Expressions facing extinction

[electric beach]

Language is a living, mutating thing which inevitably changes, adopting common idioms, phrases and words, while losing those that fall out of use.

As we span the country (and beyond) here on AOS, I thought it might be amusing to have a thread for those expressions that you particularly like and feel we should use more - nay, have a duty to save from extinction.

"A bit of a hoot" is a favorite of mine and the one that came up this weekend was " None too shabby".

[Macca]

'I've got a thirst you could photograph'

is a favourite of mine.

[Puffin]

N'eer do Well and Hobbledehoy should be used whenever possible!

[keiths]

"Kick a duck and you'll have a bad day" is a popular one round here

(...or I might just have made that one up)

[electric beach]

When seeing heavy rainclouds approaching and the darkening sky, Valerie will say "It's looking black over Bill's mum's". I assumed this was some regional expression that I'd not heard before and I rather liked it, evocative of the familiarity of an English rural town.

It transpires that it actually was a reference to the direction that a family friend's mother lived :doh:
We're now trying to get this adopted. Maybe in years to come someone will wonder where that quaint expression came from ;)

[electric beach]

"Kick a duck and you'll have a bad day" is a popular one round here

(...or I might just have made that one up)

I think that one is actually said by ducks and should be "kick a terrapin and you'll have a bad day".

"Three of the creatures were found in the pond at Tebay Services on the M6, where they drew attention to themselves by biting the legs off ducks". Careless.

http://www.in-cumbria.com/abandoned-terrapins-bite-legs-off-ducks-1.878350?referrerPath=home

[sparrow]

When I was at school zeet meant you didn't believe what someone was say..and Gallus meant it was really good. Nobody uses these two words at all these days. Another fave which is dying out is ''In the name o the wee man'' which was a expression that showed someones amazement or surprise ..:scratch:

[The Grand Wazoo]

When seeing heavy rainclouds approaching and the darkening sky, Valerie will say "It's looking black over Bill's mum's".

As I started to read this thread, the odd favourite expression crossed my mind. One of which is closely related to this one. I've got no idea where I got it from, but it gets fairly regular use in our family (though not usually in company, for obvious reasons!):

"It's looking black over mother's bottom"

I always assumed there was a valley called Mothers something or other.

[Beechwoods]

'Where You To'

It's embarrassing how short a time you need to live in Bristol before this sticks in the vernacular... it's one of those 'coverall terms' meaning 'where are you going', 'where have you got to', or in the case of just 'Where To', 'Where's that?'.

Another one from childhood, not so much an expression as a meal, I loved my 'bratty butties' -- sausage sandwiches.

And one from the 'was it even alive' file, let alone is it extinct... 'Grebo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grebo_(music))' describing a teenager of unkempt appearance some way between looking like a heavy metaller, a goth, and a skater. It went national for a week or two, but it started in Stourbridge :)

[The Grand Wazoo]

'Where You To'

It's embarrassing how short a time you need to live in Bristol before this sticks in the vernacular...

I lived in Devon for 18 months in the mid eighties & I still say "Where you to?" but I don't think I ever said it when I was there!

[Welder]

Make I larf.

It should of course be, make I laugh. But, given I’ve only heard this in Gloucestershire the misspelling sorts the accent out rather nicely ;)

[Beechwoods]

I know you'll have seen the t-shirts, John, but I'm sure everyone will enjoy the 'Beast Clothing' website... mouse over the banner :)

http://www.beast-clothing.com/

[Reid Malenfant]

mouse over the banner :)

http://www.beast-clothing.com/
bl**dy hell, country bumpkins :eyebrows:

Actually it's funny that no-one thinks they have an accent as they are used to the sound of their own voice in the locale...

Move a few miles & :eyebrows:

[Beobloke]

N'eer do Well and Hobbledehoy should be used whenever possible!

Indeed and I would also add to those "tatterdemalion" and "rapscallion"

I am also in favour of the return of proper old 1950s BBC radio announcer-esque expressions like "What ho", "I say" and "Jolly bad show"

This would naturally lead to a change from the likes of "Bugger - some b**tard's nicked me bloody car" to "I say, some rapscallion has purloined my horseless carriage - jolly bad show"

Pip-pip! :)

[Marco]

I'm rather fond of the quaint Glaswegian expression one uses when seeking to gain the company of a young lady, which is still frequently heard in the Calton from jakies and stoaterheids alike:

"Haw hen, c'mere, bend doon and sook ma boabby".

Guaranteed to charm the pants off of the fairer sex, everytime!! :eyebrows:

Marco.

[Rich Conroy]

A few phrases from the stunning metropolis that is Belfast:-

Spide - A male chav
Milly - A female chav
You'd make a laughing hyena depressed
I'm foundered - It's cold
Bake - Mouth
Bate the wife - Buckfast wine
Dander - Walk
Pssketty - Spaghetti
Spoofin - Lying
Yousens - You people
Fairy up liquid - Detergent

RC