A bit of "Hows your father"

joejoem

Where did that expression come from? I know what it means but where does the expression come from?

TerrorFirmer

I must say I have never heard that phrase in my life. What does it mean?

xzanti

HavoK: People use it as a reference to sex as far as I know..

Like rather than saying "They went behind the door in the cinema to have sex" one would say "They went behind the door for a Bit of Hows Your Father"

Not to be confused with the phrase: "Whos Yer Daddy"

WexCan

But where did it come from? Sounds vaguely incestuous...

Ruaidhri

xzanti wrote:

Havoc: People use it as a reference to sex as far as I know..

<banality>
Think you'll find you're talking to HavoK, HavoC is a different user :P
</banality>


Joejoem: i'm guessing cause you'll know who's gonna be the father

Mmmm_Lemony

What do you mean, where did it come from?

I thought all blokes screamed this out at the point of climax?

TerrorFirmer

xzanti wrote:

Havoc: People use it as a reference to sex as far as I know..

Like rather than saying "They went behind the door in the cinema to have sex" one would say "They went behind the door for a Bit of Hows Your Father"

Not to be confused with the phrase: "Whos Yer Daddy"

Very interesting, honestly never heard it before. Do people still use it, or is it some sort of 80's/90's phrase?

And eh....classy example.

Pompey Magnus

Obviously this is where it came from.

xzanti

HavoK wrote:

Very interesting, honestly never heard it before. Do people still use it, or is it some sort of 80's/90's phrase?

And eh....classy example.

Iv only ever heard English people use it tbh.. In soaps etc, think its a bit dated...

joejoem

xzanti wrote:

HavoK: People use it as a reference to sex as far as I know..

Like rather than saying "They went behind the door in the cinema to have sex" one would say "They went behind the door for a Bit of Hows Your Father"

Not to be confused with the phrase: "Whos Yer Daddy"

lol

The Secretary

The origin of the expression 'how's your father' can be traced back to Victorian times. In those days any man with a daughter was so protective of her virtue that he would take extraordinary measures to safeguard it. Unmarried girls would be kept within the bosom of their family as much as possible, chaperoned on excursions, and on those occasions when they were let out of bounds for social events, their fathers would often accompany them discreetly by hiding underneath their voluminous skirts ready to pounce on any man who transgressed the bounds of propriety - see diagrams.
However, a father with more than one daughter couldn't be everywhere at once. Thus, a suitor having a discreet vis-a-vis with his beloved would cautiously ascertain her father's whereabouts by asking, 'And how is your father?' If her father was currently under her skirts, she would glance downwards and reply, 'My father is very well, thankyou, and as alert and vigorous as ever, and maintains his interest in rusty castrating implements.' Her beau would then say, 'I have always had the greatest respect for your father, and of course for you. Let us hold hands and think about the Queen for a while.' If, on the other hand, her father was elsewhere, she would reply, 'The mad old bastard is currently stationed between my sister Constance's thighs. Let us go into the garden and rut like stoats.'
Courtesy of http://www.michaelkelly.fsnet.co.uk/qfather.htm

WexCan

The Secretary wrote:

The origin of the expression 'how's your father' can be traced back to Victorian times. In those days any man with a daughter was so protective of her virtue that he would take extraordinary measures to safeguard it. Unmarried girls would be kept within the bosom of their family as much as possible, chaperoned on excursions, and on those occasions when they were let out of bounds for social events, their fathers would often accompany them discreetly by hiding underneath their voluminous skirts ready to pounce on any man who transgressed the bounds of propriety - see diagrams.
However, a father with more than one daughter couldn't be everywhere at once. Thus, a suitor having a discreet vis-a-vis with his beloved would cautiously ascertain her father's whereabouts by asking, 'And how is your father?' If her father was currently under her skirts, she would glance downwards and reply, 'My father is very well, thankyou, and as alert and vigorous as ever, and maintains his interest in rusty castrating implements.' Her beau would then say, 'I have always had the greatest respect for your father, and of course for you. Let us hold hands and think about the Queen for a while.' If, on the other hand, her father was elsewhere, she would reply, 'The mad old bastard is currently stationed between my sister Constance's thighs. Let us go into the garden and rut like stoats.'
Courtesy of http://www.michaelkelly.fsnet.co.uk/qfather.htm

Filth!

cakehole

The Secretary wrote:

The origin of the expression 'how's your father' can be traced back to Victorian times. In those days any man with a daughter was so protective of her virtue that he would take extraordinary measures to safeguard it. Unmarried girls would be kept within the bosom of their family as much as possible, chaperoned on excursions, and on those occasions when they were let out of bounds for social events, their fathers would often accompany them discreetly by hiding underneath their voluminous skirts ready to pounce on any man who transgressed the bounds of propriety - see diagrams.
However, a father with more than one daughter couldn't be everywhere at once. Thus, a suitor having a discreet vis-a-vis with his beloved would cautiously ascertain her father's whereabouts by asking, 'And how is your father?' If her father was currently under her skirts, she would glance downwards and reply, 'My father is very well, thankyou, and as alert and vigorous as ever, and maintains his interest in rusty castrating implements.' Her beau would then say, 'I have always had the greatest respect for your father, and of course for you. Let us hold hands and think about the Queen for a while.' If, on the other hand, her father was elsewhere, she would reply, 'The mad old bastard is currently stationed between my sister Constance's thighs. Let us go into the garden and rut like stoats.'
Courtesy of http://www.michaelkelly.fsnet.co.uk/qfather.htm

bit slow on the uptake are we?..this was posted by Depeche_Mode only 2 posts previous to yours...and your first post as well....unlucky

Mmmm_Lemony

Is there an echo in here?

