Forum Topic

Lost English words and phrases?

The Duke of York recently used a delightful word "whizzo". We tend not to use words like spiffing, dandy, TTFN, loo, spanking, beastly and the like - I wonder why, 'cos they're colourful and descriptive and usually appropriate. A word I seldom hear now is "hunkydorry". How many more words are we losing?

Gerry Tan ● 4164d14 Comments

"Thingmabob" is a slang word for something one can't remember what its called.  So seldom used nowadays.

Gerry Tan ● 4163d

"Bob's your uncle" - used to hear that phrase often, but seldom used these days.

Gerry Tan ● 4163d

Nobody is called 'mardy' a 'knowall' isn't called 'smarty pants' nothing is any longer 'brill'

Fred Hunt ● 4163d

Leslie, they already are, do keep up! 😀

Paul James ● 4164d

Just think, the newer phrases like "Innit" and "Oh my Days" will be classic one day.

Leslie Bailey ● 4164d

Well you see Nigel, at 82 years of age, its all a memory. Its my memory I worry about now, I keep forgeting people's names Fred.

Gerry Tan ● 4164d

No rumpy-pumpy since the 1970's Gerry? Poor you!

Nigel Brooks ● 4164d

Basically yes. It started off in Private Eye.

Neil F. Weber ● 4164d

Neil, is that another phrase for "rumpy-pumpy"?  I haven't heard that since the 1970s!  Nice one.

Gerry Tan ● 4164d

"Ugandan discussion"

Neil F. Weber ● 4164d

Origin of Gordon Bennetthttp://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/gordon-bennett.htmlOrigin of heeby jeebyshttp://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/heebie-jeebies.html

Nigel Brooks ● 4164d

Quite interesting this usage of the wonderful English language Andy and Nigel - another one that springs to mind is "heebeegeebies". Then there's "Gordon Bennett" - love to know the origins of these old fashioned words and phrases.

Gerry Tan ● 4164d

Lummy.I have a Sikh friend in their twenties who uses 'toodles' and TTFN in informal e-mails.

Nigel Brooks ● 4164d

I said 'blimey' the other day and the Mrs who is late twenties found it hilarious!

Andy Vaughan ● 4164d