More or Les (was Bloody Plurals)

[Hobbit]

I was trying to put together some ideas to send to Les to consider if he develops his quiz on Australian Slang and Idioms and I was amazed at the number of times I came across words or phrases I thought were typically Aussie only to find they were imported, mainly from the UK.  I suppose I should have realised this would be the case as until about 70 years ago the bulk of our immigration came from the UK – some voluntary, some otherwise. 

Some examples:
All mouth and trousers – true blue aussie? No, the phrase originated in northern England

Gobsmacked - As if smacked (“hit”) in the gob (“mouth (Irish / Scottish gaelic)”). Attested since 1959, from Northern English dialect, particularly Liverpool, popularized via television.

Gobbledygook – Origin: 1940s (originally US): probably imitating a turkey's gobble.

I've noticed a few times you & Les use an expression which is familiar to me.  I can just imagine a Scouser using the expression gobsmacked! I'd be interested in some of your proper Aussie slang & idioms.
Pen

[Ozzyjack]

I've noticed a few times you & Les use an expression which is familiar to me. 

Pen, you must  do the quiz in the other forum and let us know the result so Les and I will know how much work we have to do to make a Dinkum Aussie out of you.

[Ozzyjack]

Alsace is right on the German-French border and it's where Alsatians or German Shepherd dogs came from.

Does that mean that German Shepherds should really be known as French Shepherds?

There must be something special about dogs originating from border areas.  My particular love is for Collies originating from the Anglo-Scottish border.

[mkenuk]

Historical.
Alsace-Lorraine became part of the Prussian Empire following the Franco-Prussian war, so technically, for a short time anyway, it was German.

My European history is a bit rusty, but I'm sure there are others who can give more details.

[Ozzyjack]

Alsace-Lorraine became part of the Prussian Empire following the Franco-Prussian war, so technically, for a short time anyway, it was German.

Right on, Mike. The Franco-Prussian War, which started in July 1870, saw France defeated in May 1871 by the Kingdom of Prussia and other German states. The end of the war led to the unification of Germany. Otto von Bismarck annexed Alsace and northern Lorraine to the new German Empire in 1871 .Germany ceded the region to France under the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Alsace-Lorraine was occupied by Germany in 1940 during the Second World War. Although it was never formally annexed, Alsace-Lorraine was incorporated into the Greater German Reich, which had been restructured into Reichsgau. Alsace was merged with Baden, and Lorraine with the Saarland, to become part of a planned Westmark.  They returned to France after the War.

I was only Joking about the dogs

[Hobbit]

Hi Jack & Les
Can I change the subject to "Sandpaper Gate"?  Should I start a new thread?  It's sending shock waves around the world.  Of the one bunch of people who were ever going to cheat the Aussies were the very last I expected.  Am stunned & quite upset by it.
Pen

[auntiemo]

Hi Penny...I suspect a lot more than just Jack and Les will be interested in this topic.
I have friends who watch NO sport whatsoever and today I have had conversations with 2 of them....about the cricket. It is so disappointing that this has happened...or does it happen more often than we know-but got caught on camera this time?
Moyra

[pat]

Whatever happened to the spirit of winning on merit, not just in cricket but in any sport? These days it seems to be win at any cost, cheating if necessary.

[Ozzyjack]

Can I change the subject to "Sandpaper Gate"?  … Of the one bunch of people who were ever going to cheat the Aussies were the very last I expected. 
Pen

Oh Pen, Must I comment on this?

I guess I must.  I certainly feel pride when I see gallant or noble things done by fellow Australians so it is only fair that I feel shame when something like this happens.

But I can’t say I am surprised.  At the top level, the spirit of true sportsmanship and fair play has been going downhill in this country for many years on the playing field (except golf) and in the political arena.

Should I take as my guide Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who allows the shocking treatment of refugees in Nauru and Manus.

“It seemed completely beyond belief that the Australian cricket team had been involved in cheating. “After all, our cricketers are role models and cricket is synonymous with fair play. “How can our team be engaged in cheating like this? It beggars belief. “I’ve spoken with David Peever, the Chairman of Cricket Australia, a few moments ago and I’ve expressed to him very clearly and unequivocally my disappointment and my concern about the events in South Africa. ….but I have to say that (to) the whole nation, who holds those who wear the Baggy Green up on a pedestal, about as high as you can get in Australia … this is a shocking disappointment. “

or should I agree with the tweet by the Anglican priest Fr. Rod Bower yesterday
 
“We can no longer call ourselves civilized when ball tampering causes outrage, while human rights are ignored”


I think I will leave it to the one great scorer to express how I feel.

“For when the One Great Scorer comes
To write against your name,
He marks — not that you won or lost —
But how you played the game?”

[TRex]

Don't know cricket, but these messages sent me to South Africa vs Australia, 3rd Test: Why the Sandpaper Gate is worse than you think and Cameron Bancroft Suspected Of Ball-Tampering, Sandpaper Gate Hits SA vs Aus Test Series. Sandpaper has been used on baseballs and I understand how it can change the trajectory of a thrown ball, but I don't understand what stepping on the ball does. Is it not a hard ball? Stepping on a baseball would have no effect on it.

[Morbius]

TRex, stepping on the ball with spiked shoes will cause damage to the leather casing of the ball.  This advantages bowlers who can use the imperfections in the ball to impart extra spin or swing.

[Hobbit]

Oh Pen, Must I comment on this?

I guess I must.  I certainly feel pride when I see gallant or noble things done by fellow Australians so it is only fair that I feel shame when something like this happens.

Thanks for your thoughts Jack.  Very interesting & thoughtful.
You Know Who has been very quiet last few days! Do hope he's ok.
Pen

[Ozzyjack]

You Know Who has been very quiet last few days! Do hope he's ok.

I got a message from him the other day to explain why he had made no progress on his quiz.  Apparently he is stretched at work because of the Commonwealth Games and also he is in the middle of renovations to his apartment - probably restricts his computer access, He is too busy to scratch himself (new Aussie expression for you).

I imagine that after the Games he will be back bigger, brasher and more annoying than ever..

Jack

[Hobbit]

Thanks Jack.  So long as he's ok.  Love that - too busy to scratch himself   You'll have to let me have a few more.
Darren Lehmann is getting a bit of a hard time in the press here at the minute.  Opinion generally seems to be that he must have known what was going on.  One of the plastic wives got into a bit of a spat on twitter with Michael Vaughan.  Good luck to her winning that one!  They'd all be better off keeping their heads down for the moment.
Pen

[pat]

Re the cricket - hilarious. They cheated and got caught. Although they've apologized they're still referring to 'making a questionable decision', 'making a serious error of judgement' and 'mistakes having been made'. No, you deliberately CHEATED. You got caught. You got punished. Now you suffer the consequences. Sadly the fans also have to suffer the consequences.