How's you father?

How's you father?

How's you father?

How's you father?

joejoem

The Secretary wrote:

The origin of the expression 'how's your father' can be traced back to Victorian times. In those days any man with a daughter was so protective of her virtue that he would take extraordinary measures to safeguard it. Unmarried girls would be kept within the bosom of their family as much as possible, chaperoned on excursions, and on those occasions when they were let out of bounds for social events, their fathers would often accompany them discreetly by hiding underneath their voluminous skirts ready to pounce on any man who transgressed the bounds of propriety - see diagrams.
However, a father with more than one daughter couldn't be everywhere at once. Thus, a suitor having a discreet vis-a-vis with his beloved would cautiously ascertain her father's whereabouts by asking, 'And how is your father?' If her father was currently under her skirts, she would glance downwards and reply, 'My father is very well, thankyou, and as alert and vigorous as ever, and maintains his interest in rusty castrating implements.' Her beau would then say, 'I have always had the greatest respect for your father, and of course for you. Let us hold hands and think about the Queen for a while.' If, on the other hand, her father was elsewhere, she would reply, 'The mad old bastard is currently stationed between my sister Constance's thighs. Let us go into the garden and rut like stoats.'
Courtesy of http://www.michaelkelly.fsnet.co.uk/qfather.htm

That avatar......:eek:

el tel

The Secretary wrote:

The origin of the expression 'how's your father' can be traced back to Victorian times. In those days any man with a daughter was so protective of her virtue that he would take extraordinary measures to safeguard it. Unmarried girls would be kept within the bosom of their family as much as possible, chaperoned on excursions, and on those occasions when they were let out of bounds for social events, their fathers would often accompany them discreetly by hiding underneath their voluminous skirts ready to pounce on any man who transgressed the bounds of propriety - see diagrams.
However, a father with more than one daughter couldn't be everywhere at once. Thus, a suitor having a discreet vis-a-vis with his beloved would cautiously ascertain her father's whereabouts by asking, 'And how is your father?' If her father was currently under her skirts, she would glance downwards and reply, 'My father is very well, thankyou, and as alert and vigorous as ever, and maintains his interest in rusty castrating implements.' Her beau would then say, 'I have always had the greatest respect for your father, and of course for you. Let us hold hands and think about the Queen for a while.' If, on the other hand, her father was elsewhere, she would reply, 'The mad old bastard is currently stationed between my sister Constance's thighs. Let us go into the garden and rut like stoats.'
Courtesy of http://www.michaelkelly.fsnet.co.uk/qfather.htm

That avatar indeed. I think you may very well be my secretary. Now get back to work.

WexCan

el tel wrote:

That avatar indeed. I think you may very well be my secretary. Now get back to work.

connundrum

I always thought that Hows your Father meant a reference to an alcoholic bevvi of some description. Working behind the bar I'd always be asked for a coupla hows yer fathers.. damn. They were actually askin me far sex weren't they?! Frickin old people! :rolleyes:

WexCan

connundrum wrote:

I always thought that Hows your Father meant a reference to an alcoholic bevvi of some description. Working behind the bar I'd always be asked for a coupla hows yer fathers.. damn. They were actually askin me far sex weren't they?! Frickin old people! :rolleyes:

Charming

sturgo

it's a class expression. i use it all the time.

Morrigan

cakehole wrote:

bit slow on the uptake are we?..this was posted by Depeche_Mode only 2 posts previous to yours...and your first post as well....unlucky

I appreciate that this was copy and pasted, instead of lazy-linkage - that site is blocked on my workplace network, due to "Hate and Intolerance"...
Aaaaaaaaanyways the pharase "How's your father" is a classic British 60s/70s "saucy" comedy phrase, isn't it? I always though it was used as a coy way of talking about sex, using the most innocent sounding phrase to hide it... You can really say any word or phrase in the right tone of voice and with a wink and everyone knows what you are talking about, right?

edit: I found this:
: how's your father? catchphrase associated with the British music-hall comedian Harry Tate (1872-1940). Apparently, he would exclaim it as a way of changing the subject and in order to get out of a difficult situation. The phrase either subsequently or simultaneously took on a life of its own meaning the same as a 'thingummy' or anything the speaker did not wish to name. From that, in phrases like 'indulging in a spot of how's-your-father', it became a euphemism for sexual activity.
: From _Dictionary of Catchphrases_ (1995) by Nigel Rees

WexCan

Morrigan wrote:

You can really say any word or phrase in the right tone of voice and with a wink and everyone knows what you are talking about, right?

Very true

el tel

Morrigan wrote:

IYou can really say any word or phrase in the right tone of voice and with a wink and everyone knows what you are talking about, right?

More tea, Vicar?

Morrigan

el tel wrote:

More tea, Vicar?

Saucy! :eek:
*giggles*