To be so terribly, terribly cross?

[musicforsmorks]

In reality, I am asking is it being remotely unreasonable to suspect that hardly anyone uses this phrase in 'real life'?
It's all very well when one is perusing their Enid Blyton collection but I have honestly rarely come across it as a common element of social/familial dialogue (and I've been around a bit ).

Another one is 'Oh my goodness!', which, whilst having stood the test of time (unlike the poor, neglected cross), still doesn't crop up with regularity in my social circles or professional life very often.

Also interested in hearing other people's thoughts on certain phrases, and whether they are particular to MN, the written word, or just off with the fairies or whatnot.

My favourite MN regular is the did you mean to be so ruuuude?
Although, whilst frequently tempted, I have not yet had the pleasure of uttering it with any true gravitas in real life :(

@Cyberworrier

I thought poorly was fairly standard! And I've often heard London kids who usually use urban slang use "oh my goodness", so presumably it's not that quaint! Gosh and golly are great words. Any Scots here? Jings crivvens help ma' boab!

I'm scottish. Never heard it IRL but then I don't know anyone that cuts about with oor wullie.

Have located the meaning of 'caution':

A person or thing that astonishes or causes mild apprehension.

@musicforsmorks re “dinky poohs”, (accidents), dh and I were once watching a property programme, in which property lady suggested “drinky poohs on the terrace”. 🤮
This is now a catch phrase in our house 😆

I say oh my goodness all the time

I have text my mother asking her if she meant to be so rude

As in drinks…

There are different dialects and registers. Just because you don't talk a certain way and your acquaintances don't, that doesn't mean no one talks like that.

They probably say the same about things you think are normal.

My very Scottish, very proper MIL genuinely says Jings and crivvens and help ma kilt, like an episode of the Broons. When it looks like there may be an argument, she says ‘there’ll be bonnets on the green’.

Personally, I enjoy a bit of dated word usery and have been know to call something utterly adorable. In fact, add utterly to any word and instantly feel like you are in a Jilly Cooper story. I recommend it darlings, it is utterly divine.

My Gran used “he’s a bit of a caution” to suggest a cheeky person who might do something naughty.

I am frequently irritated, annoyed, irked or just plain pissed off. Out loud I will sometimes say that I am “less than pleased”.

I sound like a plonker!

‘Man Alive’ suits most occasions I’m finding.

When I’m particularly miffed it become ‘Man. Alive’ with a dramatic pause.

Folk is annoying now because I always see it on Twitter, for some reason sometimes changed to ‘folx’ which is even more annoying!

Also like "by 'eck" but I'm not from Yorkshire

I'm from Dublin, so my go-tos are Jaysus, Mary and Joseph, sugar and jayney mackers.

I'm a primary teacher and I frequently use the word cross. Oh my goodness or goodness me is common too.

My sister used good grief a lot when not swearing around her young child.

And my teen DD knew I didn't like her swearing so often says Oh my days! instead, despite being 18 now.

One of her college pals said 'oh my giddy aunt' when they dropped something the other day, which she found hilarious.

I'm often saying heck or goodness, whilst thinking much worse!

Also, if anyone asks you if you have news, the answer is divil a bit. But that's from Clare and I've added it to my vocabulary now.

When my Mum is really angry, like REALLY angry she'll exclaim, "Blood and SAND".

You mean it might be connected to one's neighbourhood?

Not quite neighbourhood. More country - cross is used very commonly in Ireland.

DDad's phrase was Sand and blast it!

Blimey
Cor lummy
Oh, crumbs
Drat and double drat
Oh my goodness!

I use these on a daily basis. I also used 'cross' for the first time in a long while yesterday.

That and Hell's Teeth!

I wish more parents refrained from swearing around their children. It's disappointing how many primary (and sometimes very young primary) children don't know that knackered/bloody/oh my god/Jesus Christ and the like aren't acceptable in school.

Never mind the few that come out with Fuck off! at the drop of a hat.

I don't like blaspheming and swearing... words like "p**d off", "fuming", and so on make me cringe. I tend to say "less than what I mean" to avoid over dramatising situations, and use terms like "oh my gosh/goodness/word", "I'm quite cross/frustrated"...

I find Jacqueline Wilson books hilarious because her 10 year old modern day girls use 'terribly' and 'horribly' a lot! Also 'horrid', and they often accuse others of being 'wicked' (ie, bad). To be fair she is an older lady now, probably using the vocab she remembers from being that age, but times change! I remember being embarrassed on her behalf reading her books in the 90's when she had her characters fondly telling each other to 'cheer up little saddo' (meaning the character was feeling sad) whereas at my school at that time, and presumably everywhere else, 'saddo' was a slur! ie, 'You're such a saddo!' meaning pathetic or a loser.

Oh yes, I also say 'oh, my giddy aunt' and 'good grief'.

@BoredBoredBoredB

Terribly, terribly sounds rather upper class, but don’t all mothers say ‘I am very cross’?

Yes! I found myself one day, giving a hard stare to a rebellious one-year-old, and saying in a controlled and haughty manner: "I'm going to get a BIT CROSS". Where did it come from? It was like I was possessed by the spirit of all mothers past.