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The MN meaning of Liff

344 replies

AuntieBulgaria · 12/05/2011 14:39

Douglas Adams and John Lloyd wrote a book called The Meaning of Liff that used existing place names to give names to commonly recognised feelings, experiences and objects that didn't already have a word for them.

For example:

Cotterstock - a piece of wood used to stir paint and thereafter stored uselessly in a shed in perpetuity.

I was thinking last night, as I stood behind my 3.5 year old daughter sort of herding/hooshing her upstairs to the bath avoiding a variety of potential distractions, there ought to be a word for this.

And then I thought, there are probably loads of commonly recognised parenting phemonema that could be 'Liffed'.

I browsed google maps this morning and came up with the following place name/ definition combos but would love to know yours too...

Kirtling - benign kettling required to keep small child going in the direction you need them to.

Poxwell - act of knowingly covering up of active chicken pox spots in order to make a quick dash into shop for milk or make an international plane flight home.

Ousden - constant flow of greeny/silver snot from small boys, the trail said snot leaves on the shoulders of all of your clothes; 'ooh, hang on, you've got a bit of ousden on that shirt'.

I am sure there must be good definitions for:

Two Mile Bottom
Throop
Weeley
Little Clacton and Great Clacton

And good place names for:

The poo that takes out an entire outfit.

The child-related objects (spare pants, raisins, playmobile duchesses) that fall out of your handbag in important business situations.

The face that teenagers pull when you suggest a healthy walk after lunch.

OP posts:
AuntieBulgaria · 13/05/2011 11:33

Yes! first ever discussion of the day. Thank you Douglas Adams and John Lloyd. I'm so glad people are remembering the book. I used to carry the small version around in my pocket for reading at bus stops.

OP posts:
bronze · 13/05/2011 11:38

Boff- on that note there is a place called Reddish Green where there may be a brownie pack

candleshoe · 13/05/2011 11:41

Toadsmoor - the ability of a six year old boy to find water of all kinds streams/puddles/ponds/bogs etc.

Cricklade - the funny neck you get when you've fallen asleep on your child's bed while they are ill/distressed/playing up.

Bussage - the wide bottom you develop after the birth of your third child.

candleshoe · 13/05/2011 11:44

Bisley - the eerie and suspicious quietness that occurs when your toddler is busy doing something destructive/naughty. Eg. Covering themselves and the dog in Sudocreme or making a snowstorm out of tissues.

CaveMum · 13/05/2011 11:46

Norfolk I almost spat my tea over the keyboard at your Burwell suggestion. You must have a similar one for Red Lodge or Brandon Wink

llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch an excellent remedy for clearing your throat

I?m from the West Country originally [escapee] and my dad always referred to Chipping Sodbury as Sodding Chipury!

bronze · 13/05/2011 11:47

red lodge - The tanpon that hasn't come out but can't be found
(inspired by a recent thread)

candleshoe · 13/05/2011 11:48

I live just up the road and we all call it 'Sodding Typical'! Cavemum.

bronze · 13/05/2011 11:48

Bacton- The weight you put back on immediately after a crash diet

OTheHugeManatee · 13/05/2011 11:57

Biggleswade - The slight feeling of being over the hill as you try and explain old-fashioned references in children's books you read when you were young.

stillstanding · 13/05/2011 12:14

love this thread!

NorfolkNChance · 13/05/2011 12:19

Brandon the process of covering your week old baby in as many labels as possible, probably aquired from a baby shower with gift list.

Bumpsadaisie · 13/05/2011 12:31

Little Gidding - the dazed but cute way your toddler staggers around after playing ring o' ring o'roses too enthusiastically

NorfolkNChance · 13/05/2011 12:38

Beck Row an argument that breaks out after drinking bottled beer that tastes like gnats piss.

Bagda · 13/05/2011 12:55

Chew Mendip - the event where you find yourself at a friend/relative's house for dinner who have graciously made a separate meal for your very fussy dc who refuses to eat anything except cheese sandwiches made with dairylea.... only for aforementioned dc to come over all adventurous and wolf the entire contents of your plate, which you smilingly allow in the interests of progress despite what a loon it makes you look in front of said friends/relatives and the fact it leaves you with only dry bland sandwiches for your special dinner.

Hopton Wafers the special biscuits you keep hidden from the dc and cram in when they aren't watching.

Mappowder the unidentifiable substance which finds itself all over your dc's belongings when they haven't cleaned their schoolbag/pe bag out for a while.

Vulgar · 13/05/2011 13:13

penistone The whisper you try to conceal when your child is fiddling in his pants in company.

bagpusss · 13/05/2011 13:13

Ramsbottom - the toddler behaviour of always getting under your feet: George, you're ramsbottomming again

Bawtry - general low-life behaviour you'd be ashamed to admit to.

Skegness - other people's dirty flats and houses

OTheHugeManatee · 13/05/2011 13:15

Little Rollright - 4-month-old baby

Great Rollright - 8-month-old baby

Chulita · 13/05/2011 13:16

Foy the look your toddler gives you when they're after your chocolate biscuit.

Osbaston the black, cement-like ming that burns onto the bottom of the oven and refuses to come off.

OTheHugeManatee · 13/05/2011 13:18

Marsh Gibbon - A very muddy and over-excited child.

Chulita · 13/05/2011 13:18

Pillowell the state of having your pillow scrunched in exactly the right way

OTheHugeManatee · 13/05/2011 13:22

Abington Piggotts Those wispy pseudo-bunchies nethuns some people try and put in baby girls' hair.

Bearcrumble · 13/05/2011 13:24

Binbrook That foul juice that trickles out all over your hall when a sharp bit of plastic pierces a refuse sack on the way to the outside dustbins.

Chulita · 13/05/2011 13:24

cholstrey- cold demeanour of 'regular' mums at a toddler group towards the 'new' mum

Vulgar · 13/05/2011 13:26

Strood The unstoppable torrent of puke that babies to over the shoulder

Bearcrumble · 13/05/2011 13:27

Fenton Pits The sour milk neck crevices on a possetty newborn.

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