meaning and origin of ‘Fibber McGee’s (hall) closet’
USA, 1942—used with reference to clutter, jumble, mess—alludes to the overstuffed closet in U.S. radio comedy series ‘Fibber McGee and Molly’ (1935 to 1956)
Read MoreTag: radio
notes on ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics under Stalin, as characterised by Winston Churchill in a speech broadcast on the radio on 1st October 1939
Read Moremeaning and origin of the phrase ‘not in Kansas anymore’
USA, 1971—in dramatically changed circumstances—said by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939) when realising she has been transported from Kansas to the land of Oz
Read Morethe curious case of the French word ‘oignon’
Decided by the Académie française, the erroneous spelling ‘oignon’ (= ‘onion’) has become a symbol of prejudiced people, ignorant of the history of their own language.
Read Moresome reflections on ‘to Wyatt’
UK 2006—to play recherché music on a jukebox with the intent of irritating pub customers—attributed to Carl Neville in reference to Robert Wyatt’s ‘Dondestan’
Read Moremeaning and origin of the phrase ‘(and) the best of British luck’
UK, 1957—an expression of encouragement, but often used ironically with the opposite meaning—origin unclear
Read Morethe early uses of ‘cool Britannia’ and their meanings
UK and Canada, from 1903 onwards—punningly alludes to ‘Rule Britannia’ (1740), the title of a popular patriotic song
Read More“Nice one, Cyril!”, or the birth of British catchphrases
a view on the manner in which catchphrases created by comedians and advertising gain currency
Read More‘don’t give up the day job’ (your performance fails to impress)
USA, 1951—used as a humorous way of recommending someone not to pursue something at which they are unlikely to be successful
Read More‘couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery’
In British slang, the noun ‘piss-up’ denotes ‘a heavy drinking bout’, and the phrase ‘couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery’ and variants mean ‘is’, or ‘are’, or ‘am’, ‘incapable of organising the simplest event, task, etc.’—phrase first recorded in 1980.
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