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Where Did Those Old Sayings and Rituals Come From?
#3
I used an old-saying in one the banners and I was quietly happy when Gordi flagged it up
in one of his comments.
'Shy Bairns Get Nowt'

It was used mainly in the northern regions of Great Britain and it was said to youngsters
as advice. 'Shy Bairns (Bairns=babies, young...) Get Nowt (Nowt= slang for 'Nothing')
and promotes a forcefulness when in adulthood.

Others.
'Whey, 'Ah'll gan to our back-door!' is an expression of bewilderment.
'Whey -is a form of 'Well!' -along with ''Ah'll' or 'I will' and 'gan' is 'to go'
The use of travelling to the back-door implies that a walk to ponder the situation is
needed to comprehend it's full gravity!

'He doesn't know sh*t from shinola!'
Shinola was a US brand of shoe polish and it's obvious that to mistake this substance
when shining one's footwear for bodily waste matter, is a reference to one's level of
intelligence.

'He couldn't catch a pig in a passage' refers to a bow-legged person and also hints that
a person reference as such, may not be competent in a serious situation.

'All fur coat and no knickers' is an insult to suggest that a woman who pretends she is
wealthy by sporting an expensive garment, in reality has no well-ground means of income
and is hiding it.

'Happy As Larry'
It's suggested that Australian boxer Larry Foley is the source of this catchphrase.
Foley was a successful pugilist who never lost a fight. He retired at 32 and collected a purse of
£1,000 for his final fight. During the 1870s, this was an amount that certainly would make one
happy!

Right... I'm away to clean some stuff off my shoes that I inadvertently smeared on.
Shy
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 


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RE: Where Did Those Old Sayings and Rituals Come From? - by BIAD - 06-02-2016, 01:38 PM

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