blissblogger
Well-known member
A couple of idioms I've noticed that people didn't use when I was last living in the UK fulltime ie. the early '90s. Etymological thoughts and argot-semiotics welcome. As are other contenders for UK vernacular that's emerged in the last decade or so.
1/ "rock up"
I notice this being used in anecdotal contexts, people say things like "so we rocked up to the Pied Bull and there's this....". Or "so I'm rocking up in my new Doc Martens and... ". It suggests a certain swagger - matey ebullience and insouciance - me and the gang, although it could just be you doing the rocking up. Often there's a sense that something is about to happen - possibly a pratfall or turnabout that deflates the rocking-up mood - a humor-at-your-expense scenario. Or at someone else's expense.
Quite fancy gradually easing this into my parlance but being surrounded by Americans, it's not going to work. Plus I'm not living a life involving a lot of rocking up. "I rocked up to Target for a kerbside pickup" - nah!
2/ "big boy"
This I noticed first on the baking shows, people talk about putting these big boys in the oven. Or "I'll need one of these big boys". Meaning like a large container. But it seems to refer to anything of substance and heft. "Take a look at this big boy!". Has a sort of vague, "prize marrow" type suggestiveness about it.
1/ "rock up"
I notice this being used in anecdotal contexts, people say things like "so we rocked up to the Pied Bull and there's this....". Or "so I'm rocking up in my new Doc Martens and... ". It suggests a certain swagger - matey ebullience and insouciance - me and the gang, although it could just be you doing the rocking up. Often there's a sense that something is about to happen - possibly a pratfall or turnabout that deflates the rocking-up mood - a humor-at-your-expense scenario. Or at someone else's expense.
Quite fancy gradually easing this into my parlance but being surrounded by Americans, it's not going to work. Plus I'm not living a life involving a lot of rocking up. "I rocked up to Target for a kerbside pickup" - nah!
2/ "big boy"
This I noticed first on the baking shows, people talk about putting these big boys in the oven. Or "I'll need one of these big boys". Meaning like a large container. But it seems to refer to anything of substance and heft. "Take a look at this big boy!". Has a sort of vague, "prize marrow" type suggestiveness about it.
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