At 10:11 AM 16/01/02 -0500, Sally Spangler wrote <snipped>:
>Hello Charlotte and Y'all, I have read English novels - particularly of
>the generation previous to me. (1920s or so). "Bob's your Uncle" or some
>variation of that meant by connotaton, quickly, without thinking, or at
>least, my connotation of it.
My view, being born in UK, is that the phrase can mean either:
"there we are",
"and that's that",
"roger"(ok),
or to use an Aussie terminology; "She'll be right".
Usually used in conjuction with a set of instructions or directions, as a
Kiwi cousin has already pointed out in a previous message, and usually as
an ending, but sometimes as an affirmative reply. No idea of the origins,
and cannot find it listed anywhere.
Just to confuse you even further, my father used to say .."Bob's your
Uncle", followed by a short lull, then he added "-and Fannie's your Aunt" !
No idea where that part originated, or if it was his own brand of quirky
humour, it may even have been something they said in the Merchant Navy -
unfortunately he's not around to ask nowdays, so unless someone else has
also heard it, I guess I'll never know! (To the best of my knowledge, I
never had an Aunt Fannie, but with this genealogy thing, you never know
who's waiting just around the corner)
Anyhow, that's my view,
>Are there any OZ/Kiwi expressions you gentlemen may want to add to our
>vocabulary?
I'm sure the ladies on this list are just as capable...... LOL
How about the one I am currently trying hard NOT to persist in saying....
after a successful job done, or a nice piece of work completed, a good
drawing created, etc., etc.; I have been in the habit of saying
"Lovely........ tell your Mother".
No idea where I picked it up, more than likely I'll blame my old man (my
father in this case, but also used by some women to denote their husband),
but I seem to recall the British comedian Eric Morecambe using it in a
movie I watched late one night - Dad was an avid fan of his, so I suspect
that could be the origin. Not an Aussie saying, but that's where I'm living
now! I'm sure such sayings as "She'll be right mate", True Blue", "Stone
the Flamin' Crows", "A couple of kangaroos loose in the top paddock" etc.,
etc. could be of interest to you, but possibly off list - I'm unsure just
how many listers want the inside grime on Aussie language peculiarities...
Cheers,
Ian Newman
in West Oz
[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@quarterman.org
[ To get off or on the list, see http://sinclair.quarterman.org/list.html