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sayings

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'bags' as in 'I bags the front seat on the bus'.
I heard it a lot in my schooldays but never since my teenage years.
Perhaps not quite the same as 'I want the front seat on the bus'.
 
We always said it the other way round oldMohawk - bagsy-I (the front seat etc.) This was usually accompanied by much elbowing and shouts of 'oh no you don't' a someone fought to get there first.
 
It was recently pointed out to me that I often say "I daren't" (ie I dare not). I've always used it but judging by my daughters hysterical laughter whenever I use it, I think it's not commonly used. Is this a regional thing? Viv.
 
Hi Viv, I often say 'I daren't' usually to do with having one chocolate or a biscuit - it always leads to half a dozen more, no willpower.
 
My husband's just come in with one of Mom's sayings, if she wanted to say that something had knocked the stuffing out of her she would say 'it's really knocked m' duck off'.
 
Brummygirl66 said:
I think coming from Smethwick I learnt a mix of Brummie and Black Country sayings, though a lot of the ones mentioned my nan and granddad used, my granddad was originally from Winson Green though.

I was called Fanny Finackerpants and Fanny Anne, told to stop being mardy (a word I still use), if the wind changes you'll be in trouble, my nan was caggy handed ( left handed) and because I am able to throw a ball, dart or football trophy better with my left hand, just ask my ex!! my granddad would call me half caggy handed, nan would say it was mizzling if it was drizzling, I still use that one as well.

You had a piece when you came home from school before teatime, went up the wooden hills to Bedfordshire, had a cat lick and a promise for a quick wash, dad would have a swill when he came home from work, mom would say it's looking black over the back of Bill's mother's if it looked like rain.

I used to sprain my ankle a lot as a child and more often than not it was bad enough for a crepe bandage, my granddad would say you've kenched your ankle again when he saw me.

I've been reading this thread and smiling and saying oh yes I remember either granddad, nan, mom or dad saying that, it's a shame the words are largely dying out now, at 50 I'm probably part of the youngest generation to remember them, also it's a shame our accent is dying out, and I hate to hear actors and actresses try and do it, for me the best one would be Richard Beckinsdale in Porridge, I always felt he had a convincing accent AND he used to mention Smethwick!
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Cack 'anded, boss 'onded, boss eyed.
 
A lot of these sayings I would have heard growing up in Dublin and I would have used some myself and still do. However most of them wouldn't be Dublin phrases as they would have been passed down from my Great Grandparents who came from Frodesley, Salop (GG Mother) and Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire (GG Father), the latter spent some time in Dudley too. In the last few years I have also picked up a few phrases from my Brummie and Black Country friends which gets me blank looks as nobody here understands them :D

Simon
 
Simon4130 said:
A lot of these sayings I would have heard growing up in Dublin and I would have used some myself and still do. However most of them wouldn't be Dublin phrases as they would have been passed down from my Great Grandparents who came from Frodesley, Salop (GG Mother) and Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire (GG Father), the latter spent some time in Dudley too. In the last few years I have also picked up a few phrases from my Brummie and Black Country friends which gets me blank looks as nobody here understands them :D

Simon
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Do you know the origins of any of these Simon? They came from my mate's gran, from Belfast, Newry then Dublin.
Are you hot in your leather? (if you were not wearing much, )
I have never been the same since me granny caught her diddy in the mangle.
Malogen ( Nan would say fair to middlin for that)
Skinny Malig malogen legs
Green Lady green lady come down for your tea
She had a different version of round and round the garden lookig for a farthin, where shall I find ut? underneath his arm, and and See Saw Margery Daw, sold her bed and lay in the straw.
I really like eegit, half eegit sometimes pronounced as aygit, and gobshite, I have been called all of these.
 
Most of those sayings I don't recognise Nico apart from the rhyme:

Skinny Malig Malogen legs umbrella feet.
Went to the pictures and couldn't get a seat
(sadly can't remember the rest of it)

As the family weren't from Dublin we tended to hear more English sayings and some from other parts of Ireland where Dad's side of the family came from.

During my time in the scouts various rhymes had alternative words put to them but not the kind that I dare post here:eek:

Simon
 
well thats put the cod bosh on it mucker you had better keep tight lipped about that our kid
and remember bobs your uncle and aunt fanny is your aunt now scarper or they will have your gutts for garters
Astonian,,,
 
Simon4130 said:
Most of those sayings I don't recognise Nico apart from the rhyme:

Skinny Malig Malogen legs umbrella feet.
Went to the pictures and couldn't get a seat
(sadly can't remember the rest of it)

As the family weren't from Dublin we tended to hear more English sayings and some from other parts of Ireland where Dad's side of the family came from.

During my time in the scouts various rhymes had alternative words put to them but not the kind that I dare post here:eek:

Simon
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Thanks for that little bit more of the rhyme.
You must know Johnston Mooney and O'Brien etc, Bought a loaf for one and n-yen (phrenetic)?
Nan's Blackcountry version was, Abracadabra the king of the Jews, sold his wife a paor of shoes.
Mate's gran was from Belfast but the family came from Newry then moved to Dublin.
And...Tom, Tom Tittymouse, (tittlemouse) laid an egg in every house.

When my Black country grandad saw a wedding he would sing, to the wedding march...
Here comes the bride, 50 inches wide,
Here comes the old vicar, he is even thicker
Here come the bride, bow leggid and cock eyed
Strert roond the gas oomiter, and up t'other side.
 
