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Original poster

That sound you made at primary school if someone broke a rule

219 replies

TheFirstOHN · 18/12/2018 11:06

When I was at primary school, if someone broke a rule or did something deliberately naughty, we would make an ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm! sound, with the inflection rising then falling.

My husband (who comes from the West Country) says his peers used the same inflection, but with an 'ah' at the end: ummmmmmmmmmmmah! A friend once told me that where she came from (Northern England), it was a similar inflection, but the sound was ooooooooooooooh!

I've asked my teenage children about this, and none of them have any idea what I'm talking about. Was it just a 1980s thing? Does anyone here remember children doing this? If so, what sound, what part of the world and which decade?

OP posts:
AGHHHH · 19/12/2018 02:13

OMMMMMM South Wales

Bloodybridget · 19/12/2018 05:41

This is fascinating! Do you mean you'd make these sounds in class? I don't remember any such thing at my schools (billions of years ago, London), but I'm quite sure if we had dared to collectively ooo or ummm during lessons we'd have been hung out to dry!

Donthugmeimscared · 19/12/2018 05:50

Uuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm here in Surrey I was a teenager in the 90s and we also said "itchy beard!" While making a beard stroking gesture.

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General education
floribunda18 · 19/12/2018 05:53

Manchester was Ooooooooorrrrrrr! Followed by I’m telling!

So much so! Thanks for starting the thread, OP, I had completely forgotten about this. So interesting that there are different sounds throughout the country.

One thing I can confirm is exactly the same now as when I was at primary school: the drawn-out response in assembly to, "Good morning children!"

"Guuurd morrrrning Misses Smith. Guuurrd morrrning eve-ryboddy".

Also, at the Carol service, the vicar says "Amen." 200 children say "Ahhhhhmen!" It always makes me smile.

Skittlesandbeer · 19/12/2018 05:58

Well ummmm-aahhh definitely made it out to the Colonies, usually followed by ‘I’m dobbing on you!’.

The response was (and still is) ‘Well you’re just a Dibber Dobber Doughnut for telling!’. Grin

strawberrisc · 19/12/2018 06:24

Our super religious Headteacher used to go mad when we added an extra “of kings” in the “Give me Joy in My Heart” hymn at the last line.

Always trying to be the last person to sit down after the hymn.

Always trying to get the last clap in.

AbsolCatly · 19/12/2018 08:09

North Scotland and possibly just our town but "ahh-vees" was said when someone did something wrong - haven't thought or heard of it in years but must ask the DCs if it is still about

Suzysleep · 19/12/2018 08:14

Ummmmmah, ummmmmmah, I'm telling mummma. East Anglia early 90s

Kismetjayn · 19/12/2018 08:24

Primary school in the south east, we still had uuuuUUUUummmm in the noughties! I'm telling on you, you're a smelly poo, you licked my lolly and you never said sorry I believe was an accompanying chant?

ShadyLady53 · 19/12/2018 09:08

Just remembered “Ooooh Ahhh, you lost your bra, you left your knickers in your boyfriend’s car!”

Blush

Lancashire. 1993.

FreezerBird · 19/12/2018 09:45

Just remembered “Ooooh Ahhh, you lost your bra, you left your knickers in your boyfriend’s car!”

That's from a clapping rhyme - 'when Susie was a...'.

funclapping.com/song-list/when-susie-was-a-baby/ I imagine there is a lot of regional variation as I don't think these are the same words we sang all the way through.

RatRolyPoly · 19/12/2018 09:51

East of England and we did ummm-mer

Hooray, another East Anglian! I'm an '80s girl from the East and it was,

"Umm-errrrrrrrrrrrrr."

DonderandBlitzen · 19/12/2018 19:58

I'm quite sure if we had dared to collectively ooo or ummm during lessons we'd have been hung out to dry!
It wasn't done during lessons

Original poster
TheFirstOHN · 19/12/2018 20:10

It wasn't done during lessons

It's possible to do a very quiet ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm when the teacher's back is turned, but it mostly took place in the playground.

OP posts:
NoTeaNoShadeNoPinkLemonade · 19/12/2018 20:12

Uhmmmmumummumma, in my london bourough lol

DrCoconut · 19/12/2018 20:39

Woodward12, north Lincs here and I remember orrrrr, you're getting done!

OhFlipMama · 19/12/2018 20:50

Oh yes! ummmmmmmmmm Grin How I had forgotten that. 80's primary kid here!

Fantastiqueangel · 19/12/2018 20:52

Think we were aaaaaaahhh. NW.

Hippymama · 20/12/2018 01:30

I grew up in Manchester in the 89s.its was an ooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr sound here, followed by "I'm gonna get you dun"

e1y1 · 20/12/2018 03:28

Oooorrrrmmmm (emphasis on the orrrrr bit if dramatic effect required).

Northern England, West Pennines

Lolly86 · 20/12/2018 03:29

Born in 86, Essex
Uuuuuummmmmm! Beard! Definitely a thing here Grin

FluffyMcCloud · 20/12/2018 03:32

I knew exactly what you meant when I read thread title!

I grew up in the south east and we did Ummmmmmmmmm I’m telling! With the riding and falling inflection in the ummmmmm.

Or I’m telling, you’re smelling, you went to Batman’s wedding (?!)

brizzledrizzle · 20/12/2018 03:38

Uuuummmmmm or uuummmmmmaah here depending how bad you'd been. Plimsolls are still daps.

HerRoyalNotness · 20/12/2018 03:43

Oooooooooooh NZ late 70s/early80s

TheLazyDuchess · 20/12/2018 03:56

I'm from N.I, and we oooooooh'd too, and sometimes a noise like a long drawn out gasp, that's hard to put into letters iyswim. We also clapped and cheered if someone broke something in school (still happens in a few local bars).