An aunt of mine, now long passed on, used to tell the story of how she first met her future mother in law. Aunt M was from Staffordshire, and as they went in the house she exclaimed "I'm starved!" which is an expression from thereabouts meaning, I'm cold. (It was winter). MiL was horrified and immediately offered to get her something to eat!
In our family a birthday might still mean you get 'one of those eagle things' for a present. This was first said by our youngest aged 4 (now 40) whose thought process we eventually worked out. 'eagle thing' = vulture = voucher
@Sparrow we also "huggle" :-)
Master Wanderer the younger had a few words from his infancy that we sometimes still use: loghurt= yoghurt, laybow=elbow and scribble=squirrel.
We also "flump": flop+slump -to collapse in a tired heap on the sofa.
We too have a wish-dosher and a whzjzjzj (stick blender).
When Cheery son was much younger and having a lot of time in hospital we had our own special terms to try and explain stuff at a 3 year old level.
anasthaetics became sleeping medicines,
fasting days were hungry days,
clinic only follow up appointments were talking visits as opposed to sleeping medicine (lumbar puncture) days.
An ultrasound became a jelly x-ray.
When he was very young our son was terrified of blue pyjama people (anyone in scrubs) and he did not like seeing them even just lining up at the café for a coffee.
Water medicine started out as dissolved chemo given at night, but then became anything liquid which could be squirted into his mouth while half asleep and with little resistance.
In my family when I was growing up, the round, stuffed foot rest that other people seem to call a pouffe was always known as a 'pumpty'. I like this word better and am happy that my young adult children also have been indoctrinated into it!
Also from my childhood, I think inherited from my dad's family, was the concept of a play tickling attack being 'skitch-ki-nibbled'!
And from when my youngest child was little biscuits became 'spikits', they still are. Anyone want a spikit?!
My brother and I had a game where he would try (and inevitably succeed, as he was bigger) to suffocate me under the eiderdown, which became known as being "spifflocated".
In my family, slotted spoons were always referred to as “holy spoons” (i.e., “hole-y spoons”).
As my mother used to say of laddered stockings - More holey than godly.
Though we also had holey spoons. And the thing to mash potatoes was a champer (because that's how you made champ - mashed potato with butter and scallions for overseas listeners).
An aunt of mine, now long passed on, used to tell the story of how she first met her future mother in law. Aunt M was from Staffordshire, and as they went in the house she exclaimed "I'm starved!" which is an expression from thereabouts meaning, I'm cold. (It was winter). MiL was horrified and immediately offered to get her something to eat!
An archaic meaning of Starve is to die. It survives as to be freezing cold in some dialects. Not a neologism so much as an archaism.
Oh dear! I can see a new (?) neologism entering the RR household lexicon. 'Have you been to the bathroom, dear?' 'Yes, but I only managed a peedie creepie'.
When Mrs. Gramps and I were a-courtin. I would sometimes go to her apartment before she would get home and hide in one of her closets. She always found me because I could not help giggling too much. But, when she opened up the door. I would say "Boo." To this day, every once in a while I will call out "Boo" to her as a term of endearment.
When Mrs. Gramps and I were a-courtin. I would sometimes go to her apartment before she would get home and hide in one of her closets. She always found me because I could not help giggling too much. But, when she opened up the door. I would say "Boo." To this day, every once in a while I will call out "Boo" to her as a term of endearment.
When Mrs. Tamen and I were dating, we’d often watch Pee-Wee’s Playhouse together on Saturday morning. One regular feature was the day’s “secret word.” Every time anyone said the secret word, everyone was supposed to scream.
Normally, the secret word was something very ordinary, so that it was guaranteed to be said multiple times during the show. But one day, the secret word was “ Zyzzybalubah.” (There was a whole story that went with and explained that word.) Zyzzybalubah became a word we used to convey various ideas, particularly “I love you.” 35+ years later, things like birthday cards may still be signed “—Z.”
We have two small three legged stools bought in the late 70s, I think. I thought they were called milking stools, but the kits were sold as 'cow stools', so that's what they have always been called. The idea of cows using them caused puzzlement at the time. (They are made of elm, which was cheap and plentiful when trees were being felled due to Dutch Elm Disease).
An aunt of mine, now long passed on, used to tell the story of how she first met her future mother in law. Aunt M was from Staffordshire, and as they went in the house she exclaimed "I'm starved!" which is an expression from thereabouts meaning, I'm cold. (It was winter). MiL was horrified and immediately offered to get her something to eat!