Nico said:
Thanks for that little bit more of the rhyme.
You must know Johnston Mooney and O'Brien etc, Bought a loaf for one and n-yen (phrenetic)?
Nan's Blackcountry version was, Abracadabra the king of the Jews, sold his wife a paor of shoes.
Mate's gran was from Belfast but the family came from Newry then moved to Dublin.
And...Tom, Tom Tittymouse, (tittlemouse) laid an egg in every house.

When my Black country grandad saw a wedding he would sing, to the wedding march...
Here comes the bride, 50 inches wide,
Here comes the old vicar, he is even thicker
Here come the bride, bow leggid and cock eyed
Strert roond the gas oomiter, and up t'other side.
Click to expand...

Hello, Nico,

In Sparkbrook, my mother's version of that rhyme was something like:

Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Jews, bought his wife a pair of shoes.
When the shoes began to wear, Nebuchadnezzar began to swear.
And these are the words he said...
Talazu-za-zoo, talazu-za-zae... (and that's all I remember!)

Regards, Ray T
 
Mom used to recite a rhyme while bouncing a ball with one hand, 'One, two, three, alera, four, five, six, alera, seven, alera, catch the ball. On the three and six she would kick her leg over the ball. Not sure of the spelling of 'alera'. She could still do this in her late 80's. Does this come under 'sayings' or 'games'?
 
Lady Penelope said:
Mom used to recite a rhyme while bouncing a ball with one hand, 'One, two, three, alera, four, five, six, alera, seven, alera, catch the ball. On the three and six she would kick her leg over the ball. Not sure of the spelling of 'alera'. She could still do this in her late 80's. Does this come under 'sayings' or 'games'?
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Was it like Des O'Conor;s song, one two three O'Leary?
 
Ray T said:
Hello, Nico,

In Sparkbrook, my mother's version of that rhyme was something like:

Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Jews, bought his wife a pair of shoes.
When the shoes began to wear, Nebuchadnezzar began to swear.
And these are the words he said...
Talazu-za-zoo, talazu-za-zae... (and that's all I remember!)

Regards, Ray T
Click to expand...

Well. I remember

Abracadabra the King of the Jews, SOLD his wife a pair of shoes,
When the shoes began to wear, Abracadabra bought a chair.
When the chair began to break, Abracadabra bought a snake,
When the snake began to sting, Abracadabra bought a ring,
When the ring began to rust, Abracadabra turned to dust!

To cure hiccups, Great gran sang,
Hee cup up, hee cup down, hee cup up to London town,
Three cups in a cup, that's the way to cure hee cup! She would shout the last hee cup hoping it would scare me and them away! It never worked but I liked it.
 
Another Irish one,
Janey Mack me shirt is black. And
for oh no. ah Janey!
And, If I had an egg and a bottle of Harp!
 
Lady Penelope said:
Nico, it could well be O'Leary but it always came out as 'alera'. Don't remember the Des O'Connor song though.
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One two three o'leary games
I played with Mary,
Way back in the wild wood
of our magic childhood days, ....I think.

I heard my Irish mates sing your bit as o'leary when they skipped with a rope
 
Ray T said:
Hello, Nico,

In Sparkbrook, my mother's version of that rhyme was something like:

Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Jews, bought his wife a pair of shoes.
When the shoes began to wear, Nebuchadnezzar began to swear.
And these are the words he said...
Talazu-za-zoo, talazu-za-zae... (and that's all I remember!)

Regards, Ray T
Click to expand...
Hello Ray,
My Irish mate's dad would stay, still says, an' I rared (reared) up cat! That means he gave someone a mouthful.
And he still uses the quare feller expression, which he assures me is not insulting, but when he used it as, two old quare ones, was for two.....er dodgy ladies.
 
Hi Devenjohn
Yes thanks for pulling me up on it and correcting me as well ,yes kibosh is the word
John just of late i am getting things quite alot of late
I am going to the dogs, or if you like i am going through the wall, or if you like
the other old boys here say its a senior moments which ever the case kibosh is the word
to be honest even the old dutchess thinks i ,ve lost the plot ha ha
best wishes as always Alan,,, Astonian;;;;
 
Lady Penelope said:
Mom used to recite a rhyme while bouncing a ball with one hand, 'One, two, three, alera, four, five, six, alera, seven, alera, catch the ball. On the three and six she would kick her leg over the ball. Not sure of the spelling of 'alera'. She could still do this in her late 80's. Does this come under 'sayings' or 'games'?
Click to expand...

Lady P, I remember my older sister bouncing a ball while reciting that in late 1950s Sparkbrook. Thanks for the memory.

Regards, Ray T
 
An old brummie I knew would a say a situation was " St Fairy Anne" meaning I think, that it was worthless. Realised later that he had served in France in WW1 and he was saying "sans faire rien". My own dad would use Arabic expressions picked up from WW2 times in North Africa.
 
devonjim said:
An old brummie I knew would a say a situation was " St Fairy Anne" meaning I think, that it was worthless. Realised later that he had served in France in WW1 and he was saying "sans faire rien". My own dad would use Arabic expressions picked up from WW2 times in North Africa.
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the Irish gran again, "giver yer granny a goozer" a kiss.
 
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