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My prayers to both Tsuki and Bella.

Lighthawk wrote:Got a question for our friends across the pond. What exactly does the expression "Bob's your uncle" mean? As best I can figure from hearing it used, it seems to mean something along the lines of "and you're all set", though I'll be damned if I can figure out how or why it's suppose to mean that.

Probably something along the same lines as to why Cornish miners who emigrated to the U.S. were all "Cousin Jack."

Lighthawk wrote:Got a question for our friends across the pond. What exactly does the expression "Bob's your uncle" mean? As best I can figure from hearing it used, it seems to mean something along the lines of "and you're all set", though I'll be damned if I can figure out how or why it's suppose to mean that.

Two possible explanations - a reference to Field Marshal Lord Roberts (aka Uncle Bob), one of the best commanders of the Victorian army, or Robert Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, who had a tendency to give his nephew various important jobs (the keys to No. 10 in the end).

OK, then, explain this: You guys have used the term "knackers" to refer to testicles, and "knackered" as "tired." However, all the etymology I can find points to "knacker" being a variant of "knocker" (a.k.a. "tommyknocker,") which is a Welsh and Cornish folkloric creature akin to Irish leprechauns or English brownies (though obviously, with a greater focus on mining.)

Knockers where I am from is also slang for boobs. Also slang for boobs is Top Bollocks. Therefore Knackers is indeed a variant of Knockers.

Mikey wrote:OK, then, explain this: You guys have used the term "knackers" to refer to testicles, and "knackered" as "tired." However, all the etymology I can find points to "knacker" being a variant of "knocker" (a.k.a. "tommyknocker,") which is a Welsh and Cornish folkloric creature akin to Irish leprechauns or English brownies (though obviously, with a greater focus on mining.)

DITL: uniting people separated by a common language since 2006.

Mikey wrote:OK, then, explain this: You guys have used the term "knackers" to refer to testicles, and "knackered" as "tired." However, all the etymology I can find points to "knacker" being a variant of "knocker" (a.k.a. "tommyknocker,") which is a Welsh and Cornish folkloric creature akin to Irish leprechauns or English brownies (though obviously, with a greater focus on mining.)

That etymology sounds wrong. A knacker was originally someone who'd take old and worn out horses and turn them into glue. From there the expression "fit for the knacker's yard" came about (and is still used by some elderly people) to describe someone or something tired and worn out. From there you can easily see how it would jump to "I'm knackered" to mean "I'm tired".

Dunno how it ended up as reffering to testicles, though.

Sionnach Glic wrote:That etymology sounds wrong. A knacker was originally someone who'd take old and worn out horses and turn them into glue. From there the expression "fit for the knacker's yard" came about (and is still used by some elderly people) to describe someone or something tired and worn out. From there you can easily see how it would jump to "I'm knackered" to mean "I'm tired".

Is that in Irish usage, Cornish/Welsh usage, Scottish usage, or English usage?

BTW, were you slacking this weekend? Though I didn't see it, I understand that SyFy aired it's new original movie this past Saturday... (I swear I'm not making this up) Sharktopus!

Irish usage, but I believe the term "knacker" originally meant the same in Britain as well.

I missed it. It sounded glorious.

It was. I caught the 1 am replay.

Sionnach Glic wrote:Irish usage, but I believe the term "knacker" originally meant the same in Britain as well.

Hmm. It may not have been an etymological difference so much as people who speak English not being able to understand the Welsh and Cornish.

Next we can begin examining the roots behind hawaiian slang

Eh, you da kine?

Local kine gridz is ono.

Ho cus, where you stay?


Enjoy

I've been, and I can still only understand the last one.

....innit?

Wicked pissah!

There is your New England slang lesson for the day.