An archaic meaning of Starve is to die. It survives as to be freezing cold in some dialects. Not a neologism so much as an archaism.
We still use 'starving' for being really cold up in the North.
An aunt of mine, now long passed on, used to tell the story of how she first met her future mother in law. Aunt M was from Staffordshire, and as they went in the house she exclaimed "I'm starved!" which is an expression from thereabouts meaning, I'm cold. (It was winter). MiL was horrified and immediately offered to get her something to eat!
An archaic meaning of Starve is to die. It survives as to be freezing cold in some dialects. Not a neologism so much as an archaism.
We still use 'starving' for being really cold up in the North.
"Real brass monkey weather" is what we used to say when I was growing up in Kent.
Sorry to double post - I neglected to say that in the family we have "delidopdop" for "helicopter" from when Nenlet2 was little and "oo-gert" for "yoghurt" which is what Mr Nen called it in a made-up story about a dragon called Gertrude who liked eating it...
Every now and then in my family, a par cark is still used to park a car in; and the item to allow you to park there is a parking kermit. Both from when my sister was much younger and occasionally got words a little tangled up.
I've just introduced myself on the Welcome aboard! thread, so now feel free to add my two ha'p'orth.
My eldest son was responsible for two when he was small: diarrhoea became 'the wee-wee-poos' and pins-and-needles in his lower extremities was described as having 'a hairy foot'!
My own contribution, when trying to describe one of those chaps in late middle age: 'bespectabald'.
Comments
We have podger for those
The Bradford pear tree is a popcorn tree and a roadside stand selling pumpkins is a pumpkin party.
AFF
An immersion blender is a "whizzy-whizz".
Anyone (usually, but not exclusively, male) of whom my dad disapproved was either a "nyaff" or a "clickfart".
Master Wanderer the younger had a few words from his infancy that we sometimes still use: loghurt= yoghurt, laybow=elbow and scribble=squirrel.
We also "flump": flop+slump -to collapse in a tired heap on the sofa.
When Cheery son was much younger and having a lot of time in hospital we had our own special terms to try and explain stuff at a 3 year old level.
anasthaetics became sleeping medicines,
fasting days were hungry days,
clinic only follow up appointments were talking visits as opposed to sleeping medicine (lumbar puncture) days.
An ultrasound became a jelly x-ray.
When he was very young our son was terrified of blue pyjama people (anyone in scrubs) and he did not like seeing them even just lining up at the café for a coffee.
Water medicine started out as dissolved chemo given at night, but then became anything liquid which could be squirted into his mouth while half asleep and with little resistance.
Also from my childhood, I think inherited from my dad's family, was the concept of a play tickling attack being 'skitch-ki-nibbled'!
And from when my youngest child was little biscuits became 'spikits', they still are. Anyone want a spikit?!
Oh, how we laughed.
"Oo-oo-doo." We use it with her to this day.
As my mother used to say of laddered stockings - More holey than godly.
Though we also had holey spoons. And the thing to mash potatoes was a champer (because that's how you made champ - mashed potato with butter and scallions for overseas listeners).
An archaic meaning of Starve is to die. It survives as to be freezing cold in some dialects. Not a neologism so much as an archaism.
Us too
A milking stool is called a creepie stool in the north of Scotland. "Peedie" means "small" in Orkney and Shetland.
If you told me that you had a "peedie-creepie" I would envisage a small low stool.
Sigh ......
Sounds a peedie creepie to me...
Normally, the secret word was something very ordinary, so that it was guaranteed to be said multiple times during the show. But one day, the secret word was “ Zyzzybalubah.” (There was a whole story that went with and explained that word.) Zyzzybalubah became a word we used to convey various ideas, particularly “I love you.” 35+ years later, things like birthday cards may still be signed “—Z.”
Are you an Orcadian? 🙂
"Peedie" is Orkney dialect for small, and a creepie is a small, low wooden stool. https://www.orkneyhandcraftedfurniture.co.uk/bespoke/orkney-creepies
We got one as a wedding present, but sadly it met the same fate as yours.
ETA: apologies to NEQ, whose explanation I missed.
Dire rear instead of Diarrhoea.
We still use 'starving' for being really cold up in the North.
"Real brass monkey weather" is what we used to say when I was growing up in Kent.
My eldest son was responsible for two when he was small: diarrhoea became 'the wee-wee-poos' and pins-and-needles in his lower extremities was described as having 'a hairy foot'!
My own contribution, when trying to describe one of those chaps in late middle age: 'bespectabald'.