THE THINGS WE SAY

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 25, 15 December 1939, Page 27

THE THINGS WE SAY

one can very often pick what trade a man is in, even without his mentioning it; one can tell whether he is a butcher, a baker, or a candlestickmaker. He seems to take on certain characteristics of his’ job. When he speaks, it is even easier to discern subtle distinctions which mark him for what he does. Do you know, for example, that when a carpenter says he is going to do some " rabbiting,’" he doesn’t mean what you or I mean — blazing away at something outside a burrow, but really " rebating." You've often felt "fed up," but do you know the ancestry of the saying? It has two possible pedigrees. First, it is possible that the expression comes from the days when ancient chiefs used to sacrifice the most handsome youth in the tribe to the Sun God. For a year the chosen youth lived in luxury, attended by the most beautiful maidens of the tribe. At the end of that time he was led out to be killed — "fed up." The other possible derivation is contained in the five stages of an apprentice to a pastry-cook: Joy: Content: Repletion: Discontent: Fed Up. Hardly anyone nowadays remains in ignorance about a "fo’c’sle," but did you know that sailors, instead of suggesting a "quick one," have the quaint expression, "slicing the main brace." It means a ration of "grog," grog being rum and water. The term comes from the days of sailing ships, when the actual splicing of the main brace was such a difficult one that the men were served with a drink afterwards to " pick them up." The word "clink" has become a familiar item in soldier's argot, signifying, of course, prison. The term was long ago used by criminals with reference to Southwark Gaol. To sailors, "ensign" is never plain " ensine," but " ensin," Possibly it derives from a desire to be " different." If you're looking for a "cushy" job, it may interest you to know that the expression is from the Hindustani, "khushi," meaning happy. If you descend to saying, "I don’t care a dam," you may be unconsciously essaying an Indian vernacular, A "d.a.m,." is in many parts of India the smallest copper coin. If you hear a soldier referring to the "ooja cum pivvy"" — don’t be alarmed! In the same context, you would say, " thingamy tite." The word "Blighty" was, in the last war, the trench term for "home," and was a corruption of the Hindustani velati (or belati) meaning " abroad," and particularly Europe; the word had been used in the Indian Army for many years before 1914, It is possibly not the only item of war slang that we shall find recurring. Finally, though it has nothing to do with the present subject, if you want to ig is a curious fact that in England

detect an English policeman in plaim clothes during the summer months, here is how to do it. (This might also be useful in New Zealand!). Where the_ strap of the helmet has been there will be a strip of face not quite as sunburnt as the rest. For this reason, in the summer months among the London Metropolitan Police, the chin-strap is not worn. The .. . er, "ooja cum pivvy" would give them away!