DIALECT AND WORD MEANINGS

[plaques]

Nebbins. I always had the impression that 'nebbins' were like 'slugs' a weaving term for faults in clothe. After Dad found tackling too heavy for him he spent some time as an overlooker / clothelooker and I'm sure I heard him use this term. I can't see the relationship to weighing scales.

[Tizer]

It sounds like one of those substitute words you use when you can't think of the correct word! Like `whatsit'.

[Tripps]

just heard this from Zoe Williams of The Guardian - possibly my least favourite commentaor on the Sky Press Review.

"It does 'problematize' everything that comes out of Boris Johnson's mouth.

Good grief. . . .

[Stanley]

Quite! They used to say that swearing was a sign of a small vocabulary. Perhaps coining words like that is as well.
As for nebbins, you won't find it anywhere, I made it up. I still think it's a viable word..... (Better than 'problematize'!)

[Tizer]

In Germany they've got a new word, `Zeitenwende', meaning a turning point and used to describe the change from cosying up to Russia in the past to now supporting the Ukrainians in their fight against that country.

[Cathy]

Problematise - is as over the top as Incentivized.
Both government words.

[Stanley]

You could be right Cathy. It was Sunak who introduced us to the modern usage of furlough.

[Tizer]

We don't hear or see the word `gimcrack' these days although it would be a good description of our present set of politicians! It arose a few hundred years ago in the very early days of the Royal Society. The members of the Society were often lampooned because in those days they tended to value the collection of oddities such as a sheep with two heads. A London theatre company put on a comic play featuring a `Professor Gimcrack' and his crazy ideas, all of which were based on things published in the Transactions of the Royal Society.

[Tripps]

It was Sunak who introduced us to the modern usage of furlough.

Not for me - I learned it from Phil Silvers as Sgt Ernie Bilko at Fort Baxter.

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A word I learned of from this site is 'laiking' meaning playing. Panbiker uses it in normal speech. I think it must be a Yorkshire word.

It just occurred to me that it might be related to the posher 'larking about' . "Oh what larks Pip". I wonder if it is?

[Stanley]

I once had a conversation with a lady from Norway on a long flight and she recognised a lot of our dialect terms as direct transfers from Scandinavian languages. 'Laik' is the modern Norwegian word for play. I seem to remember she recognised Boose and Boskin as well, both farming terms.
David, I knew about furlough as a word used in the US for what we call leave but not the meaning that Sunak used as paid absence from work.

[Stanley]

I was watching a programme about Wakefield Prison and learned that the word 'nonce' meaning a person convicted of sexual abuse of children originated at the prison. There was a chalk board outside each cell that was for essential information about the occupant. N.O.N.C.E is an acronym for "Not on normal courtyard exercise". This because the offender was in danger of being attacked by other prisoners.
Sounds feasible to me.....

[plaques]

Backwardation. A technical marketing term.

What backwardation means?
For traders and investors, lower futures prices or backwardation is a signal that the current price is too high. As a result, they expect the spot price will eventually fall as the expiration dates of the futures contracts approaches.

In other words the price of petrol and diesel is too high.

[Tripps]

Sounds feasible to me.....

I doubt it.

1975. Unknown, derived from British criminal slang. Several origins have been proposed; possibly derived from dialectal nonce, nonse (“stupid, worthless individual”) (but this cannot be shown to predate nonce "child-molester" and is likely a toned-down usage of the same insult), or Nance, nance (“effeminate man, homosexual”), from nancy or nancyboy. The rhyme with ponce has also been noted.
As prison slang also said to be an acronym for "Not On Normal Communal Exercise" (Stevens 2012), but this is likely a 'backronym'


I like 'backronym' . there are plenty about.

[Big Kev]

Nonce is used in t'internet security too, it's a shortening of number used once.

[Stanley]

'Conniption' .... A Yiddish word meaning a fit of rage or hysterics. Very useful. I used it this morning and don't want to confuse people!

[Tripps]

I first heard it on 'Judge Judy' and looked it up then. She throws in the occasional Yiddish word including 'tuchas'.

I'm still waitng for my favourite which is 'meshugganah'.

[Stanley]

I picked a lot of Yiddish words up when I was living with Ethel and her family in New York. I also got a copy of 'The Joys of Yiddish by Leo Rosten. (LINK go on, treat yourself.)

[Tripps]

go on, treat yourself.

It's on its way. Couldn't resist after this reference. . . .

"Rosten writes "I think Yiddish a language of exceptional charm ... a tongue that never takes its tongue out of its cheek." and then he goes on to demonstrate that charm and cheekiness for 500 some-odd pages. .."

It will sit nicely next to my "The English Gypsies and Their Language" by Charles Leland.

[Stanley]

You will never regret it David. If you aren't delighted with it I will buy it off you at cost. He inserts lots of really good Jewish stories and jokes to illustrate the meanings, that's what grabbed me about the book and still does.

[Tripps]

Well - that was quick- Wednesday to Saturday.

It arrived this morning, and looks to be a good 'dipper inner' which suits my style. First dip looks good - I shall be better informed.

PS They've 'redacted' the original price. Proably embarrassed at how much more than that it has cost me.

[Stanley]

Mine was $3.95 David, original published price. I'm glad you like it......
It was recommended to me by Jack Sussman a retired NY dentist who ran a secondhand book business as a hobby. He said most of the 'Yiddish' books were rubbish but he rated Leo Rosten.

[Tripps]

Yes - he's a Mensch Interesting to see he is the authority for the Wiki entry.

According to Leo Rosten, a mensch is "someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character. The key to being 'a real mensch' is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous."[2] The term is used as a high compliment, implying the rarity and value of that individual's qualities.

[MickBrett]

"Clarty" or I would say "Clairty"

As in when you eat some lovely soft cake and it sticks to the roof of your mouth.

[Stanley]

Yes, used regularly by me Mick. Nobody is firm on origin but it is sometimes associated with 'claggy'. I've used that adjective as well.

[Tripps]

Take care if you use the word in Jamaica. . . .