Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think that this expresson is dying out?

441 replies

WalkDontWalk · 05/10/2025 14:25

On another thread someone used the expression 'taking the mick'. And I thought, 'I used to hear that all the time when I was a kid. But I rarely do now.'

So I started to think of others that my dad used but my kids don't.

'Having a kip' or 'I was akip'.

'Yikes' (My daughter says I'm the only non-cartoon that says 'yikes'.)

'Swinging the lead'

'Bunking off'. (Daughter: 'Never heard that. Sounds rude')

'Going Dutch' (Daughter. 'Nope. No idea. Is that rude too?')

'Haven't the foggiest.'

These were all in use in London fifty years ago. Maybe they were always regional.

OP posts:
MagpiePi · 05/10/2025 16:28

VoltaireMittyDream · 05/10/2025 15:26

I think we should bring back ‘pants’.

’Oh pants. I forgot my wallet’
’I want to see the new James Bond and it was pants.’

I still call things ‘pants’ if they’re a bit rubbush.

PandoraSocks · 05/10/2025 16:27

AutumnGlum · 05/10/2025 15:55

My Mancunian Granny used to say ‘I’ll have your guts for garters’, anyone heard that before?

Yes. Was common in South Wales.

AgentPidge · 05/10/2025 16:27

mzpq · 05/10/2025 14:27

I think 'Taking the mick' is now considered offence, as in a slur against the Irish, isn't it?

It's to do with micturition: it literally means 'taking the piss' but is considered slightly more polite. Nothing to do with being Irish and no there's offence towards them.

JHound · 05/10/2025 16:26

I stopped myself saying “taking the mick” as I am sure I ready it’s a bit of an anti-Irish slur.

70sMuuMuu · 05/10/2025 16:25

AgnesX · 05/10/2025 15:19

Isn't yikes very 70s and Scooby Doo?! I've never heard anyone use it in real life.

That’s ‘zowie!’ and ‘zoinks!’

Abhannmor · 05/10/2025 16:25

A right wally ! Yeah that was everywhere. Presumably from the shape of a gherkin....

quantumbutterfly · 05/10/2025 16:25

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 16:24

Noooo, Fanny's your aunt?

Bob's your uncle, definitely.

Show quote history

Is that sweet Fanny Adams?

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 16:24

OldYorkMum · 05/10/2025 16:22

Bob’s your uncle (and Fanny’s your aunt).

Noooo, Fanny's your aunt?

Bob's your uncle, definitely.

quantumbutterfly · 05/10/2025 16:24

My dad used to use the phrase 'teaching your granny to suck eggs'.

(not sure why she'd want to )

deirdrerasheed · 05/10/2025 16:24

Oh no I've revived taking the mick as I thought it was a PG version of taking the piss.
To my annoyance my Jen z daughter uses nonce, its having a revival.
I miss dick head.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/10/2025 16:23

mzpq · 05/10/2025 14:27

I think 'Taking the mick' is now considered offence, as in a slur against the Irish, isn't it?

Yes indeed.

Foxyloxy89 · 05/10/2025 16:23

WalkDontWalk · 05/10/2025 14:25

On another thread someone used the expression 'taking the mick'. And I thought, 'I used to hear that all the time when I was a kid. But I rarely do now.'

So I started to think of others that my dad used but my kids don't.

'Having a kip' or 'I was akip'.

'Yikes' (My daughter says I'm the only non-cartoon that says 'yikes'.)

'Swinging the lead'

'Bunking off'. (Daughter: 'Never heard that. Sounds rude')

'Going Dutch' (Daughter. 'Nope. No idea. Is that rude too?')

'Haven't the foggiest.'

These were all in use in London fifty years ago. Maybe they were always regional.

I'm in the north and these are all normal everyday expressions here!

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 16:23

Abhannmor · 05/10/2025 16:22

Another from way back - ' a bit of alright'. Might still be current . Not heard it in ages.

