i am not a Chinaman the Chinaman said???

[emmyelle]

i live in Glasgow and heard a guy working at a market stall shouting this at people passing by in a shopping centre today and i'm wondering what exactly it means?? some sort of banter that has gone over my head! can anyone help?

[chi-chi66]

the man sells china(chinaman) but he's not from China?

[emmyelle]

he was selling fruit and veg. i think its maybe some sort of private joke patter he has with someone else...i dont know!

[douglas9401]

I remember a greeting " Hullo rerr me auld china" from Glesca in the black and white days.
Any help?

[jomifl]

China....china plate.....mate. Cockney rhyming slang, don't know how relevant it is though.

[emmyelle]

yeah i've heard that before...it could be something to do with that, i never thought of that. there really is a language all of its own up here lol

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe it has a parallel meaning but my first stab would be to picture the scene where a man from China was pointing out he wasn't made of china.

Parhaps you should have asked him and bought a pound of carrots.

[emmyelle]

yeah, i thought it maybe meant "no matter what name you give yourself, you will always be what you are"...if that makes sense...sounds good in my head but cant get the words out. carrots it is.

[maggiebee]

He sounds like a rerr terr!

[roger]

Why didn't you ask him ?

[wildwood]

If it was actually an person of Asian descent and didn't sell plates and cups, I don't see what the mystery is.

[RATTER15]

Well wildwood, its not something you hear everyday from a fruit and veg seller, I think its bit of a mystery, I won't lose sleep over it though.