Today's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
Today's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt <djheydt@kithrup.com> wrote: >> Today's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
Why an American cartoonist is using that word I don't know.
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 7:00:00 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
In article <slrnski35j...@azaal.plus.com>,<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
Andy Leighton <an...@azaal.plus.com> wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
Me neither, except he's old and weird and follows his ownToday's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
Why an American cartoonist is using that word I don't know.
drummer. Thanks for the explanation.
--
Using a, to USAians, obscure Britishism to get stuff past the censors?
Male nick names for female bodyparts are weird, or is that just me?
In article <slrnski35j...@azaal.plus.com>,
Andy Leighton <an...@azaal.plus.com> wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
Today's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
Why an American cartoonist is using that word I don't know.Me neither, except he's old and weird and follows his own
drummer. Thanks for the explanation.
--
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
In article <597446b5-8ef1-4c7c...@googlegroups.com>,
Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com> wrote:
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 7:00:00 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
In article <slrnski35j...@azaal.plus.com>,<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
Andy Leighton <an...@azaal.plus.com> wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
Me neither, except he's old and weird and follows his ownToday's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
Why an American cartoonist is using that word I don't know.
drummer. Thanks for the explanation.
--
Using a, to USAians, obscure Britishism to get stuff past the censors?
Male nick names for female bodyparts are weird, or is that just me?Does that have any connection with the fact that male nicknames
for male body parts frequently have a secondary meaning of
"stupid person"?
Googling 'charlies euphemism for breasts' rapidly brings up:
https://www.definition-of.com/charlies
charlies
(Adult / Slang)
Or: charleys :
1. British and Australian rhyming slang for titties , female breasts, possibly derived from the common name of King Charles II who had many mistresses.
1. British and Australian rhyming slang for titties , female breasts, possibly derived from the common name of King Charles II who had many mistresses. See breasts for synonyms and euphemisms.
The one I have seen is from an 1840s Romani word (now lost) meaning to
fondle or caress.
On Tue, 21 Sep 2021 08:34:56 -0700 (PDT), Peter Trei <pete...@gmail.com> wrote:
Googling 'charlies euphemism for breasts' rapidly brings up:
https://www.definition-of.com/charlies
charlies
(Adult / Slang)
Or: charleys :
1. British and Australian rhyming slang for titties , female breasts, possibly derived from the common name of King Charles II who had many mistresses.Probably the least convincing candidate etymology.
The one I have seen is from an 1840s Romani word (now lost) meaning to
fondle or caress.
On Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at 12:11:49 PM UTC-4, Andy Leighton wrote:
On Tue, 21 Sep 2021 08:34:56 -0700 (PDT), Peter Trei<pete...@gmail.com> wrote:
Googling 'charlies euphemism for breasts' rapidly brings up:Probably the least convincing candidate etymology.
https://www.definition-of.com/charlies
charlies
(Adult / Slang)
Or: charleys :
1. British and Australian rhyming slang for titties , female breasts,
possibly derived from the common name of King Charles II who had many
mistresses.
The one I have seen is from an 1840s Romani word (now lost) meaning to
fondle or caress.
I agree - its a bit farfetched.
I was more interested in confirming for Dorothy the meaning, rather than the >etymology, as well as demonstrating some working Google-fu.
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 11:01:15 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt
wrote:
In article <597446b5-8ef1-4c7c...@googlegroups.com>,
Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com> wrote:
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 7:00:00 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J HeydtDoes that have any connection with the fact that male nicknames
wrote:
In article <slrnski35j...@azaal.plus.com>,<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
Andy Leighton <an...@azaal.plus.com> wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
Me neither, except he's old and weird and follows his ownToday's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
Why an American cartoonist is using that word I don't know.
drummer. Thanks for the explanation.
--
Using a, to USAians, obscure Britishism to get stuff past the censors?
Male nick names for female bodyparts are weird, or is that just me?
for male body parts frequently have a secondary meaning of
"stupid person"?
Googling 'charlies euphemism for breasts' rapidly brings up:
https://www.definition-of.com/charlies
charlies
(Adult / Slang)
Or: charleys :
1. British and Australian rhyming slang for titties , female breasts, possibly derived from the common name of King Charles II who had many mistresses. See breasts for synonyms and euphemisms.
