Let's Make This a Project

I started this blog with big aims and then ended up not having time / forgetting to update - and responses to previous posts were distinctly underwhelming. However, now I want big involvement to make this idea really gain some momentum. Basically I have the idea that this blog can be used to look at the development of slag on a micro level, in other words, it's very hard for linguists to determine the origins of phrases such as 'posh', 'chav' etc. Largely this is because people make up or hypothesise reasons for how these phrases came into being and eventually it becomes almost impossible to separate the myth from the truth. However, with family slang someone can tell you exactly how the phrase developed.

So, this is the format I need you to submit your family words in:

The word or phrase:

How your family uses this word/phrase and what it means:

Where the word came from (for example, is the word from someone's mispronunciation, is it a reference to a TV show, or a current issue, or just a description of an item's function?):

Who invented the word and how far it has spread:

Your age and home county:

(the age question is just so I can get an idea of how long the phrase has been in use) - if you don't know the answer to any of the categories, just write 'unknown'

Here is an example of the kind of thing I'm looking for:

The word or phrase: Zapper
How your family uses this word/phrase and what it means: Used as a word for the TV remote control 
Where the word came from: probably made up by my Dad, just as a descriptive term
Who invented the word and how far it has spread: only my family of four use it, not the rest of the family
Your age and home county: 22, Oxfordshire

Or:
The word or phrase: Ifeen (pronounced eye-feen) 
How your family uses this word/phrase and what it means: used as an alternative pronunciation of 'icecream' 
Where the word came from: a mispronunciation by my brother when he was a toddler 
Who invented the word and how far it has spread: invented by my brother, now used only by me and my boyfriend 
Your age and home county: 22, Oxfordshire

As far as I have noticed these are the sort of things families have special words/phrases for which may help you recall some of your family's phrases:

Words for objects, especially gadgets such as remote controls, computers etc

Phrases expressing approval / disapproval

Exclamations used as an alternative to phrases like 'damn', 'bless you', 'excuse me'

Descriptions of physical qualities such as being full, feeling ill, being content

I look forward to your comments


 

Creepy Crawlies

Spring has come and with it has brought a host of bugs, creepy-crawlies and insects. And  the thing this has made me notice are the myriad of family names for various types of these creatures. For example, my dad refers to wasps as 'jaspers' and to my mum any tiny spider is a 'money spider'.

So please share any funny family names for encounters of the creepy kind

Some Notes...

This is just a mini post to list a few of the interesting things people have been telling me which do not necessarily relate to one of my posts.

The 'Families' post is still the main one, please continue commenting on this post and my earlier posts

Here is a message I received from a friend on Facebook:

I was having a conversation with Mike today and we came acoss some very different terms. For instistance i use the term 'mard' or 'mardy' when talking about people or animals that are being overly affectionate and clingy. Alternatively it is used for someone who is scared.
Wiki definition: to mard (third-person singular simple present mards, present participle marding, simple past and past participle marded)

1. (Northern England) To cosset (a child)
Another we came across is the use of cockney rhyming slang 'bin lids' when refering to kids.
Mike came up with 'doy' as an alternative to 'duh'. I have never heard of this.
There was one more but we've forgotten it for the moment.
Hope these prove interesting,
Kim

And an expression my boyfriend's family uses:

'the top brick off the chimney' used, for example, in the following context:

A: she want a pony for her birthday

B: what else does she want, the top brick off the chimney!

meaning that she wants something difficult to obtain, which she will not necessarily even use

Please keep these little gems coming, it gives me great pleasure to hear these stories, and who knows, you might want to start using some of these phrases yourselves

Zappers and Fat Controllers

First, I'd like to say a big "thank you" to everyone who has contributed so far, the stories you have submitted have made me smile, and got me talking which is exactly what they were supposed to do!

Now, I thought it was time for a special entry, it seems that most people's families have a different word for a TV Remote, so I'd like to know, what's yours?

My family is very boring in that we just call it the 'remote' but so far I have had these other suggestions:

'Doofer' from Rach
'Fat controller' from Sarah R
'Zapper' from my boyfriend Dash
'The gun'  from Tom O
'Buttons' from Charlie M
'Duffer' from Roxie R

So, suggestions please... either by commenting on this post, or via my uni email at u0674502@hud.ac.uk

The Idea...

The idea of this blog is that it will be a community project looking at language. The specific type of language I am interested in is a type I have yet to find an appropriate name for, the best I can do is "Family Slang" or "Familese" - meaning those words, phrases and expressions which are only used within your family.

I have noticed several times over the last few years that I might be talking to a friend and suddenly they'll have this blank look on their face, and I'll realise I've used some of my own "Familese" which they have not understood. Some examples would be:

'Stepmother's blessing' - a phrase used to describe those annoying, painful bits of peely skin you get right at the side of your fingernail, I believe these are called 'hangnails' by Americans, I'm not sure of the correct British term. I first heard this phrase used by my grandmother.

'Cronky' - something broken or not working properly

What I want to do, is collect these little, eccentric, language gems and publish them here so that they are not forgotten. And I want you to comment, or email me with your personal examples of "Familese", including as much detail as possible, where did the word come from? Is it for example taken from a word you miss-pronounced as a child? Something a much older relative uses? Something that comes from a fusion of two or more languages, for example if you live in a bilingual household and have developed your own fusion English...

Things I do not want are common slang - i.e things used by all your friends at school / university or things which are regional dialect which are not heard outside your particular town. These are undoubtedly interesting, but have been the focus of many linguistic studies and projects so are fairly well documented and unlikely to be forgotten. What I want is those little gems which are only used within your family, and of course I want any stories, history and facts which go with them.

Here are a few situations where families are likely to have their own expressions, just to get you thinking:
Expressions of frustration / anger especially if used as an alternative to swearing
Terms of endearment
Names for household objects and names for food stuffs
Descriptions of say, a person you don't like, a difficult situation, a particularly nice thing, the weather

Happy hunting! Please comment with your suggestions, or email me at u0674502@hud.ac.uk
When I have enough, I'll publish a new entry listing your words and the stories that go with them.

Just to add, this project is at the moment just for my own personal interest, though there is potential for me to develop this into some kind of published paper/essay/book etc. I'd be very grateful if you would include with your comments whether or not you would give your permission to have your words/stories used in my university work or published. Thank you.