Formerly Known as The Rights of Fans
From nineteenth-century British soldiers stranded in India to everyday British conversation, the expression ‘going doolally’ has a fascinating history. Discover how boredom, illness and military slang gave us one of our most wonderfully peculiar descriptions of eccentric behaviour.
“I'm not a racist, but…” Six words that invariably warn you something unpleasant is coming. From pub philosophers to casual conversations, this familiar expression attempts to disguise prejudice as reasonable opinion. But who is really being fooled? A look at the origins, contradictions and extraordinary staying power of one of the English language's most revealing conversational disclaimers.
From a cholesterol-laden Full English breakfast to unemployed Sheffield steelworkers stripping naked, few expressions are as wonderfully British as ‘the full monty’. But where did it originate? Field Marshal Montgomery, a famous tailoring empire or something altogether different? Discover the curious history of three words that conquered the world.
From northern working-class humour and sexual bravado to Last of the Summer Wine and punk rock, the curious history of a familiar British expression.
“As fit as a butcher’s dog” is one of those unmistakably British expressions whose meaning is obvious even if its origins are not. From nineteenth-century slang to sport, politics and modern double meanings, it is a phrase that has proved remarkably durable.
A phrase that has survived our supermarket dash to knock the beauty, life and expressions from our wonderful language, to sacrifice at the altar of political expediency.
Chris Harris No, this is culturally a paraphrase referencing the brilliant actor’s industrial drinking: going to an off licence for a bottle of whisky.’ But maybe not completely off subject. “Gone for a Burton” is one of those wonderfully British expressions that sounds almost cheerful until you discover what it originally meant, because although today … Continue reading Popular Idioms and Phrases: “Gone For A Burton”
by Chris Harris Splitting Hairs: Why We Still Love This Centuries-Old Idiom We all know a hair-splitter. You say the meeting started at ten o’clock and they point out that it actually started at 10:02. You say a politician broke a promise and someone replies that technically it wasn’t a promise, it was a commitment. … Continue reading Popular Idioms and Phrases: Splitting Hairs
by Chris Harris I've thoroughly enjoyed watching Banjo and Ro's Grand Island Hotel on BBC Scotland. It's beautifully filmed, Banjo and Ro are engaging, and their enthusiasm for breathing new life into a neglected historic building is infectious. Watching them tackle the enormous challenges of restoring Ulva House on the Isle of Ulva has made … Continue reading Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel – How the Project’s Opaque Funding Ruins the Show.
by Chris Harris Few English idioms are as satisfying as "hit the nail on the head." It is short, visual and instantly understood. We use it when somebody identifies a problem perfectly, explains something accurately or arrives at exactly the right conclusion.If a friend finally works out why a relationship failed, they have hit the … Continue reading Popular Idioms and Phrases: Hit the Nail on the Head
by Chris Harris Origins and First Recorded Use “Old habits die hard” is one of those phrases that feels like it has always existed, and in many ways, it has. The exact wording dates back to 1837, when Nathaniel Hawthorne used it in his novel Fanshawe: “Old habits die hard.” That simple, direct phrasing has … Continue reading Popular Idioms and Phrases and Why We Say: Old Habits Die Hard: Where the Phrase Comes From and Why It Endures
by Chris Harris Sweet Fanny Adams: The Curious and Tragic Origins of a Familiar British Phrase If someone offers you or asks you for something and you reply, “You’ll get Sweet Fanny Adams,” or FA, of course, everyone understands what you mean. It is one of those phrases that sits comfortably in everyday British conversation. … Continue reading British Idioms – Sweet Fanny Adams: The Curious and Tragic Origins of a Familiar Phrase