerina. Didley squat I believe means the person knows nothing. As in - he doesn't know didley squat. The others, well, I'd love to know myself. Many thanks.... Katerina.
Didley squat I believe means the person knows nothing. As in - he doesn’t know didley squat.
The others, well, I’d love to know myself.

Many thanks….

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