December 19th, 2009, 04:40 PM | #11 | |
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December 19th, 2009, 04:41 PM | #12 | |
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December 19th, 2009, 05:45 PM | #13 |
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And there's a thing. I'd heard tell that Americans (U.S.A), neither used nor understood the term 'fortnight', and yet I've recently read Uncle Tom's Cabin (Part of a package of Wordsworth Classics from Amazon), and the word 'fortnight is used and understood several times. Another (Urban) myth dispelled?
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December 19th, 2009, 06:24 PM | #14 | |
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What is in dispute, however, is why the term 'public' is ascribed to the type of fee-paying schools that the rest of the world would regard as 'private' - which I think was the basis of the original query. In this context the term 'public' can not be inferred to mean free as in 'free of charge' (as you seemed to advocate), but merely free insofar as entry was not restricted (theoretically) on the grounds of class or religion. Regards.
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December 19th, 2009, 06:56 PM | #15 |
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Another question
This is, I assume, British slang, and I've never quite figured out the meaning: "Bob's your uncle."
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December 19th, 2009, 07:02 PM | #16 | |
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In some places in Britain, "Bob's your uncle" is also a way of saying "you're all set", "you've got it made!" or "that's great!" and is used as an expression of jubilation at good fortune. It is used thus in the Alastair Sim film Scrooge, a version of the classic Dickens story A Christmas Carol, where a reformed Ebenezer Scrooge confronts his housekeeper, Mrs Dilber, on Christmas morning. He gives her a guinea (£1.05 in that era, and equivalent to about $100 today) as a Christmas present, and announces he will significantly raise her salary. In a burst of excitement the housekeeper responds, “Bob’s yer uncle! Merry Christmas, Mr Scrooge, in keeping with the situation!”. However, this may be an anachronism, as A Christmas Carol was first published by Dickens in 1843 and as outlined above the expression (in the later film) was not in use at that time. Usage has evolved to the expressions "Robert's your father's brother", "Robert's your auntie's husband" and "Robert's your mother's brother" as synonymous phrases. "Fanny's your aunt" appears later. |
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December 19th, 2009, 07:18 PM | #17 | |
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December 19th, 2009, 08:47 PM | #18 |
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The expression may refer to Robert Cecil,Lord Salisbury giving the prestigious post of Chief Secretary for Ireland to his nephew Arthur Balfour,Hence Bob's your uncle.
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December 19th, 2009, 09:58 PM | #19 |
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I never had an uncle Bob - which is a pity, because I think Bob is an excellent name for an uncle. I did however have an uncle Dickie, which is also quite a good name for an uncle - but not as solid or dependable as Bob. A Bob will always be there for you and teach you how to roller-skate or help you build a go-cart, whereas a Dickie will lead you astray by showing you the best way to dodge a bus fare or bunk into the pictures. On second thoughts, I think I prefer Dickie.
Regards.
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December 20th, 2009, 11:57 AM | #20 |
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Well, I'd never say that I prefer Dickie, but anyway, we say "Bob's your uncle" over here, too. Like..."just turn it this way, and nail it right there, and bang! Bob's your uncle"! Done!
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