Tag: Language

Welsh It Up.

Most of my characters have favourite curse words. Freddie, from The Caretaker, he tends to swear in Welsh, which amuses me to no end. He loves the rare and often eccentric meaning behind them (and so do I.) Here are five of his personal favourites along with their translations:

  1. Twmffats – idiots
  2. Coc y gath – The Cat’s Willy (Or – Bollocks)
  3. Cachu hwch – Pig’s Poo (It’s all gone Wrong)
  4. Dim gwerth rhech dafad – not worth a sheep’s fart (completely useless)
  5. Cach – shit

Do you have a swear word you use more than others?

A Word is A Word.

Writer 012WB

Let’s Bring Back: The Lost Language Edition is a short, but fascinating book which is precisely what it says on the tin.  A book full of words and phrases which have long gone out of style and been forgotten.   I’ve always found the break down of language and how it evolves fascinating.

Etymology was one of the subjects I enjoyed most in school.  As someone with Aspergers, I can be rather persnickety about words being used correctly.   If a word has a meaning, it should mean that.  It’s something my hubby and I have amusing debates about.

Anyway, reading through the book, I was struck by several truly amusing words/phrases (along with their meanings) that I think we should bring back to life:

  • Chase the Ducks – translation take the risk.
  • Dingbat – idiot
  • Giggle Water – booze/liquor
  • Kerfuffle – commotion
  • Keep your pecker up – I know it sounds perverted, but it actually referred to a bird’s pecker not male bits.  The meaning up the phrase was basically keep your head up.

Do you have any favourite words or phrases that have gone out of style?