[I've never encountered definition 2: -pt]
2. British slang for testicles. See penis for synonyms.
pt
Peter Trei <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote in >news:5f02e976-9bdd-4743-af1f-159dbe77f7fbn@googlegroups.com:
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 11:01:15 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt
wrote:
In article <597446b5-8ef1-4c7c...@googlegroups.com>,
Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com> wrote:
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 7:00:00 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J HeydtDoes that have any connection with the fact that male nicknames
wrote:
In article <slrnski35j...@azaal.plus.com>,<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
Andy Leighton <an...@azaal.plus.com> wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
Me neither, except he's old and weird and follows his ownToday's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
Why an American cartoonist is using that word I don't know.
drummer. Thanks for the explanation.
--
Using a, to USAians, obscure Britishism to get stuff past the censors?
Male nick names for female bodyparts are weird, or is that just me?
for male body parts frequently have a secondary meaning of
"stupid person"?
Googling 'charlies euphemism for breasts' rapidly brings up:
https://www.definition-of.com/charlies
charlies
(Adult / Slang)
Or: charleys :
1. British and Australian rhyming slang for titties , female breasts,
possibly derived from the common name of King Charles II who had many
mistresses. See breasts for synonyms and euphemisms.
[I've never encountered definition 2: -pt]
2. British slang for testicles. See penis for synonyms.
pt
Strangely, I have only experienced definition 2. I was raised in Texas, for >whatever that's worth. Being smacked in the charlies only ever meant one >thing, and it hurt.
Peter Trei <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote in news:5f02e976-9bdd-4743-af1f-159dbe77f7fbn@googlegroups.com:
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 11:01:15 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt
wrote:
In article <597446b5-8ef1-4c7c...@googlegroups.com>,
Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com> wrote:
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 7:00:00 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J HeydtDoes that have any connection with the fact that male nicknames
wrote:
In article <slrnski35j...@azaal.plus.com>,<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
Andy Leighton <an...@azaal.plus.com> wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
Me neither, except he's old and weird and follows his ownToday's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's
body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
Why an American cartoonist is using that word I don't know.
drummer. Thanks for the explanation.
--
Using a, to USAians, obscure Britishism to get stuff past the censors?
Male nick names for female bodyparts are weird, or is that just me?
for male body parts frequently have a secondary meaning of
"stupid person"?
Googling 'charlies euphemism for breasts' rapidly brings up:
https://www.definition-of.com/charlies
charlies
(Adult / Slang)
Or: charleys :
1. British and Australian rhyming slang for titties , female breasts,
possibly derived from the common name of King Charles II who had many
mistresses. See breasts for synonyms and euphemisms.
[I've never encountered definition 2: -pt]
2. British slang for testicles. See penis for synonyms.
pt
Strangely, I have only experienced definition 2. I was raised in Texas, for whatever that's worth. Being smacked in the charlies only ever meant one thing, and it hurt.
When I asked the original question, I was thinking "maybe
'legs'?" Thinking of "charley-horse" meaning "leg-cramp." But
it was not so. You learn the darnedest things on USENET,
Partridge (Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English) has charleys
to mean testicles and indicates that it is American with a first (written) >use of 1964.
I too have never encountered the use of charleys to mean testicles in
the UK.
On Wed, 22 Sep 2021 02:26:07 +0000, Lafe <lafe@lafes.newlafe.net> wrote:
Peter Trei <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote in
news:5f02e976-9bdd-4743-af1f-159dbe77f7fbn@googlegroups.com:
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 11:01:15 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt
wrote:
In article <597446b5-8ef1-4c7c...@googlegroups.com>,
Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com> wrote:
On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 7:00:00 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J HeydtDoes that have any connection with the fact that male nicknames
wrote:
In article <slrnski35j...@azaal.plus.com>,<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
Andy Leighton <an...@azaal.plus.com> wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
Me neither, except he's old and weird and follows his ownToday's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's >>>> >> >> body that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless
list of "Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
Why an American cartoonist is using that word I don't know.
drummer. Thanks for the explanation.
--
Using a, to USAians, obscure Britishism to get stuff past the censors? >>>> >
Male nick names for female bodyparts are weird, or is that just me?
for male body parts frequently have a secondary meaning of
"stupid person"?