Show quote history

Yes, he's a bit of alright.

OldYorkMum · 05/10/2025 16:22

Bob’s your uncle (and Fanny’s your aunt).

Itiswhysofew · 05/10/2025 16:22

He's a right Wally! - idiot.
What a bod - nerd.
Cheesed off - fed up. DM used to say this.
That's codswallop - a load of rubbish/nonsense.
Donkey's years (donkeys) - in a long time.

Abhannmor · 05/10/2025 16:22

TinDogTavern · 05/10/2025 16:04

My mum says “dishy”. She’s 82. She said it once to me when I was a teenager and I died of cringe THEN, and I’m now 56.

Show quote history

Another from way back - ' a bit of alright'. Might still be current . Not heard it in ages.

ginasevern · 05/10/2025 16:20

Catpiece · 05/10/2025 15:45

I’m a South London Cockney and I still say them all. Another saying from when I was a kid was “I should coco” meaning “I don’t think so”

My mum used to say "I should coco" quite often, although we're from the West Country. It became a trendy expression in the 1930's when she was a teenager. Sort of like "whatever" or "as if" these days. It was used in a novel about London gangsters in 1936 and caught on from there, but it obviously pre-dates the book.

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 16:19

Abhannmor · 05/10/2025 16:03

Could well be this and later got mixed up with expressions like ' that's a bit Irish ' or ' he's having a Paddy' ? There were a lot of Irish jokes around the 70s. Taking the piss has replaced it mainly. Or ' ripping the piss out of it'.
Not to mention ' you're 'avin a larf aintcha?'

Show quote history

How about You're having a giraffe! (in a cockney accent)

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 05/10/2025 16:18

mzpq · 05/10/2025 14:27

I think 'Taking the mick' is now considered offence, as in a slur against the Irish, isn't it?

It seems everything can be considered offensive these days..

I thought it was was cockney rhyming slang for Mickey Bliss (Taking the Piss)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taking_the_piss

Taking the piss - Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taking_the_piss

skippy67 · 05/10/2025 16:18

mzpq · 05/10/2025 14:27

I think 'Taking the mick' is now considered offence, as in a slur against the Irish, isn't it?

No.

Sirzy · 05/10/2025 16:17

I’m just outside Liverpool and use all except yikes and going Dutch.

FeebasAquarium · 05/10/2025 16:15

Ds (15) has extended it to taking the Mickey Mouse club house which never fails to make me laugh 😆
i think I heard most of those growing up (London) except yikes (unless scooby doo was on) but mostly from older relatives, perhaps they’re dying out?

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 16:15

OSTMusTisNT · 05/10/2025 16:07

"Do you think I came up the Clyde on a banana boat?"

Haven't heard that for years, not sure if the origins of it?

And,

"Its as much use as a chocolate fireguard/ashtray on a motorbike."

Guessing central heating and vaping will be the demise of these 2.

Do you think I just arrived on the banana boat? (not up the Clyde though)
Taken to mean you're mistaken in treating me as completely clueless.

And I've heard it's as much use as a chocolate teapot.

UnctuousUnicorns · 05/10/2025 16:12

"Do you think I came up the Clyde on a banana boat?"

That sounds like a variation of "just stepped off the boat" i.e. unfamiliar with and clueless i.e. naive? My parents would say, "Do you think I was born yesterday?"

notatinydancer · 05/10/2025 16:11

Darragon · 05/10/2025 15:00

Gordon Benett has died a death. My mum once said it in a shop and the bloke behind her said ‘what?’ and was a bit offended that she’d taken his name in vain. Unless he was pulling her leg. And my DF used to say he needed to ‘see a man about a dog’ regularly when I was younger. I constantly thought we were finally getting a puppy. I was 12 before I realised what it actually meant. 😂 I was just saying to DH not even half an hour ago that colourful language seems to have died out and not been replaced with much.

I say Gordon Bennet sometimes. Who was he ? 😂