A Conversation for Ask h2g2
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Off your own back or off your own bat...?
Just Bob aka Robert Thompson, plugging my film blog cinemainferno-blog.blogspot.co.uk Posted Nov 27, 2002
*RTR*
Actually, I would probably say 'off your own ba', which covers both options.
Off your own back or off your own bat...?
Henry Posted Nov 27, 2002
The Oxford Engl. Dict. traces "off his own bat" to cricket: "in reference to the score made by a player's own hits" and, figuratively, "solely by his own exertions, by himself."
Not relying on other people to make up the majority of the score during a game. Something for which you can rightly claim credit. Who cares?
Off your own back or off your own bat...?
Azara Posted Nov 27, 2002
Just Bob said:
"Actually, I would probably say 'off your own ba', which covers both options"
Interesting, in my accent the two options sound very different, and I've never ever heard anyone say 'off your own back'. (I would certainly have circled that as wrong in a written document!) But if the two words sound very similar, then I suppose it's easy for the usage to change...
Azara 
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Off your own back or off your own bat...?
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