English image of Biscuits & Gravy

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:16 pm

TomB wrote:]Quite right. Also, please do not confuse bloomers with Bloomfield. While Bloomers are indeed old-fashioned women's underpants, Bloomfield is not- although I suppose it's possible that Bloomfield could be wearing Bloomers. That would be pants!!

I am afraid that I must decline to comment.[/quote]

Oh no, don't tell me you are becoming political and afraid to give a straight answer.

Tom

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:17 pm

That is a very interesting question, and thank you, Tom, for raising it.

scottielvr · Post by **scottielvr** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:19 pm

Now it's time for Ridseard to post a picture of Bloom with... ummmm.... perhaps not.

kga26 · Post by **kga26** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:20 pm

Twice a week ! Flippen heck, you don't know your born, we get once a week, whether we like it or not , and we pay on average £100 per month Council Tax for the privelage, and then if the bins are not at the end of the drive at 7am on a Monday morning they don't get taken!!! We do however have curbside recycling now. We have a plastic shoebox into which you must cram every glass, paper and tin thing you have used for the last fortnight !!!

P.S. What does a college teacher, specialising in work based learning with a degree in sociology earn over there? (on my way!....)

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:21 pm

kga26 wrote:Frankly, I would put the lot in the wheelie bin! .....Oh no, don't tell me you don't have wheelie bins in the states either do you ?

That would be a "dumpster" in Yank parlance, I suspect. BTW, "dumpster diving" is a time-honored traditional pursuit, here, but it's not for everyone. Still, the bargains one can find are worth digging past the disposed diapers, food, shredded documents and vomit. So I'm told, of course.

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:22 pm

There are some other terms that we don't use here that I have no idea what they mean such as "wide fronts".

Ron

scottielvr · Post by **scottielvr** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:28 pm

kga, my brother is a college professor and while I can't confirm this at the moment, I suspect his advice would be for you to stay home...

On the issue of frequency of services, I'm wondering if in the UK one still gets the post twice a day? Or is that long gone? (P.S. I live in a rural area and accordingly must carry my own trash to the dump; yuck).

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:30 pm

Bloomfield wrote:That is a very interesting question, and thank you, Tom, for raising it.

Hmm, I think I've been dismissed- with very clever sarcasm.

Bloomfield your posts are the best, as is your avatar.'

All the Best, Tom

scottielvr · Post by **scottielvr** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:34 pm

His avatar used to be the best. Now, topically enough, it's pants.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:42 pm

Nanohedron wrote:
kga26 wrote:Frankly, I would put the lot in the wheelie bin! .....Oh no, don't tell me you don't have wheelie bins in the states either do you ?
That would be a "dumpster" in Yank parlance, I suspect. BTW, "dumpster diving" is a time-honored traditional pursuit, here, but it's not for everyone. Still, the bargains one can find are worth digging past the disposed diapers, food, shredded documents and vomit. So I'm told, of course.

Dumpster is a tradename.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:45 pm

Bloomfield wrote:
Walden wrote:In America, pantaloons usually (not always) means women's old-fashioned underpants (a form of which are known as Bloomers). Trousers, britches, and pants, are all three in usage for outerwear trousers, ....
It's pronounced "britches" but spelled breeches (but you'll find britches in dictionaries, I fear).

I've also heard it as "breeks" in Scottish music.

Breech originally refered to male buttocks, and the use of breeches for trousers or pantaloons is usually still considered a colloquialism.

American Heritage relates it to Old Norse "brogue", meaning "trousers", and to Gaulish "braka" (with a macron over the first "a"), reconstructed from Latin "braca" (also with the macron), also meaning trousers. (Also, via French, to "bracket".)

I can see it being considered a colloquialism if it didn't occur in the national standard dialect, and thus didn't find its way into much literature. It certainly has an old history in the meaning of "trousers", predating its entry into English, at whatever stage that may have occurred.

kga26 · Post by **kga26** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:53 pm

Twice a day? That went out the last time the Beatles played the cavern !!!

I get post once a day at lunch time if I'm lucky! Much as I moan about this country, I have to say that our local postlady hasn't changed for years. I saw her with her bicycle parked up under a tree the other day, drinking a flask of coffee and smoking a cigarette, and enjoying the late autumn sunshine half way through her round! I thought yeah, thats what it's all about. I also like the fact that I can whistle in my office , and no-one bats an eyelid. I am just about to take on a new contract that means I have to spend 18 hours a week on campus. Don't know how the whistling will go down there!! There is always the English excentric, but I don't know how it will go down dragging my big blue music stand , whistles and music into my new office! [/quote]

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:07 pm

C'mon now Kate,just one more push and you've got one hundred not out!

Slan,
D.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:16 pm

Bloomfield wrote:
Walden wrote:In America, pantaloons usually (not always) means women's old-fashioned underpants (a form of which are known as Bloomers). Trousers, britches, and pants, are all three in usage for outerwear trousers, ....
It's pronounced "britches" but spelled breeches (but you'll find britches in dictionaries, I fear).

I figured if I used the spelling "breeches," it would bring to mind, specifically, kneepants.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:27 pm

Bloomfield wrote: It's pronounced "britches" but spelled breeches (but you'll find britches in dictionaries, I fear).

And it's a good thing too. I will not accept the premise that "britches" is not a real word.