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Anyone else heard of this saying ????

45 replies

Nutcracker · 03/06/2004 15:46

Dp reckons I have made this up

Neither use nor ornament

It is a proper saying i'm sure. He reckons that it doesn't even make sense.
Seems quite self explanitory to me.

OP posts:
spacemonkey · 03/06/2004 15:47

sounds familiar to me and is self explanatory i agree nutty!

Tinker · 03/06/2004 15:49

My dad always used to say this about me Fairly obvious what it means I would have thought.

Mo2 · 03/06/2004 15:50

Yup - my Mum used to say it (Up North)

Makes perfect sense - means it is neither functional nor aesthetically pleasing!

dinosaur · 03/06/2004 15:50

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

noddy5 · 03/06/2004 15:51

yep fairly common saying where I grew up in Northern Ireland

Janh · 03/06/2004 15:52

A complete waste of space, basically - makes perfect sense!

sponge · 03/06/2004 15:52

Perfectly normal phrase, and I'm not a northerner. These men have to learn that just because they're ignorant doesn't mean you're wrong.

Nutcracker · 03/06/2004 15:54

Thanks all. I knew i was right.

One saying i truly will never understand is when someone says "well i'll go to the foot of our stairs "

What ????

OP posts:
aloha · 03/06/2004 16:01

I use it all the time - usually to tease dh! It's a perfectly good phrase and means 'exceptionally pointless'

Blu · 03/06/2004 16:07

Yep, another one for 'neither use nor ornament' being a common saying where I grew up (nottingham). And I THINK 'Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs' (which I have also heard) is a sarcastic comment on the non-surprising-ness of the news - i.e well i'm not exactly going to the moon and back in surprise at THAT!

beansprout · 03/06/2004 17:00

Great saying! Not common in London (where I am from) but will certainly be using it in the future. I think our equivalent was "chocolate teapot".

wobblyknicks · 03/06/2004 17:04

Yep, another vote - used to hear that phrase a lot oop North. Another one was "as much use as a chocolate fireguard".

Clayhead · 03/06/2004 17:15

I thought that was a common saying! Certianly is round here...

codswallop · 03/06/2004 17:16

it sounds very northern!

Soapbox · 03/06/2004 17:18

Oh it is most certainly a real saying. My friends DH uses it regularly to describe his DD charming man that he is

He's from the Midlands if that helps!

popsycal · 03/06/2004 18:26

Very common saying up here

Flip · 03/06/2004 18:56

About as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike.

"Yafot" is another saying around these parts. Dh hates it. It means you have to.

agy · 03/06/2004 19:26

Did not know the I'll go to the foot of our stairs" saying meant that Blu! Makes perfect sense when you think about it!

Hulababy · 03/06/2004 19:35

I know "neither use nor ornament" too - very common to have heard it here in Yorkshire as well.

Janh · 03/06/2004 19:42

I think the "foot of our stairs" thing means the opposite - it's not sarky! (I heard somewhere it means going to the foot of your own stairs to shout it up to the people on the next landing

Hulababy · 03/06/2004 19:45

Was looking for origins of some of these sayings on Yahoo and found this site - American commenting on our sayings!

Hulababy · 03/06/2004 19:48

"Re: FUNNIEST BRIT EXPRESSION
Posted: Feb 6, 2004 6:05 AM Reply

Another northern saying,

'She's/He's neither use nor ornament'

i.e. She's/He's neither good looking nor useful "

It's on that site even!

Oh and if you google the "neither use nor ornament" the phrase is used loads!

Tommy · 03/06/2004 19:48

I hadn't heard it before but makes perfectly good sense to me too! Do you think your DP reckons you made it up because it's relevant to him?
Only joking - I'm sure he's lovely

skerriesmum · 03/06/2004 20:01

My mil (from Cork) always says when someone isn't very attractive "s/he's no oil painting!" Love it!

Janh · 03/06/2004 20:04

skerriesmum, have a look at the website hula linked to - there are lots of "no oil painting" expressions, some from Ireland ("face like a lurgan shovel" was one I think.)

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