Googling 'charlies euphemism for breasts' rapidly brings up:
https://www.definition-of.com/charlies
charlies
(Adult / Slang)
Or: charleys :
1. British and Australian rhyming slang for titties , female breasts,
possibly derived from the common name of King Charles II who had many
mistresses. See breasts for synonyms and euphemisms.
[I've never encountered definition 2: -pt]
2. British slang for testicles. See penis for synonyms.
pt
Strangely, I have only experienced definition 2. I was raised in Texas, for >> whatever that's worth. Being smacked in the charlies only ever meant one
thing, and it hurt.
Partridge (Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English) has charleys
to mean testicles and indicates that it is American with a first (written) >use of 1964.
I too have never encountered the use of charleys to mean testicles in
the UK.
In article <qztHpB.1EuB@kithrup.com>, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:
When I asked the original question, I was thinking "maybe
'legs'?" Thinking of "charley-horse" meaning "leg-cramp." But
it was not so. You learn the darnedest things on USENET,
Charley-horse is not that well known in the UK. Back in the sixties, the >American ventriloquist Shari Lewis had a series on British TV. One of
her puppets was called Charley Horse and it was years before I found out
the origin of that name.
When I asked the original question, I was thinking "maybe
'legs'?" Thinking of "charley-horse" meaning "leg-cramp." But
it was not so. You learn the darnedest things on USENET,
Dorothy J Heydt <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
When I asked the original question, I was thinking "maybeEach day I go off to fly combat,
'legs'?" Thinking of "charley-horse" meaning "leg-cramp." But
it was not so. You learn the darnedest things on USENET,
In the flak, the fog, and the rain.
The Charlies are up even sooner
To recapture the ramp at Da Nang.
--scott
On Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at 7:47:09 PM UTC-4, Scott Dorsey wrote:
Dorothy J Heydt <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote:
When I asked the original question, I was thinking "maybeEach day I go off to fly combat,
'legs'?" Thinking of "charley-horse" meaning "leg-cramp." But
it was not so. You learn the darnedest things on USENET,
In the flak, the fog, and the rain.
The Charlies are up even sooner
To recapture the ramp at Da Nang.
--scott
In case this is unclear to anyone:
Viet Cong -> VC -> Victor Charlie -> Charlie.
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt <djheydt@kithrup.com> wrote:
Today's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's body
that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless list of
"Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 17:35:31 -0500, Andy Leighton wrote:
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
If that's so, why did the Brits of WW II use "Tail-end Charley"
to mean a plane that brings up the *rear* of a formation?
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 17:35:31 -0500, Andy Leighton wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt <djheydt@kithrup.com>
wrote:
Today's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's body
that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless list of
"Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
If that's so, why did the Brits of WW II use "Tail-end Charley"
to mean a plane that brings up the *rear* of a formation?
Charlie as slang has lots of different meanings - most of them
not used any more.
Charlie as slang has lots of different meanings - most of them
not used any more.
In article <slrnskoh7h.2r78.andyl@azaal.plus.com>, andyl@azaal.plus.com
(Andy Leighton) wrote:
Charlie as slang has lots of different meanings - most of them
not used any more.
A few years ago there was a fashion for women to wear a petticoat under
their dress that was longer than the dress. It was pointed out at the
time that in an earlier era, if you wanted to warn someone that their >petticoat was showing, you'd say, "Charlie's dead."
Um, back in my distant youth, if a woman's slip was showing, it
was by accident, and someone would tell her that in a whisper, so
that she could hit the nearest ladies' room and fix it. The
time when "underwear as outerwear" was in style was, as you say,
much more recent, and I don't *think* anyone would bother to tell
the wearer of the visible slip that her slip was showing.
In article <qzw1vn.24x2@kithrup.com>, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:
Um, back in my distant youth, if a woman's slip was showing, it
was by accident, and someone would tell her that in a whisper, so
that she could hit the nearest ladies' room and fix it. The
time when "underwear as outerwear" was in style was, as you say,
much more recent, and I don't *think* anyone would bother to tell
the wearer of the visible slip that her slip was showing.
Meant to post a link to this article:
https://wordhistories.net/2019/11/18/charlies-dead-petticoat-showing/
It would seem the phrase was in use in the fifties as a euphemistic way
or warning someone. It became fashionable to wear dresses shorter than
the petticoat more recently, and of course then it was deliberate.
