h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello I am taking part in the h2g2's NaJoPoMo 2014 where I endeavour to write one journal every day for 30 days.

I am interested in the origin of every day phrases and the history behind them and one word can have several different meanings depending on where you live in the UK. When my grandfather was going to work, he said the was taking his bait with him. He was not referring to fishing bait but his packed lunch. Here are few unusual words and phrases: aboot for about, clart for "mud" as in "there's clarts on yar boots" and marra - Friend. Used like "mate" - al'reet marra.

You seem to have a good topic to work with, Thinker. I look forward to more journals along those lines.

Thank you Paul.

*subscribes*

Here is an phrase which have always found to be very funny, 'hopping mad'. It conjures up a picture of an angry person hopping on one leg. Other phrases I find strange are 'losing one's patience' or 'losing one's temper' as though it was possible to mislay your temper or patience.

I understand the phrase "mad as a hatter" stems from the hatter suffering brain damage caused by toxic glue used in the line of his w*rk

I did not understand the phrase "there is no love lost between us" because it appears to mean the exact opposite, but I found this (which even quotes an English-Danish dictionary):

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/161536/what-does-no-love-lost-mean-and-where-does-it-come-from

I had a book once with all the origins of various words and phrases. The cover of the book had a fish in a beer glass with the words codswallop.

But here is one theory behind the origin of Codswallop: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-codswallop

In my early teens, I would go and sit reading a dictionary, not just for the meaning of words but their origin.

Yes, happened to me too. And if I had to look anything up in an encyclopaedia I would be lost for hours - plus I immediately forgot what I was looking for in the first place, because there were so many other interesting entries

As I a child I had a set of maroon children's encyclopaedia which my parent's bought from a visiting salesman. Another book that I loved, but sadly I don't have anymore is Automobile Association Countryside book which had everything that you wanted to know about rural life and even had descriptions of flora and fauna as well as a guide to the different names of cloud formations and what weather you would expect if you saw them in the sky.

[Amy P]

Here are a few of my favourite Scottish phrases:

“It’s a braw bricht moonlit nicht the nicht”
It’s a good (or brilliant) bright moonlight night tonight.

Lang may yer lum reek!
May you live long and stay well.

Mony a mickle maks a muckle!
Saving small mounts of money will soon mount up.

It’s a dreich day! – Cold and miserable day.

Haar - which means a fine sea mist

I am really enjoying your journal

and

Thank you Herenna and Peanut for your very kind compliments and for the and .

Here is an example of the Scottish *Scots) Lallan language:

Alastair Mackie's poem, "In Absentia":

Syn God said: "Nou I'm awa,
Mak a kirk or a mill o' t!"
And God gaed tae the back o beyond
in the midst o aathing.


Since God said, “now I am away,
Make a church or a mill o' t!"
And God going to the back of beyond
In the midst of everything.