The Things We Say

[Merab]

Inspired by a digression on another thread from @HeatherRose how about all those things we say that don’t always translate so well.
Every language and culture has them.

Here’s one to start:
All Queen Anne in front and Mary Anne behind.

Meaning looks good on the outside but cheap and shoddy underneath.

Now add your own

 

[Bill & Ted]

“Well I’ll go to foot of our stairs”

meaning: shocked or amazement at some tittle tattle

 

[Leafy Lou]

"Has your dug died?"
Usually applied to someone at school who has outgrown their trousers..I have also heard budgie being used in this line here..but mainly dug (dog)

 

[PigglePuggle]

"Well shy bairns get nowt" is a saying I like, usually said when a cheeky family member asks for a third helping of dinner or a third or fourth drink!

 

[PigglePuggle]

“Well I’ll go to foot of our stairs”

meaning: shocked or amazement at some tittle tattle

My late Nana used to say this a lot and aged about 5 or 6 I used to delight in pretending to take it literally and running to the bottom of the stairs every time she said it!

 

[Betsy]

My Grandma used to say "Any Road" or "Any Road up" meaning anyway.

 

[VickiA]

Until I moved up North I’d not heard the saying “All fur coat and no knickers” (and not always in relation to people but in relation to a variety of situations). I have heard heard it said a lot over the years. I think its meaning is that the reality may differ somewhat from the appearance.

 

[VickiA]

Another northern saying is , “it’s black over Bill’s mother’s”. Meaning it looks like it’s pouring with rain somewhere else in the distance.

 

[Betsy]

Another Northern saying "Living ower t' brush tha naws" Meaning their not married but living together you know.

 

[DMS260820]

Have you lost a tenner and found a pound. Meaning someone looking miserable.

Tenner = ten pound note, gpb

 

[Betsy]

Have you lost a tenner and found a pound. Meaning someone looking miserable.

Tenner = ten pound note, gpb

Surely you mean gbp

 

[DMS260820]

Surely you mean gbp

Got me back lol,, no I did mean great pritish bounds

 

[HeatherRose]

These are great!

 

[Flutterby]

I love these!

 

[Lorcan]

Oooh boy.

"Catch yourself on" - get a grip.
"Takin' a dander" - going for a walk
"Poke" - ice cream
"gravy ring" - you know those ring doughnuts, the one with no filling? Aye, that's a gravy ring.
"give us a juke" - could I have a look?
"have a hoak in the drawer" - go take a look in the drawer
"half cut" - drunk
"fish supper" - fish and chips
"I'll run ye over" - this one always makes me laugh. Means "I'll take you there", not...run you over, lol.

And obviously, we can't forget the craic dealers and addicts.

Oh, and I forgot the most important one! Be aware if any Irish person tells you something's just around the corner, or just down the road. This has been known to mean something's up to 20-odd miles away.

 

[Claire W]

Another Northern saying is ‘put wood in hole’ meaning close the door

 

[RicoandRocky]

You absolute plonker
Used if someone is asked somthing extremely easy but does it wrong

 

[Bill & Ted]

Tha'll get a clip rahnd lug'oil if tha' carries on like this

You will get a clout round your head if you carry on like this!

 

[DMS260820]

We're you born in a barn, meaning you always leave the door open

 

[Bill & Ted]

It’s like Blackpool Illuminations in ‘ere

Turn all those lights off!

 

[DMS260820]

Pooing rusty water = I have diarrhea.

Sorry

 

[DMS260820]

It’s like Blackpool Illuminations in ‘ere

Turn all those lights off!

My childhood that saying

 

[DMS260820]

Pooing through eye of a needle, another I have diarrhea one

 

[Bill & Ted]

Thas nowt as queer as folk

there is nothing as strange as people

 

[DMS260820]

These are great!

I want some American ones

 

[DMS260820]

Urite me duck, a Northampton saying for are you Ok my dear. Slowly dying out now though, now the new thing is, what's gwaarning, Init Init, ye man, ( chav)

 

[Bill & Ted]

Like putting lipstick on a pig!

Superficial improvements don’t help, a pig is a pig (can be a person or anything you can’t make any better)

 

[Betsy]

You make a better door than a window.

I can't see cos you are in the way.

 

[Robin_]

I don’t have anything particularly weird but just an odd quirk. Apparently in my area we have an obsession with the word “then”. I only realized it after my science teacher (from a different area) commented on it.

Example: “I’ll take you over then.” (Then could be in two seconds or two hours...depends on the context or the mood you’re in haha)

I’ll keep an ear out for some odd ‘Mercian ones...

 

[Betsy]

Somewhen instead of sometime. I say this and it drives my brother crazy!