Archaic phrases

[macdarawhitfield]

we used to say 'Butts on ye', and 'Don't put a jew's arse on it' (i posted this previously but interesting to hear others remember the same thing). We bought loose majors for a penny (went up to 3p, c. 1974). This was Northside Dublin in the early 70s.

Do kids still say 'Nix!' when the guards are coming?

[The Field Marshal]

Do kids still say 'Nix!' when the guards are coming?

They do, and if they are real gougers they will spiha gollier at them.

[cry freedom]

Draining the Shannon!
Widely used by Fianna Fail hopefuls at election times.
The last person I can remember using it was Pascal Mooney.
In a letter to the Irish Times, I think it was ?
He signed off with an auld "Up the Republic".
This too seems to have gone out of fashion.

[The Field Marshal]

Draining the Shannon!
Widely used by Fianna Fail hopefuls at election times.
The last person I can remember using it was Pascal Mooney.
In a letter to the Irish Times, I think it was ?
He signed off with an auld "Up the Republic".
This too seems to have gone out of fashion.

All pending the re-integration of the national territory.

[MsAnneThrope]

Yolkamebob - an important object or technical component of something that you don't understand - "Sorry we're late Betty, but the car wouldn't start until Paddy fiddled around with the yolkamebob"

Thingamijig - an object you've temporarily forgotten the name of - "Paddy, are you sitting on that thingamijig to change the channel?"

Whatchamacallit - same as a thingamijig - "I'm meeting Nuala for a pizza tonight so I'll miss the Late Late, but sure I have it set to record on the whatchamacallit!"

"a few onions short of a stew" - not the full shilling - "Would ya look at the outfit on that one Grettie?". "Ach, don't mind her Annie. She's a few onions short of a stew!"

Wojus - of poor quality; terrible - "Dorothy was telling me herself and Dick tried that new Chinese restaurant the other night. God she said it was wojus altogether!"

[Baron von Biffo]

[I][B]Wojus - of poor quality; terrible - "Dorothy was telling me herself and Dick tried that new Chinese restaurant the other night. God she said it was wojus altogether!"

I've often wondered if that one was a corruption of odious.

[MsAnneThrope]

I've often wondered if that one was a corruption of odious.

Could well be. Reminded me of another one - melojen = terrible also; really bad. "We went to see a film the other night. God it was melojen". I wonder is that a corruption of malodorous, originally meaning smelling bad, but adopted to describe anything bad in any way?

[Baron von Biffo]

Could well be. Reminded me of another one - melojen = terrible also; really bad. "We went to see a film the other night. God it was melojen". I wonder is that a corruption of malodorous, originally meaning smelling bad, but adopted to describe anything bad in any way?

I heard it used to mean accordion so I assumed it came from 'melodeon'

[cry freedom]

Could well be. Reminded me of another one - melojen = terrible also; really bad. "We went to see a film the other night. God it was melojen". I wonder is that a corruption of malodorous, originally meaning smelling bad, but adopted to describe anything bad in any way?

An even more convoluted one: Spelled phonetically it sounded like "Gower puck má cat melogen

[MsAnneThrope]

Gower puck má cat melogen

If I said that tomorrow when ordering me coffee and apple tart in the village cafe would I get into trouble? Haven't a clue what it's supposed to mean CF!