Jaja

[Jae1000000]

I think I am spelt this word wrong. What do people mean by it is 'so jaja', I often hear it being used when they are describing something that is stylish and sophisticated, but I am not sure of the correct spelling and its meaning.
Thanks to any one who can help.

Toorah loorah

[Zacs-Master]

Shishi?

[Old_Geezer]

So jar jar ? Sounds like a Star Wars reference to me. But what do I know ?

[Svejk]

Jejune? Opposite of stylish.

[Negomi]

"yahs" are Sloane Ranger types who say "OK Yah!", maybe its to do with that

[Jae1000000]

I think the word is 'gsa gsa' it is often use when describing something as stylish or sophisticated, ie ' that is sooo gsa gsa'. It is not in the dictionary, so I suspect that it might have something to do with Gsa gsa Gabor.

[FredPuli43]

She was Zsa Zsa Gabor but Zsa Zsa sounds like zha zha or ja ja certainly. Where have you heard this and what age were the people using it? She was famously glamorous in the sense of a bit blingy: all diamante, gold lame dresses, extravagant furs and good bones (not her bones; the bones in the corsetry ) a real figure (hour glass of course; if you've got it,push it up) of the 1950s. Stylish and sophisticated? Not by current standards, but an image of its time, it was glam. Nowadays, it looks a bit drag queen, but it is coming back and is seen as retro.

[jno]

are you in the UK?

[jno]

incidentally, Zsa Zsa Gabor is still here, aged 96.

[FredPuli43]

PS. Anyone who signs off at night with Toorah loorah is either Irish or a bit retro themselves.Either way, it' all to the good. The song Too Ra Loo Ra was made popular by Bud Flanagan,and must be at least 70 years old. I'd long forgotten its existence.(When he sang it, it didn't sound like a lullaby :) )

[Jae1000000]

Fredpuli43: I heard the phrase 'gsa gsa' a few times in the past, most recently used by Khloe Kardashian when she was describing her sister's wedding, she is only twenty eight. I am not Irish but have and often used just the word 'toorah' when saying good bye. The first time I heard the full phrase toorah loorah was the 80s band Dexy's Midnight Runners, I had no idea that it was seventy years old.
JNO: I am in London, why?

Toodeloos

[FredPuli43]

jae, I was just intrigued. Toorah loorah is Irish, although ta ra is Northern English for 'goodbye'! Language use and fashions in language are interesting to me. That Zsa Zsa should be used for a certain quality or style of somebody now when it was never used when the woman herself was famous is interesting in itself. Perhaps it has been used by an older person retrospectively and picked up by someone young, for the young person would never have known of the woman; she is not like John Wayne or Marilyn Monroe whose films are still known and whose image has lasted in the public mind. It's as though Lady Docker had been resurrected for an image of supposedly glamorous and wealthy excess, in her case.

[jno]

just curious, jae, some posters are from America and ask about language that turns out to be unknown here so nobody can help.

Also, a lot of Irish usage has survived in Australia. Toorah loora seems to have become ooroo!

[FredPuli43]

And,jae,googling has revealed that "Too-ra Loo-ra (an Irish lullaby)" was first published in 1914 ! So it's nearly a hundred years old,not a mere 70 as I supposed.

[jno]

FredPuli, this goes back to at the latest 1885

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botany_Bay_%28song%29

and I suspect rather earlier.

Singing too-ral, li-ooral, li-addity,
Singing too-ral, li-ooral, li-ay,

[curlyperm11]

I lived in Spain for a few years and its a teenage expression it LITERALLY means HA HA

[Jae1000000]

Wow...Thanks a lot for all the responses, it made a very interesting read