The "Pleasing Phrase" Thread

[tropicalbob]

My dad, who was Irish, had a million of 'em. I once asked him over the phone how the weather was, and he replied, "Ah, Son, it's colder than a mother-in-law's kiss." His reference to a woman in the neighborhood was, "Well, she's like Murphy's dog. She'll go a bit of the road with anyone." Mom, a Glasgow girl, would say, if I looked sad, "You look like the spirit of what's the use."

 

[nice hat dude!]

"If you think you're a person of some influence,try ordering somebody else's dog around"

 

[randooch]

Used to express indifference or mild dislike: "I don't cotton to [ . . . .]"

 

[DameWhoDrinks]

My maternal grandmother would say, when someone said something baffling, "What's that got to do with the price of eggs" I use that now, and get Stra-a-a-ange looks.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

She also says "Mornin', glory" which is such a good thing to hear. I think its a southern thing. On the Italian side of the family, none of the phrases are particularly pleasing, but we do get to hear "Tough titties said the kitty but the milk was good" whenever someone complains. Everything else is just shouted.

 

[countryclubjoe]

Some old school terms for money.

A dollar bill is called a SINGLE

A five dollar bill is called a FIN

A Ten dollar bill is called a SAWBUCK

A twenty dollar bill is called a DOUBLE SAWBUCK

A Fifty dollar bill is called A GRANT

a Hundred dollar bill is called A BENJAMAN

Best regards

CCJ

 

[AtomicEraTom]

My whole family still calls it a fin. People give me strange looks when I ask if they've got change for a fin, though.

A five dollar bill is called a FIN

 

[countryclubjoe]

My whole family still calls it a fin. People give me strange looks when I ask if they've got change for a fin, though.

Hi AtomicEraTom, I hope you and the family had a pleasurable Thanksgiving.
I hear you about THE FIN, I get strange looks from cashiers in resturants all the time because I pay in cash.
A Benjamin gets marked with a marker and put under a light, I always say' Its good, I just printed it" LOL
Best regards
CCJ

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I did, CCJ, and hope you did as well.

My dad loves to tell stories about a neighbor down the road from our place, back when he was a kid. He was from Chicago and had summer house by ours and in a raspy smoker's voice, he'd yell to my dad "Wanna earn a fin, Tommy?!"

Hi AtomicEraTom, I hope you and the family had a pleasurable Thanksgiving.
I hear you about THE FIN, I get strange looks from cashiers in resturants all the time because I pay in cash.
A Benjamin gets marked with a marker and put under a light, I always say' Its good, I just printed it" LOL
Best regards
CCJ

 

[tonyb]

So many of these "pleasing phrases" are euphemisms or metaphors or tropes of one sort or another. The speaker assumes the receiver is sufficiently "culturally literate" (there must be a better phrase for it) to understand the reference. This becomes apparent when a relatively new speaker of the language, or even a native speaker new to a particular context, is baffled by one usage or another.

And then there are those phrases most of us understand the meanings of but might be at a loss to say how they gained currency. "To look a gift horse in the mouth" doesn't have much literal meaning to a person who has never looked in a horse's mouth, or had the origins of the phrase explained to him, but he has heard it used in context so many times he understands what is being implied. I suspect that many youngsters know what it means to "drop a dime" on someone, even if the few payphones they've ever encountered, in this age of ubiquitous cell phones, cost considerably more than 10 cents to use.

 

[-Max-]

I suspect that many youngsters know what it means to "drop a dime" on someone, even if the few payphones they've ever encountered, in this age of ubiquitous cell phones, cost considerably more than 10 cents to use.

When I was in junior high I needed to call my parents from the payphone in the cafeteria. I asked the school secretary to lend me a dime, which she did. I was a bit perplexed when I put the dime in and I still couldn't make the call. This was in 1987 or so.

I had never used a payphone before, and the only frame of reference I had was the phrase "drop a dime", as well as having seen numerous old television shows where someone asks for a dime for the phone.

Also, first real post outside of my introduction. Everything I've wanted to know so far I've been able to find searching the forum, so here's 2¢ on a random topic, I guess.

 

[tonyb]

There are those who posit that metaphors are central to how our brains process information -- you know, we liken the unknown to the known. We categorize.

There's little doubt that metaphors influence how we perceive most any phenomenon. Comparison is never value-neutral.

I come from people who thought it impolite at best to directly and openly discuss certain facts central to human existence. Among that bunch, "sex" was a four-letter word. (Another euphemism, eh?) So I still get a kick out of phrases used in reference to bodily functions, such as "make water," and "her aunt came for a visit."

Had it been a while since that visit, she was said to be "in the family way."

 

[LizzieMaine]

I prefer Walter Winchell's word for that particular functionality: "infanticipating."

 

[tonyb]

Among the more amusing euphemisms are for that ultimate fact of life. You know, "kicked the bucket," "bought the farm," "cashed in his chips," "croaked," etc.