Judging by that article it was in the late seventies. I vaguely remember
it; it wasn't fashionable for long.
In article <qzw1vn.24x2@kithrup.com>, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:
Um, back in my distant youth, if a woman's slip was showing, it
was by accident, and someone would tell her that in a whisper, so
that she could hit the nearest ladies' room and fix it. The
time when "underwear as outerwear" was in style was, as you say,
much more recent, and I don't *think* anyone would bother to tell
the wearer of the visible slip that her slip was showing.
Meant to post a link to this article:
https://wordhistories.net/2019/11/18/charlies-dead-petticoat-showing/
At 9.30 a.m. the redoubtable Philip M.Cann, showing at least a
yard of next week.s washing beneath his kilt, led the .United
Nations. procession of 400 students from the University to the
City Chambers.
I remember *knowing* the word "petticoat" in my youth, but only
in a historical context, like something my grandmother might have
worn in her youth, when skirts were longer and fuller. Or in a
nursery rhyme about a woman who fell asleep and a thief cut her
petticoats off at her knees.
On 9/23/21 12:53 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
I remember *knowing* the word "petticoat" in my youth, but only
in a historical context, like something my grandmother might have
worn in her youth, when skirts were longer and fuller. Or in a
nursery rhyme about a woman who fell asleep and a thief cut her
petticoats off at her knees.
I recall a different nursery rhyme, about "Little Nanny Etticoat in her
white petticoat." That's surely one of the most forced rhymes ever.
On Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:39:33 -0400, Gary McGath <garym@REMOVEmcgathREMOVE.com> >wrote:
On 9/23/21 12:53 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
I remember *knowing* the word "petticoat" in my youth, but only
in a historical context, like something my grandmother might have
worn in her youth, when skirts were longer and fuller. Or in a
nursery rhyme about a woman who fell asleep and a thief cut her
petticoats off at her knees.
I recall a different nursery rhyme, about "Little Nanny Etticoat in her >>white petticoat." That's surely one of the most forced rhymes ever.
I was listening to this one in the car earlier today:
"When the air becomes Uranious
And we will all go simultaneous"
And a quick google suggests the tume in question was recorded almost a month >before I was born :-)
On 9/23/21 5:12 AM, Andy Leighton wrote:
Charlie as slang has lots of different meanings - most of them
not used any more.
And there's the Boston transit system's "Charlie Card," named with
presumably intentional irony for the song "Charlie on the MTA."
In article <93ipkglavo112aujrkco6l5c76kuhkju06@4ax.com>,
Alan Woodford <alan@thewoodfords.uk> wrote:
On Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:39:33 -0400, Gary McGath <garym@REMOVEmcgathREMOVE.com>1957 is the date I found.
wrote:
On 9/23/21 12:53 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
I remember *knowing* the word "petticoat" in my youth, but only
in a historical context, like something my grandmother might have
worn in her youth, when skirts were longer and fuller. Or in a
nursery rhyme about a woman who fell asleep and a thief cut her
petticoats off at her knees.
I recall a different nursery rhyme, about "Little Nanny Etticoat in her >>>white petticoat." That's surely one of the most forced rhymes ever.
I was listening to this one in the car earlier today:
"When the air becomes Uranious
And we will all go simultaneous"
And a quick google suggests the tume in question was recorded almost a month >>before I was born :-)
I was a junior in high school. What I mostly remember about 1957
is Sputnik. (Hal, eight years old, got to see it go by, but I
never did.)
It would seem the phrase was in use in the fifties as a euphemistic
way or warning someone. It became fashionable to wear dresses
shorter than the petticoat more recently, and of course then it was deliberate. Judging by that article it was in the late seventies.
I vaguely remember it; it wasn't fashionable for long.
But this might have been regional. Does any female person on this
group remember "petticoat" in common usage in, say, the middle of
the 20th century?
It was pointed out at the
time that in an earlier era, if you wanted to warn someone that their petticoat was showing, you'd say, "Charlie's dead."
On Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:40 +0100 (BST), prd@pauldormer.cix.co.uk (Paul
Dormer) wrote:
It was pointed out at the
time that in an earlier era, if you wanted to warn someone that their
petticoat was showing, you'd say, "Charlie's dead."
