Strange sayings

Far Side · Post by **Far Side** » 31 Jul 2004, 21:24

Anybody know any strange sayings? Recently I've heard;

"you're no feared the coos dinnae get ye" and
"the things you see when you've no got a gun"

Any other examples welcome.....

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 31 Jul 2004, 21:32

Along similar lines:

'She looked like the wreck of the Hesperus." Google to the rescue again! After 13 years of marriage my wife can still surprise me.

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 31 Jul 2004, 21:40

One that's made me wonder - why do we do/say "Touch wood" to ward off bad luck? I mean, why wood, why not "Touch metal..rock...rubber.........PVC" ???

Gemini · Post by **Gemini** » 01 Aug 2004, 00:18

This is me since last tuesday

Gemini · Post by **Gemini** » 01 Aug 2004, 00:19

Wiznae that when it was yon

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 01 Aug 2004, 08:48

You may as well throw haystacks off the boat deck of the Lusitania.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 01 Aug 2004, 08:54

See me? See mince? I love it!

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » 09 Aug 2004, 14:27

Lifes a b%tch then you marry one,
As happy as piglets in straw,

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 09 Aug 2004, 16:49

Judging by Bellybabe's reaction, I should maybe add "tired and emotional", as in "tired and emotional as a newt".

Hell's Cat · Post by **Hell's Cat** » 10 Aug 2004, 18:56

bearcub wrote:One that's made me wonder - why do we do/say "Touch wood" to ward off bad luck? I mean, why wood, why not "Touch metal..rock...rubber.........PVC" ???

I think it's something to do with Pagan belief. The tree was a sacred object and touching one can ground bad luck into the earth, or something. Only goes to show we're all still pagans at heart but we don't really know it.
:druid:

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 10 Aug 2004, 19:00

Hell's Cat wrote:
bearcub wrote:One that's made me wonder - why do we do/say "Touch wood" to ward off bad luck? I mean, why wood, why not "Touch metal..rock...rubber.........PVC" ???
I think it's something to do with Pagan belief. The tree was a sacred object and touching one can ground bad luck into the earth, or something. Only goes to show we're all still pagans at heart but we don't really know it.

I was told that recently too.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 10 Aug 2004, 19:08

Na, touch wood was a sales initiative by Lawson's Timber back in the 60's.

Post by **wangi** » 10 Aug 2004, 19:27

Fish, or fishcakes.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 10 Aug 2004, 20:29

Mrs Dadaist and I visited Moscow a few years ago - and in a park in the north of the city we saw some nice old Babushkas who were, and I kid you not, hugging trees......

....and laughing at me, because they spotted me returning from behind a tree where I had just spent a penny.

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 17 Aug 2004, 22:31

My family kindly armed me with a whole heap of real Mancunian sayings; I duly brought them out at Mancunian 6th form, whre not a soul ever understood what I was talking about. Even fewer people now understand me, especially when i offer people "a brew" (unless they watch Peter Kay). I think just about the most bizarre one was when someone's trousers were too short, we would say that thier cat had died. I remember getting lots of sympathy because my mythical cat had died. They thought I was callous when i fell about laughing.

Jay · Post by **Jay** » 18 Aug 2004, 11:32

Hell's Cat wrote:
bearcub wrote:One that's made me wonder - why do we do/say "Touch wood" to ward off bad luck? I mean, why wood, why not "Touch metal..rock...rubber.........PVC" ???
I think it's something to do with Pagan belief. The tree was a sacred object and touching one can ground bad luck into the earth, or something. Only goes to show we're all still pagans at heart but we don't really know it.

It's actually a bit of both - pagan and Christian. As Hell's Cat says, the tree was a sacred object, and touching one, especially a holy tree like oak, invoked the spirits of the tree to ward off evil from you. But when Christianity arrived, the monks were clever enough not to ban the old beliefs, just gave them a Christian meaning, and the wood became the cross, and so a crucifix, either in church, or in the home.