Stupid Sayings

[sprayermick]

Why when things are coming to an end are they said to "PETER" out and not fred or arthur out and why when things are floating are they said to "BOB" up and down in the current and not jim or bill, are there any more like this I ask myself and does it really matter????

[Wharton]

You're talking a lot of tommyrot :-)

[albaqwerty]

of course it matters, it's sexist :-)

Things which float should be Caroline-ing

[sprayermick]

Yes it occurred to me just after posting the question that it seemed to be sexist as all the names seem to be of male origin, apart of course the contraption known as a spinning "JENNY"

[albaqwerty]

I must admit bobbing up and down is nicer than roberting up and down.

Interesting question Mick.

Another thought, why do people take the mick and not take the alan for example?

[Psybbo]

And why paddy fields?

[WyeDyed]

One theory on "taking the Mick"
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/344000.html

[Baldric]

Didn't you know ^^^^ Rice is a popular crop in Ireland, although they do lose the odd Combine or two!

[Psybbo]

smiles at Baldric

[marval]

Why is Bob my uncle?

[ummmm]

Because Fanny is your aunt...

[Baldric]

No, Robert is your mothers brother.

[sprayermick]

Is Fanny your aunt Marval?

[albaqwerty]

Aunt Bob is kept in the dark marval :-D


(we don't speak of her in public)

[marval]

So I have just found out

[FredPuli43]

To peter out and to bob appear to only coincidentally be the same as a man's name. "Jack it in" may not be, jack-of- all-trades is not coincidental, and "to jackknife" and "jackknife" for the noun are not, because Jack was a common name for a man, and a man would be associated with them. Where jack staff, jackstay and jackshaft fit in, I would not like to speculate :)

[sprayermick]

I could think of a few about ROGER but it wold get me banned

[marval]

Sorry alba I forgot about aunt Bob, is she related to uncle Fanny?

[Wharton]

There's a film called 'Fanny by Gaslight' - I haven't seen it.

[WyeDyed]

Mmm, "Bob's your uncle" an interesting one - From the same source as my last link:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/bobs-your-uncle.html

[albaqwerty]

Marval, she's the niece's sister's cousin by her first marriage :-)