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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sound/word to note someone is being a bit naughty?

55 replies

happytoseeyou · 21/04/2021 08:45

My DS picked up and started playing with something we had left on the table (a unit from our shower - it stopped working so we had taken it out to get a replacement).

Its already broken so it doesn't matter but to note he was doing something he shouldn't, I reverted to my childhood noise / warning of "Av-ees", said in a low drawn out voice, my DH then said "Ahh-mer" in the same style.

AIBU to ask what you said as a kid (to another kid) to note someone was being a bit naughty? Is it a regional thing or does it change through the years?

Does this sound even happen today? My DS looked completely blank, as DH & I were giggling and saying our word over and over.

OP posts:
MintyMabel · 21/04/2021 09:14

‘Ahhhh-mahhh, I’m teeeeelling’ - I haven’t thought of that in years and years but suddenly remember primary two and my classmates all saying it simultaneously whenever someone did something wrong !! NE Scotland, about 1994

Same in NE Scotland in 1984 too Grin

BeastOfBODMAS · 21/04/2021 09:15

I remember Ah Ah Ah and the sound always made me think of the temperamental cooker ignition

Heartofglass12345 · 21/04/2021 09:17

@lottieproject I came on to say the same and I'm from South Wales lolz
O - oooommmmm I'm telling on you Grin

shouldistop · 21/04/2021 09:18

I know what you mean now!

Mine was 'oooooh aaahhhh'

JustJoinedRightNow · 21/04/2021 09:20

We used to say “ummmm mahhhhhhh youuuuuure innnnn troubbbbbble!” In a sing song voice.
That was Australia in the 90s

happytoseeyou · 21/04/2021 09:22

@Faircastle thank you, seems its a global phenomenon Smile

OP posts:
dwinsiaradcymraeg · 21/04/2021 09:26

Oh-waaaah, oh-waaaah! (South Wales)

dicdicnurse · 21/04/2021 09:26

@lottieproject

Wales - ommmmmmm (similar to the Buddhist chant) usually followed by "I'm telling miss"
I was lost until I read lottieprojects post and now it makes perfect sense Grin Ohmmmmmmm! Would have been the phrase used by me and my 5 yr ok'd classmates in South Wales in 1983. For my DC it's more of a 'ah ah ah'
IWantToBeNynaeve · 21/04/2021 09:27

I'm completely lost here! None of this is familiar to me, I don't recall saying anything like that as a child or hearing my own (or any other) children say it? Is it a British thing, I'm in Ireland? The most we ever said as kids, when someone did something wrong, was a long drawn out 'ooooooooh, you're in trouble ' type of thing but I don't think that counts.

UhtredRagnarson · 21/04/2021 09:29

@IWantToBeNynaeve I’m in NI and we said “ohwee ohwee ohwee” followed by “I’m telling mommy/you’re in trouble/you’re gonna get caught” in singsong voice.

ChazP · 21/04/2021 09:31

Just “Uuummmmmmm....I’m telling....” where I grew up.

Faircastle · 21/04/2021 09:32

Interesting thread with more variations:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3454410-That-sound-you-made-at-primary-school-if-someone-broke-a-rule?

IWantToBeNynaeve · 21/04/2021 09:37

[quote UhtredRagnarson]@IWantToBeNynaeve I’m in NI and we said “ohwee ohwee ohwee” followed by “I’m telling mommy/you’re in trouble/you’re gonna get caught” in singsong voice.[/quote]
Oh. My. God. You have literally unlocked my brain! NOW I remember saying 'oh-wee, oh-wee, oh-wee (in a singsong voice ) you're in trouble, sitting on a bubble' ! How had I forgotten that ? ShockGrin

Branleuse · 21/04/2021 09:37

UMMM AHH

we did that. Id totally forgotten.

Cam2020 · 21/04/2021 09:40

Eh?!

AppropriateAdult · 21/04/2021 09:41

I’m Irish as well and can’t picture (or whatever the aural equivalent is) this rising-falling “ummmmmmm” at all. I think I’ll need to hear it - anyone willing to record themselves? Grin

We would chant “oh-ee oh-ee oh-ee, I’m telling on Joey” (???) in the same scenario.

KurtWilde · 21/04/2021 09:42

Have I missed the point of the thread? I thought OP was asking what we say to our children as a warning when they're doing something they shouldn't? But now I'm not sure 😂

As a child I didn't do any of these sounds, I just said 'I'm telling on you.'

As a parent I just say no no in a light tone as a warning that they should stop but they're not in trouble yet.

UhtredRagnarson · 21/04/2021 09:46

Oh. My. God. You have literally unlocked my brain! NOW I remember saying 'oh-wee, oh-wee, oh-wee (in a singsong voice ) you're in trouble, sitting on a bubble' ! How had I forgotten that ? shockgrin

Yes!! Grin

autumnboys · 21/04/2021 09:46

Ummmmmmm, I’m telling Miss/Sir/Mum! In my childhood (born in the mid 70s in the SE).

For my own children, I would have said ‘ah ah aaaaaaaaah’ with a shake of the head when they were little for something like you describe.

TimeForTeaAndG · 21/04/2021 09:48

Oooooohh oooooooooohhh aaaaam teeellliiiiiing!!!!
Central belt Scotland in the 80s.

KingdomScrolls · 21/04/2021 09:48

Probably ohhhhhhhhh I'm telling etc or muuuuh uhm then an aside to sibling I'm telling mum

LetTheCatIn · 21/04/2021 09:48

My mum was Welsh. She used to warn me with something that sounded like (apologies for the phonetic spelling):

Pyde a grugg nach

I've no idea what it means, it even if I've remembered it exactly, but I said it to our children too Grin

SpunBodgeSquarepants · 21/04/2021 09:51

We used to say
Um! Um Um Um Um!
In primary school. This would have been early 90s.

Littlecaf · 21/04/2021 09:52

“Hey hey” my DF used to say.

I say it too. And “Boys.......!”