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Sayings, legends and customs.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stitcher
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Stitcher

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I have unearthed a battered little booklet with short paragraphs on each page about our best loved or strange traditions and the like. Would any members be interested in me posting a few of the best ones.
stitcher
 
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I never thought there was any other reason for this other than for us to play and dance to when we were youngsters.
 
Really interesting Stitcher. I love to find out where these commonly used phrases came from. People use them and don't generally question what they originally meant. I found that when my children were younger they'd ask why people used a certain phrase and I had no idea how to explain where it originated from. (Also think there was a problem with my Birmingham and Yorkshire ancestry mixed in there too - poor darlings!). Totally agree - more if you have any please! Viv.
 
I thought in Birmingham we used the phrase 'Ta rar a bit'; Icertainly remember go to the 'pop' shop on Aston Cross to get my Mom's canteenof cutlery back a few times.
 
Am enjoying reading what these phrases mean Trevor. I remember a friend who always said on departing See you Anon. Jean.
 
They appear to be pages from a small book because they are numbered and some of the writing carries onto another page so I will have to sort through them and put them into some sort of order.
 
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I have found page one, well it's page three really but it is the lowest number page I have.
 
When I was a tiddler I remember rushing to Highters Heath Junior school, terrified of being late. You'd always hear other kids shouting "'urry up, it's five and twenty ter nine".

I've never heard twenty five said that way since, (except in Germany of course). Does it still crop up ?
 
I watch Countdown most afternoons and there is a short spot where Susie Dent explains the origin of popular words and phrases I will try and remember a few and post them here.
 
I can remember "Five and twenty to nine", or similar . I think i have heard it recently, but not sure exactly when.
 
Christopher Winn has wrote some books - a couple being 'I never knew that about London' and also 'I never knew that about England'. In the books apart from the facts 'I never knew that...' he also gives insights into some phrases and sayings.
 
Well Maypole Baz, I still say it that way - not perhaps all of the time, but I use it fairly often. People do comment sometimes, but I don't even know I am saying it. My granchildren think it is funny - at least they give me funny looks. I guess I do it because my mother did. I only say it when referring to time, not when I am counting or anything like that. I think I have a tendency to say twenty five past, but five and twenty to. Must get my husband to make a note!
 
I have put most of the pages in order and it seems this was a small booklet entitled 'A Stiff Upper Lip'. Here is the next one.
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I still use five and twenty to - and it's usually received with a blank look! Who cares..... I'll still carry on using it! Viv
 
We still use five and twenty to as well - all my grandparents and great aunts used it, so it must have been the norm for them I guess. My kids think I am mad - not just with that though lol! - and some of my work mates wnt to know why I say it.Hubby doesn't use it but his nan used to.
Sue
 
I've just realised I still use five and twenty past too. Thinking about it it must sound very 'Ye Olde England'

I also still use

"must have cost a bob or two"
"must have cost an arm and a leg"
"wouldn't touch it with a bargepole"
"look after the pennies and the pennies will look after the pounds"
"never in a month of Sundays"
"Shanks's Pony"
"pull your finger out"
"put your back into it"
"a bit of elbow grease"
"making hand over fist"

Help........I'm stuck in a time warp!! Viv.
 
So are a lot of us Viv - including me! I said I did not use it past the hour, only to the hour, but I am now beginning to wonder - must get someone to make a note! I say some of the sayings you note here, too.

Shortie
 
Of a badly-made garment, my mother would say that it was "made with a red-hot needle and a burning thread".

If anyone (accidentally) broke wind, my old man would say, "More tea, Vicar?"

Big Gee
 
what about back chatting back to your olders when told off or speaking badly to another person ;
don,t get cheecky with my lad ; or lady if it was a female and i will tell your father when he gets home ;
so mind your P,s and q,s when i am speaking to you just wait until your fathe gets home im telling you now young fella
astonian ;;
 
And one my mom and nan used - I know it's pinched from a film - "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"
Sue
 
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