In my era, it was "It's snowing down south."
(Underwear was normally white, a custom persisting from the time when
dye was too expensive to waste on something that didn't show.)
There used to be a column in the Reader's Digest called "Pardon me,
your slip is showing."
I recall darting into a ladies' room to take my slip off and put it in
my purse, since the shoulder straps couldn't be shortened enough.
Luckily, slips of the era were made of thin fabric that could be
folded small.
On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 02:08:26 -0400, Joy Beeson
<jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:
On Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:40 +0100 (BST), prd@pauldormer.cix.co.uk (Paul >>Dormer) wrote:
It was pointed out at the
time that in an earlier era, if you wanted to warn someone that their
petticoat was showing, you'd say, "Charlie's dead."
In my era, it was "It's snowing down south."
(Underwear was normally white, a custom persisting from the time when
dye was too expensive to waste on something that didn't show.)
There used to be a column in the Reader's Digest called "Pardon me,
your slip is showing."
I recall darting into a ladies' room to take my slip off and put it in
my purse, since the shoulder straps couldn't be shortened enough.
Luckily, slips of the era were made of thin fabric that could be
folded small.
I can remember hearing "it's snowing down south" and "your slip is
showing" (though never directed at me, as I've never worn a slip (or petticoat)), though never "Charlie's dead". And the latter much more
often than the former. Maybe it's an American vs. British thing.
But this might have been regional. Does any female person on
this group remember "petticoat" in common usage in, say, the
middle of the 20th century?
I was a junior in high school. What I mostly remember about 1957
is Sputnik. (Hal, eight years old, got to see it go by, but I
never did.)
I clearly remember Duncan Lunan, who was in the habit of wearing
a kilt on formal occasions, telling us the joke about the woman
asking the kilted Scotsman, "What is worn under the kilt?" and
getting the answer, "Nothing is worn under the kilt, madame; it's
all in perfect working order."
On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 03:47:07 -0700, Tim Merrigan <tppm@ca.rr.com> wrote:
On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 02:08:26 -0400, Joy Beeson >><jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:
On Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:40 +0100 (BST), prd@pauldormer.cix.co.uk (Paul >>>Dormer) wrote:
It was pointed out at the
time that in an earlier era, if you wanted to warn someone that their
petticoat was showing, you'd say, "Charlie's dead."
In my era, it was "It's snowing down south."
(Underwear was normally white, a custom persisting from the time when
dye was too expensive to waste on something that didn't show.)
There used to be a column in the Reader's Digest called "Pardon me,
your slip is showing."
I recall darting into a ladies' room to take my slip off and put it in
my purse, since the shoulder straps couldn't be shortened enough. >>>Luckily, slips of the era were made of thin fabric that could be
folded small.
I can remember hearing "it's snowing down south" and "your slip is
showing" (though never directed at me, as I've never worn a slip (or
petticoat)), though never "Charlie's dead". And the latter much more
often than the former. Maybe it's an American vs. British thing.
Partridge suggests that "Charley's dead" was UK usage from the 70s
and was used between schoolgirls. I would imagine that at the time
the petticoats in question were what the US would call half-slips.
In article <qzwD24.n1@kithrup.com>, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) >wrote:
I clearly remember Duncan Lunan, who was in the habit of wearing
a kilt on formal occasions, telling us the joke about the woman
asking the kilted Scotsman, "What is worn under the kilt?" and
getting the answer, "Nothing is worn under the kilt, madame; it's
all in perfect working order."
That's a very old joke.
On Thu, 23 Sep 2021 07:55:49 GMT, Charles Packer <mai...@cpacker.org> wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 17:35:31 -0500, Andy Leighton wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2021 20:13:32 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt <djh...@kithrup.com>
wrote:
Today's 9 Chickweed Lane:
https://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2021/09/20
Google has failed me.
"Charlies"?
I assume the twins are referring to some parts of their mother's body
that comes in pairs.
Even googling "charlies body parts" led me only to an endless list of
"Charlie's [auto] body parts."
What are the girls talking about?
British / Australian slang for women's breasts.
If that's so, why did the Brits of WW II use "Tail-end Charley"Charlie as slang has lots of different meanings - most of them
to mean a plane that brings up the *rear* of a formation?
not used any more. There are around 10 Charlie X rhyming slang
and as is usual in a lot of rhyming slang you often drop the X.
