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Topic: Language oddities especially when amusing (Read 3685 times)

Language oddities especially when amusing

Several years back leading a boys camp over to a modern centre on the Ulster coast for years our boys got on well with the local youths and girls. One afternoon going out for a walk a local lass was sitting on the low boundary wall and looked over smiling then said could she ask me something.

Looking puzzled she commented  that one of our boys had said on passing she was "a wee stoater." It left her confused and puzzled so I laughed and replied that it had two meaings back home in Scotland so she asked for the explanation. I told her it meant that she was a wee beauty and therefor a compliment so she blushed and smiled whilst nodding. Then the query look came back on her face and remembered I said there were two meanings.

This time I took a deep breath and told her it was also an expression to indicate a good bouncing ball. Often wondered if other places have things like this in dialects?
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #1 –
It also means to stagger (He stoatered up the road.). Like a good Scot with too much Scotch in him. :)

The word "john" is a good example.

1. A man's name
2. A lavatory
3. A person who uses the services of a prostitute
4. An extremely handsome guy
5. A man with a very large penis, usually above 6 inches
6. To have a cramp, as in a painful contraction of the muscle

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #3 –
Because too sensible to be Yanks!  :lol: And as jimbro knows we did much for over the water......
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #4 –
Quote from: rjhowie on
And as jimbro knows we did much for over the water......

Yeah. Your best and brightest left your shores and went elsewhere. (We are -mostly- grateful for the lot that came our way.) Can you cite a list of Scottish emigres — showing a boon or boost to your country?
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"Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility." - James Thurber
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts!" - Richard Feynman
 (iBook G4 - Panther | Mac mini i5 - El Capitan)

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #5 –
Quote from: rjhowie on
Often wondered if other places have things like this in dialects?

Of course, you twit, there are — countless examples… You are not so daft as to be exceptionable: Many are as dumb and ignorant as you! (Surely, you don't think yourself exceptionably endowed? :) ) Language is an essentially playful medium.

Have you never met any real people, and talked to them? (Yeah, kids too? One of the joys of speaking with youngsters is -or, has been, to me- their growing grasp of the potentialiaty of words: The awareness, that they can make stuff up — that others can figure out, if they get it…
It's a game!

Of course, you can find young-uns who don't yet know this. (You can find old-uns, too…).  But to think that such isn't a regular function of language itself is — daft.
(You old anagram of "daft"… if you change the 'd' to an 'r'.)
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"Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility." - James Thurber
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts!" - Richard Feynman
 (iBook G4 - Panther | Mac mini i5 - El Capitan)

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #6 –
Do you really want to go there? Really? Words that mean one thing in Boston might mean something else in Glasgow, Kentucky. Might not mean anything at all in Billings, Montana.

Think about it: I can't park on the parkways in Kentucky, nor can I drive very far in my driveway here in Illinois. Build a house with a basement in Florida? Are you daft, man? Your basement would be flooded all the time. Houses there are built either on the slab or on pillars. But you'll find few house here that don't have basements in the Upper Midwest. Speaking of "upper" and "dialects"--- having listened to some of the stuff people from the UP say, I fancy you'll have a hard time understanding much. Sure, it's English--- well, sort of, anyway--- but it's UP English. Yuppers are almost an entity of their own.
What would happen if a large asteroid slammed into the Earth?
According to several tests involving a watermelon and a large hammer, it would be really bad!

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #7 –
Heavens. A harmless thing and you two go bananas.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #8 –
I take it, you don't understand language as fun! :) (Of course, there's always the nagging doubt -with you: Does he understand language at all? He's mostly gesticulating and gibbering, i'n't 'e?)
BOT: Did you explain to the wee lass the likely derivation of "a good bounce"? No need to answer; you're obviously allowed Internet privileges,  so you're not up for corrupting minors…


If you think such word-play is unusual or Euro-centric (…or worse, Scots) consider this:
Quote
It is here worth noting that cultural assimilation is closely linked to economic assimilation. The lack of economic integration of immigrants is leading to the emergence of a new ethnic class society in Europe, with occupational status becoming visibly linked to ethnicity. In office environments in Paris, Berlin, and Stockholm, janitors and cafeteria staff increasingly look and speak differently from management and white-color professionals. The so-called visible minorities of Europe are rarely allowed to forget their lower socioeconomic status or that they are outsiders who were never really welcomed by large segments of the native population. Despite lip service to the contrary, Muslim immigrants sense the silent collective distrust whenever some random extremist runs amok.


