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

[WalkDontWalk]

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.

Swinging the lead means faking illness to avoid work or school, or idling when one should be working. AFAIK Gordon Bennett is just a euphemism for Gor Blimey i.e. (May) God blind me, a mild oath. Flaming Nora a mild alternative to Fucking Hell. Ways of avoiding swears and curses.

I say taking the Mick, therefore so do my teenagers. And ‘you are taking the absolute Michael’ for best.

I'm Irish too and I don't find it offensive at all 🤷‍♂️

It's just something I heard.

But there seems to be many different interesting origins anyway, reading this thread.

I use "Yikes" to mean "That's awkward", or if I've just been told about a nasty accident or scary incident.

Jinkies 😀

jeepes

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.’

My sil still says of some child : ' he was having a Paddy'. But yeah it's dying out.

We said "throwing a wobbler". I believe "throwing a wobbly" is an alternative. Think shaking and writhing in fury like a tantrumming toddler. 😅

'Mitching' .... Ireland same time. Not heard lately.

I use barnet all the time to refer to hair. Yikes and yowzers are still very much in use in my family (yowzers possibly from Inspector Gadget or another 80s kids tv show). My mum uses plenty of rhyming slang (syrup for wife etc) all perplexing to my children.

Oh god no. I hate “pants”.

From Harbour Guides.com
SWING THE LEAD.

When sailing close to shore it is important to keep an eye on the depth of the water. In the age of sailing ships this was done by dropping a line over the side of the ship with a lead weight fastened to the end. To swing the lead was considered an easy job and eventually became a term meaning one who is either avoiding hard work or taking and easy option. Hence in modern terms if you ‘swing the lead’ you are slacking off.

My friend blew her street credibility at a feminist meeting when she admired some male writer. But she thinks the main offence was describing him as ' dishy'. There's no way back from such cringe apparently!

I like that!

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”

Oh, the days when men were dishy and lush. And fit!

I thought swinging the lead was a ship's purser swinging the lead (at the scales) when measuring out provisions thereby making himself a bit of money on the sly.

Iirc Gordon Bennett was a cricketer who did very well one year. I remember in the late 70s someone saying if he didn't do as well again then we'd have to pick another name to say.

Or not eh? 😆

Sounds like your daughters had a very sheltered life so far, unless she’s a toddler

Op your daughter’s reactions are hilarious
no I haven’t used or heard them for about 30 years

I’ve never considered “taking the mick” to be related to anything Irish (I’m Irish, lived in London, was called paddy).

Micky has another meaning, here… And we often say “taking the Michael” now as a modern version of the same phrase.

I've never said any of those and I'm in my early 50s. My parents do.

I've also never heard "wow, just wow" ever used in real life only on MN.

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

You’re just taking the piss now.