So Charlie Sheen was once used for cash macine. Charlie Drake
meant brake. Charlie meaning fool (as in a proper Charlie)
is the rhyming slang Charlie Smirke (which rhymes with
berk*). Apparently Charlie Smirke was a well-known jockey
in the 1930s to the 50s.
So slang is rarely simple, and words and terms often
have multiple, maybe conflicting, meanings, as it is
often very local or as in "tail-end charlie" specific
to a profession. In some cases, such as rhyming slang
and polari, having a meaning that is not clear to
any outsider listening in was seen as an advantage.
BTW I hadn't heard Charlie Sheen or Charlie Drake or
most of the other usages before I went down the rabbit
hole of research. Charlie meaning fool of course is well
known (but I didn't know the etymology).
* Of course berk is also rhyming slang. Berkshire Hunt.
However both berk and charlie now just mean foolish
rather than anything else.
--
In article <qzwC9...@kithrup.com>, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:
But this might have been regional. Does any female person onI'm not female but I'm sure I heard women's garments called petticoats in
this group remember "petticoat" in common usage in, say, the
middle of the 20th century?
the fifties and sixties. According to Wikipedia, in UK English, a
petticoat could be a full-length garment hanging from the shoulders worn under a dress. Popular in the fifties, apparently, to flounce out the
skirt.
On Friday, September 24, 2021 at 7:42:02 AM UTC-4, Paul Dormer wrote:
In article <qzwC9...@kithrup.com>, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:
I'm not female but I'm sure I heard women's garments called petticoats in
But this might have been regional. Does any female person on
this group remember "petticoat" in common usage in, say, the
middle of the 20th century?
the fifties and sixties. According to Wikipedia, in UK English, a
petticoat could be a full-length garment hanging from the shoulders worn
under a dress. Popular in the fifties, apparently, to flounce out the
skirt.
The male equivalent I recall is "You're flying low."
On 2021-09-25, Peter Trei <pete...@gmail.com> wrote:
On Friday, September 24, 2021 at 7:42:02 AM UTC-4, Paul Dormer wrote:
In article <qzwC9...@kithrup.com>, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:
I'm not female but I'm sure I heard women's garments called petticoats in >> the fifties and sixties. According to Wikipedia, in UK English, a
But this might have been regional. Does any female person on
this group remember "petticoat" in common usage in, say, the
middle of the 20th century?
petticoat could be a full-length garment hanging from the shoulders worn >> under a dress. Popular in the fifties, apparently, to flounce out the
skirt.
The male equivalent I recall is "You're flying low.""You're at half-mast" in the UK.
--
Male nick names for female bodyparts are weird, or is that just me?
consider Spanish - the obscene word for penis is feminine, the
word for female genitals is masculine...
As is often pointed out, grammatical gender has little to do with
biological gender, any more than red, green and blue quarks are actually
red, green and blue.
In German, the -chen diminutive suffix makes the noun neuter, independent
of the gender of the root word, so we have Das Mädchen for the little
girl and Das Ampelmännchen for the little traffic light man in Berlin.
(In a park just south of the Brandenburg gate there is a statue of the
man, anything but little.)
In article <siufh3$su3$1@gioia.aioe.org>, >garabik-news-2005-05@kassiopeia.juls.savba.sk () wrote:
consider Spanish - the obscene word for penis is feminine, the
word for female genitals is masculine...
As is often pointed out, grammatical gender has little to do with
biological gender, any more than red, green and blue quarks are actually
red, green and blue.
In German, the -chen diminutive suffix makes the noun neuter, independent
of the gender of the root word, so we have Das Mädchen for the little
girl and Das Ampelmännchen for the little traffic light man in Berlin.
(In a park just south of the Brandenburg gate there is a statue of the
man, anything but little.)
Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> wrote:
Male nick names for female bodyparts are weird, or is that just me?
consider Spanish - the obscene word for penis is feminine, the
word for female genitals is masculine...
I believe I've already mentioned a student my German teacher
encountered (before my time) who hit on this feature and solved
the problem of trying to remember the genders of German nouns by
adding -chen or -lein to each one, making them all neuter.
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