(source)



Did you catch it? :) I think the author was deliberately punny…and quite clever! (The writer is a Kurd — an ethnicity I hazard to remark is all-but entirely unknown to you and I… :) )

"In office environments in Paris, Berlin, and Stockholm, janitors and cafeteria staff increasingly look and speak differently from management and white-color professionals."

What our real problem is, is what to do with our blue-color workers… (Can we just call them Coolies, and get kudos?!)
——————————————————————
p.s. (to everyone),
Let me know, if I haven't offended you recently. I'll try to to catch up…
Lord knows, somebody's got to do it! (Mac seems preoccupied… But then he always did: He didn't mean it! And he should be sued into penury for his false advertisements! Or -at least- laughed at. BTW, he doesn't know how funny he is…)
——————————————————————
p.s.s.,
Sorry, if you find this annoying… But I like words, and people who know how to use them. (No offense meant, Sang!)
—————————————————————
p.s.s.t.,
Howie, where did you think this thread was going to go?
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"Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility." - James Thurber
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts!" - Richard Feynman
 (iBook G4 - Panther | Mac mini i5 - El Capitan)

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #9 –
OP's title is so ironic.

OP has no grasp of the Queen's English whatsoever, especially the punctuation part.  :rolleyes:   :yes: :right:

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #10 –
I make active considerations for Colonel Rebel as he is NOT a Yank (and a history spoiled) but I do tolerate you Oakdale as you don't get out much and have maybe had accidents searching for another bottle poor man. So you garble away but i have to admit to a smiling sigh at your predicament. Maybe however if you did get out the chair and out the house to chat to other brains yours might improve. Yeah that is it - so go for it!
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Colonel Rebel on

OP's title is so ironic.

OP has no grasp of the Queen's English whatsoever, especially the punctuation part.  :rolleyes:   :yes: :right:


Punctuation is important. Consider the comma and its place in communication.

"Let's eat, Grandpa." This is an invitation to the meal.

"Let's eat Grandpa." Grandpa is the meal. That comma means everything for Grandpa.
What would happen if a large asteroid slammed into the Earth?
According to several tests involving a watermelon and a large hammer, it would be really bad!

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #12 –
Quote from: mjmsprt40 on

Quote from: Colonel Rebel on

OP's title is so ironic.

OP has no grasp of the Queen's English whatsoever, especially the punctuation part.  :rolleyes:   :yes: :right:


Punctuation is important. Consider the comma and its place in communication.

"Let's eat, Grandpa." This is an invitation to the meal.

"Let's eat Grandpa." Grandpa is the meal. That comma means everything for Grandpa.

Indeed, lol.

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #13 –
And everyone who's striving for intelligent understanding should view Victor Borge's Phonetic Punctuation skits… (One example is linked.)

Indeed, he was a great Dane! (And an exceptional pianist…we should not forget.)
—————————————————————
@RJ, most recent post:

How little you'd know, and how little your
ken; whatever you'd learn and forget then -
since you'd care not much and you'd learn not when
— you canna' help being intellect-poor.

I'd continue in a bastardized Scots…
But it takes a genius, or a dunce, no? :)
I'm not sure that I'm either one; and, so,
I'll leave it to you to connect the dots.

Your schooling was what it was, and it was
what made your nation what it nowadays
is: Nigeria's competitor! Says
a lot, huh? :) When the oil is gone, 'cause

it will be soon, you know? What will you do?
I think you'll forget again, and just stew…
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"Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility." - James Thurber
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts!" - Richard Feynman
 (iBook G4 - Panther | Mac mini i5 - El Capitan)

Re: Language oddities especially when amusing

Reply #14 –
 :faint:
"Quit you like men:be strong"